<< BACK TO PRESS

Counting Down the ECMAs with Jessica Rhaye

The Saint John nominee discusses her music and art.
here magazine
January 31st Issue, 2008
By Nelson Hanson

CONTINUED >>>

"The opportunity was very inviting to me," Rhaye recalls. "We had hired a really good publicist over there and she did a lot of legwork before we flew over. So we had really good press. We did one whole day of press at the BBC. Dave Gunning and I were there and it was amazing but odd. Kylie Minogue was there that day and so was Fergie." Hold it, Fergie as in Duchess? Black Eyed Peas Fergie? At this suggestion, the soft spoken Rhaye erupts in laughter.

"No, the royal Fergie, Sarah Duchess of York," she answers. "It was weird, they were in the building so there was all kinds of paparazzi around and quite a commotion. Dave and I showed up with our guitars and people were looking at us thinking 'who are these two?' I think the way pop music is in Britain now they're more focused on pop groups so seeing a couple of people with guitars must have seemed strange." The UK tour gathered momentum as favourable press chronicled the trio's journey and audience reaction to the three was nothing short of welcoming according to Rhaye.

"The audiences were great. It took awhile for them to warm up but we'd get an encore every night and after every show people would line up to meet us and chat. We made sure we shook everyone's hand that came to talk." With that recent tour in her not-so distant memory, Rhaye's making plans for her next big opportunity. She'll be one of the more busy attendees at next week's East Coast Music Awards. With her nominations for her album and her graphic arts work she'll be busy attending the event both as an artist and as an industry professional looking to further both careers. She says she'll be playing several events over the course of the weekend and is especially looking forward to playing the Music NB showcase and credits recently appointed executive director Jolene Keats with infusing new blood into the province's music scene.

"I think she's great," says Keats. "I think people need to be aware of the artists working in the province. I think that Music NB are doing a better job and that musicians here are starting to grow larger fan bases instead of having the same people come out to see them. That's what we need as musicians. We need people to know about us and buy a ticket to the show or buy the CD." After this year's ECMAs Rhaye has more up her sleeve for 2008.

She's recently returned from a trip to Cape Breton where she demo'd new material for a new disc with long time producer/collaborators Jamie Foulds and Ed Woodsworth. This disc will hold a collection of songs that will mark a departure in musical direction for an artist known for a more etherial pop sound.

"This record will be sort of an extension of Short Stories but it's going to be a bit folkier. The songs do have that same pop element in them but I think the direction we're going to take in terms of production is the direction of a singer/songwriter." Rhaye explains this new yet to be named record will show the musical influences she credits as influential in her work such as Eva Cassidy and Ron Sexsmith.

While Sexsmith is something of a musical hero to her, she says when she learned he was in Saint John for a show, the normally reserved songstress had enough chutzpah (look it up) to enlist some help from someone whom she admired and respected.

"We had met once before at a songwriters workshop in Toronto when I was up there for the Canadian Radio Star songwriting competition (with co-writer Ken Tobias, she took 2nd place). I introduced myself and told him that I'd love to play some songs for him. I mean, he's awesome. I love Ron Sexsmith. I love his writing, his singing, There's something sexy about him. When I heard he was in town I found out where he was staying and simply called his room. He invited me over and I knocked on the door and we started writing."

Given that Sexsmith has been lauded by such music legends as Elvis Costello and Paul McCartney as one of their favourite songwriters one would presume that bringing a song to someone of that ilk must be nothing short of terrifying. Rhaye explains to the contrary.

"Writing with him was very relaxng. He's so nice, he came to the door wearing slippers and welcomed me in. I came to write with him more as a fan but I was afraid he wouldn't like anythingI brought to him. He was very friendly and helpful. I had a verse and a chorus writen and we wrote a second verse together and Ron wrote a really cool bridge for the song. It was easy and fun, what more can you say?"

How many people can say that they've written a song with Ron Sexsmith? Jessica Rhaye fans can expect to see that song on her upcoming disc that she hopes to have ready for the summer. Between now and the release of her new CD she's prepping for a show at the Riverview Arts Centre with euro-popster Zwerg on March 29th. She's also taking part in a songwriting circle April 17th at the Imerial Theatre with NB country star Darcy Mazerolle and funk rock king Chris Colepaugh. Perhaps the highlight of her summer touring schedule will be the 3 day stint in July at Ontario's legendary Mariposa Festival perhaps Canada's most historic folk festival.

While still young in her years but with enough experience in the biz, Jessica Rhaye is poised to become one of the province's and the region's more recognizable talents bringing creativity to the senses both with her music and her art.