December 1, 2023 • 29 mins
Unsigned & Independent with Kickoff Kevin is back for another batch of episodes! And this one features New Jersey native, Jessica Rose. Jessica lives in Nashville part-time and sleeps on a friend's couch because she is still trying to save up enough money to move to Tennessee next year to pursue music full-time. Jessica also discusses dating a current band member and the struggles of staying true to herself in country music.
Socials:
- Instagram: RealJessicaRose
- TikTok: RealJessicaRose
Follow: @KickOffKevin
Podcast Description:
Unsigned and Independent is a six episode season podcast hosted by Kevin O’Connell that features unsigned and independent artists and bands in Nashville. The purpose of this podcast is to highlight the journey and grind musicians go through trying to make it in the industry; the journey most fans don’t see leading up to national success. People move to music city from all over the country to chase something they have only dreamed of – making music and performing for a living. This podcast will dive into stories on the road, late nights and early mornings on the infamous Broadway, their background story, and if there is an ultimate goal for each artist or band. The artists featured on this podcast don’t have the backing of a label or sometimes even management, or a publishing team to handle their bookings, travel, etc.… But what they all have in common is a genuine passion for the love of music and performing. There is hidden talent spread throughout music city and the aim of this podcast is to give this hidden talent an opportunity to have a platform for an audience to hear their story, what the process is really like in the industry, and hopefully gain a new fan or two.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Right now talking for another episode of Unsigned and Independent
with Kickoff Kevin. It's season two episode eleven, Kevin.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
What is her name?
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Jessica Rose?
Speaker 1 (00:18):
What about her made you go? Dang, I'm interested in her.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
I came across her on Instagram, saw her music, saw
her perform a little bit, and I said, I need
to find out more about her.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
So Unsigned and Independent is a show Kevin does with
artists who really have something cool about them. They just
haven't been signed yet for whatever reason, and mostly they're
funding everything themselves.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Yes, so we do this show.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
So if you like their music, you can support them
by listening to the music, going to live shows, buying
merch is a big deal. Jessica is moving back to
Nashville next year. She doesn't live here now, not full time,
so she works part time lovest here.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Yeah, she comes here in the fall, but still does
a lot of stuff back at home in New Jersey.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Dang.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Yeah, okay, so here she is. She talks about American
Idol as a teenager, so she isn't a really ship
one for band members too.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Which is odd. You're like the boss, Yes, that's what
it's like.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
The Carli Pierce thing with her drummer like, she's his boss, Like,
what's the power dynamic?
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Really, that's that's what I was in.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
She's his boss.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
So that's not for this episode here, but that's what's up.
This is Jessica Rose, unsigned, an independent, and you can
follow Kevin on Instagram at kick Off.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Kevin, Jessica, I noticed when you drove in here you
had Louisiana plates. Yeah, I'm not gonna give out your
license plate here, but you had Louisiana plates. But so
where are you from? Because I read Jersey, I read Nashville,
and now I see Louisiana.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Oh my god.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
And so where's home or well, home is Nashville now right, Okay,
But where'd you grow up?
Speaker 4 (01:44):
So I grew up in New York originally, and then
I became a Jersey girl. Right now, I'm not living
living in Nashville. I actually woke up today on a
mattress on the floor at my friend's house.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
What.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
Yeah, I'm staying at his house and he has this
bare bedroom, so he gave me a mattress. That's what
I'm sleeping on right now. I am going to move
back to Nashville in January, so right before COVID, I
moved to Jersey. I was playing in Nashville, and then
I had no gigs left, so I was like, I
(02:20):
guess this is.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Time to now move back home.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
So when I was in Jersey, I was doing like
Facebook lives and stuff for forever, it seemed like during COVID,
and I just never moved back to Nashville. So I
always stay with friends when i'm here, and yeah, so
the mattress.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Life is not for me anymore.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
So I'm definitely going to get a place to live
here in January.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
So you are like the true definition of you know,
trying to make it, And how often are you coming
to Nashville?
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Then I usually spend the fall here, okay, fall spring?
Last last spring met my band got an airbnb, like
a like a short term rental, So we got an
airbnb for two months last spring. But I'm ready to
move back because I spent all of like my early
twenties living in Nashville, playing downtown and I loved it.
(03:12):
But then when COVID hit, I had no gigs and
I'm a full time musician, so I had no choice
but to move back home.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
And did you get any gigs? Obviously, everything was shut down,
so maybe not any gigs, but were you able to
provide for yourself back in Jersey different way or through music.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
I moved in with my family, so I didn't have
any overhead for the most part, and I was doing
live videos.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
I gained a good Facebook following doing that, and then once.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
Gigs started, I was playing on boats like people when
COVID was happening and we were getting back into things
like people would say, do you want to come play
on my boat? It's outside, and you know, just trying
to make ends meet. So I definitely had the luxury
of living back home and not having like a mortgage
or rent. So for me that worked out. But now
I'm a big girl, so I need my place.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
But what are your parents think about that? Are they
going to say, I mean, are you living with them
right now?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Or no?
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Yeah, okay, okay, So they're going to be upset or
sad when you when you got to go come in
this winter? Are they kind of like, all right, it's
time now you need you need to move on with
your life here.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
They wouldn't want me to live with them until you know,
I'm eighty years old. I'm a good roommate there you go.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Yeah, so I pretty much.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
I'm just I'm so excited to get back to living
in Nashville. I so the Louisiana car is a rental.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Car, gotcha?
Speaker 4 (04:32):
And yeah, I moved here to Nashville in twenty thirteen,
and I went to Belmont University my last two years.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Okay, so that was pretty cool.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
And then I just started playing downtown, which everyone advised
me not to do.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
And I said, I moved to Nashville because I want
to do music.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
So did you go to Belmont as a musician or
as like an engineer or producer?
Speaker 4 (04:57):
I studied music business, Okay, yeah, not as like a songwriter.
I just, you know, me being naive. I'm like, you
can't teach how to write a song. I mean those
classes definitely would have helped.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Yeah, they have actual classes like that.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Yeah, have you.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Ever taken anything like that?
Speaker 4 (05:15):
I've done like retreats, songwriting retreats and kind of like,
I'm gonna be doing a lot of that in the fall.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
Because how does that like? Because to me, I've never
written a song. I would love to write a song
one day. I mean, I just think it'd be fun.
I've said it on here before that. I would like
to be part of like a writer's around, like a room,
just to sit there and watch how a song comes about,
because I've never seen it. You just see the end product,
and they know there's so much work that goes into it, right,
So I can't imagine. So, say you say a writer's
(05:42):
retreat or even this taking a class, like what are
they are they teaching you? Like when you say how
to write a song? What does that really mean?
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (05:51):
I mean I've done stuff with NSAI, so they have
like a songwriting camp and you could go and hit
songwriters will come in and talk about their experiences.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
But I feel like it's either in you or it's not.
That's how I feel.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
That's how I feel too, because I'm like, I've never
written one, and I don't feel like it's really Maybe
it is, I guess I don't know. You never know
until you try. But that just seems like it's such
a personal thing almost where it's like teaching somebody to
do that. And I guess obviously it works at Belmont,
but it just seems like something that would just be
so like individualized. Each person would be so different and
(06:25):
be already it's a class about that.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Yeah, I think that would be very hard.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
I write songs about my life and about my friend's life,
so right, you can't.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
You have to go out there and just live your
life and then a song.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Do you like writing songs more or performing?
Speaker 4 (06:40):
I like performing more, and that was like the biggest
thing for when I moved to town. I just wanted
to perform, and I was playing like eight hour days downtown.
Totally burnt myself out, but I leave there with a
couple hundred bucks and I'm like, wow, like I did it.
You know, I played downtown and I'm making money. But
(07:04):
I've come to realize that it's all about the songs,
all about the original music.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
So it took me a while to learn that.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
But now I know I just have to write music,
keep my head down and write right right, and you know,
eventually things will happen.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
When you say it's all about the original music, are
you saying like, if you want to really make something
out of yourself or you and your band, then you
got to write your own songs, perform your own songs,
and it's got to be it's got to catch on.
Is that what you mean by that? Yeah, so you
can only play so many cover songs before you're like, Okay,
I need to start doing my own thing.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
That's what I've come to learn.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
I think, you know, from I moved here in twenty thirteen,
so from what I've learned throughout the years, it all
starts with the song.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
And I didn't believe it at first, but now I know.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
You know, if you post an original song or someone
hears it and they connect with it, if it goes viral,
I think that's that's what it's about, a song that
connects with people.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Do you remember the first song you ever wrote? What
was it called.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
All I Ever Wanted?
Speaker 4 (08:03):
And I actually sang it on national television what oh
my yeah, like a contest. I sang it on American
Idol Nice Oh my gosh. I was seventeen, and it
was a crazy season. It was when like Nicki Minaj
was on, Keith Urban was on too really, and they said,
(08:26):
do you have any original music? I don't know why
they asked me that, and I said, yeah, I do. Meanwhile,
it was just half of a song, so like I
didn't really have an actual song, but it.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Was like, oh I don't wanted.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Yeah, it was like such a corny tune and I
didn't make it through.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Have you ever seen that song? Did you ever sing
it again, like in front of an audience or no?
Or did that song kind of going out of regard me? Really?
Oh that sucks?
Speaker 4 (08:53):
No, it's cute, but I realized, Okay, I really get
to like work on my career. And I didn't know
this is what I wanted to do until I got
told no on national television and cried ooh.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
And how long after that did you move to Nashville?
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Three years later?
Speaker 3 (09:12):
Okay? Yeah, and you're so you're in Nashville for a
little while, moved back, and now you're trying to move back.
But you've been on your Instagram and every video where
you're playing it seems like you're playing somewhere different, you know,
whether it's in a basement somewhere or outdoor somewhere, or
every stage, every setting is different, which is how it's
supposed to be for an artist. What is that road
like for you? Are you constantly on the road other
(09:34):
than just going from Jersey to Nashville? Are you constantly
performing in different places and trying to find these gigs
on your own as an independent artist?
Speaker 4 (09:41):
Yeah, So I do all my booking, like everything myself.
So I just placed a merch order, I designed my
merch I'm writing my songs. I'm like trying to produce
and I'm booking. So it's a lot of computer work,
which I thought, like being a songwriter an artist, that'd
be fun. And like I'm just like on my laptop
(10:02):
for hours a day just trying to get opportunities or
you know, just mapping out a tour. So yeah, I've
been on the road a lot, and I've been trying
to play more festivals, which is really cool. So I've
been in my niece on rogue. It has a lot
of miles on it.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
You go there, you go, is it you? You have
a band? You have a full band?
Speaker 4 (10:28):
Right?
Speaker 3 (10:28):
How many members?
Speaker 2 (10:29):
There's four of us?
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Okay, So you talk about this booking and everything, is
that everybody kind of has their own role.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Yeah, I mean not. They try to help, for sure,
they're always willing to help.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
Like my bass player is producing a lot now and
everyone's trying to help. But at the end of the day,
I'm doing everything because it's my name. So it's not
like Jessica Rose Band, It's Jessica Rose, So I'm mapping
everything out, but they're definitely always willing to help.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
How did you and your form out here in Nashville or.
Speaker 4 (11:02):
We actually all met in Jersey and New York. I
met my guitarist actually at the guitar shop that I
took my first lessons at, and he became my guitarist
years later. And then this last year I met my drummer,
my bass player. So we met in Jersey. We instantly
(11:22):
became like best friends, homies. And now, yeah, they're coming
to Nashville and we're going to do this thing.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
So they're not here right now. No, Okay, where's your
guys next stop after this or from here?
Speaker 4 (11:33):
At the end of the year, we're doing a few
Jersey shows and playing a few writers rounds here, and
then next year we're going to be doing Alred downtown.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
We're playing Old Red who we're playing there in a
few weeks.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
They've been super cool because Alred has a few locations
and they're connected with the Opry, so I've known them
for a few years.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
And yeah, so and you have a significant relationship with
some a member of your band, right, can we talk
about that? So I'll let you the floor is yours.
Then I'll let you explain your relationship with Yeah, continue, No.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
I actually I met one of my band members last
year and she came to a gig of mine, and
she didn't know who she was coming to see because
she was going to see her bass player friend. So
she was at my gig and then after my show,
I went to another bar and she was playing at
that bar and she plays the drums, and I was like, damn,
(12:32):
like I really need a drummer. So I started talking
with her and we hit it off, and like didn't
know that we were going to be together together, but
we were talking about music and spending hours together and
like every day we meet up, have coffee, talk music,
and then we ended up dating. So now I'm a
(12:53):
girl that dates her drummer.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
I'm one of those is.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
The drummer dating the lead singer could go either way here? Yeah, yeah,
what's that dynamic like? Because I've had a married couple
on here, I've had you know, siblings that are in
the same band on here, So I'm always just so
interested in what that dynamic is like dating somebody that's
in your band, because you spend so much time together,
you go through the bad the good. Like it's it's
(13:20):
hard enough to work with somebody no matter what you
do that you're dating or married to. Yeah, and then
when you're part of a band, like you are really intimate.
You're not doing separate stuff, you're doing everything together, right,
So what's that dynamic like for you guys?
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Yeah, it's it's crazy because we really jumped into things
being in a band. You're like, you're like fam, you're
family when you're in a band, So we, you know,
would spend all of our time together. That's all we
do because I'm either doing music or I'm with her,
So jumping into that was definitely it was easy, but
(13:52):
there were hard times, like with things that we agreed
on and didn't agree on.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
But for the most part, she's very supportive.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
I'm supportive, and we both know that we have this
higher dream and we could do it together. So that definitely,
you know, makes it a lot easier to have that
companion while you're going after this almost impossible dream.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
And what would that dream be for you or you
and your band? Do you have an ultimate goal? Do
you have like a bar where you're like, hey, if
we play here, if we do this or if we
sign here, then that means we made it. Do you
have that goal in mind?
Speaker 2 (14:29):
I absolutely do, and I've always wondered.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
This is why I love this podcast because I've always wondered,
and like was looking for answers all the time and
just like listening and meeting people and figuring out what
I want to do. I just didn't know what I
wanted for a long time, and now I really know.
I'm like I've always wanted to be the front man,
(14:53):
playing festivals, going on tour, playing stadiums and playing my
original music because it's it's a little different, but it
fits into country. And you know, I'm just a little different.
I'm not the typical country girl.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
I'm what do you mean by that?
Speaker 4 (15:11):
Because I'm I like girls. So I'm a gay female
country artist. And for the longest time, I've never felt
like I fit in or I belonged, And when I
lived here full time, I just didn't have that.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Reassurance in my own self.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
So now I finally, like, I came out on social
media and I just want to own it. And I
used to write songs in rooms with guys and I'd
be singing about a boy and like I just knew
it wasn't right, and I knew that I didn't want
the world to hear that. So I was never proud
of my music. And now that I'm finally have my
(15:52):
own platform, I'm able to be myself.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
And how long ago was that?
Speaker 2 (15:57):
It was about two years ago that I came out.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
So you spent the vast majority of your obviously your life,
but even just your music career of trying to be
somebody that you're not.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Yeah, exactly do.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
You feel like that was that reflected in your music?
Speaker 4 (16:11):
Yeah? I reflected in everything. I wasn't happy. I couldn't
be myself. So how am I going to get on
stage and let people think or believe in my music
when I don't even do that? So I'm like, I'm
over the moon with the music that I have ready
to come out and record.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
So it's definitely been a struggle for sure.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
What are some of the struggles that you've dealt with since, say,
coming out. Do you feel like because of that you
may hit some roadblocks if you will?
Speaker 4 (16:43):
Yeah, you know what, Like I've had meetings and I've
paid for mentorships and stuff like that, and like people
told me who I should be what I should wear,
what I should do, and now, especially in this day
and age, I feel like you could do anything you
freaking want, anything at all, Like if you want to
jump on a pogo stick on TikTok and sing about girls,
(17:06):
I don't know, Like that's the most ridiculous thing. Yeah,
you got to get creative. Yeah, I just I feel
like I could do whatever I want. And honestly, coming
out on social media was huge because it's like, all right,
it's out there in the world now I can't go back,
and I could be proud of who I am.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
So I'm just I'm really happy that I did that.
Speaker 4 (17:29):
I don't know why. For my entire life, I didn't
want to. I mean, part of it was because my
parents are not okay with it. Now they are and
they're the most supportive parents in the entire world, especially
with music, But for a long time they didn't support
my relationship.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
You know, did you come out to them before you
ever came out to the world. Yeah, okay, how long before?
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Oh my gosh, like eight years?
Speaker 3 (17:52):
Oh wow? Yeah, So so they knew for eight years?
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Yeah, oh wow. Yeah, because they weren't okay with it.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
And you know, now that the world knows, like, you can't,
you can't take that back, And it was really really hard,
but now they're totally cool with it, like Coole as parents.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
How long did that take them to kind of adjust
to it and accept it?
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Probably I mean nine or ten years, like oh well, yeah, okay, yeah, so.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
You've did you ever feel like you were kind of
out there on your on your own? I mean both
musically and personally as well, So that had to be
a compile onto everything just to make this struggle even harder.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
Yeah, it was weird because I knew how much my
parents love me, but I knew how they weren't okay
with that, And I think it was more of like,
you know, our daughter is gay, Like they didn't want
to want people to know. So now that everyone does,
and everyone's like, we're so proud of like your daughter
and who she is and that she's following her dreams.
(18:59):
And I have an older other and he tells me
all the time. He's like, most people don't follow their dreams,
and you are, and that takes a lot.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
And you're fighting a whole nother obstacle, like you're not
just following your dreams of playing music you're also having
to battle this, you know, being gay in the industry. Ye,
battling just coming out. So I do appreciate you telling that.
Speaker 4 (19:20):
And this is like the first major podcast or even
anywhere that I'm talking about this.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
That's awesome. That's awesome, Thank you. I do appreciate you talking.
I mean, I know that can't be easy, especially only
a couple of years in it something that you've battled
for so long, So I do appreciate you sharing that.
What are some other struggles that you've dealt with outside
of you know, being gay in the industry, just trying
to make it in music in general. What do you
think has been some of the biggest obstacles for you
(19:47):
to get to where you ultimately want to be.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
Yeah, I think well, for me, I know, I've learned
that like knowing people is great and just making those relationships.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
So I'm excited.
Speaker 4 (20:00):
I've been playing some bigger shows and meeting some bigger
artists and there you know, their team and getting to
know people. I think being that shy little girl and
not being myself was the biggest struggle for me. So
other than that, now that I could be myself and
people like I get I'm a good hang People like
(20:23):
to hang out with me and we have fun. So
I feel like just getting to know myself better and
getting to know other people better was my biggest setback.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Do you have an influence out here that somebody who
really helps you get through some stuff or whether it's
songwriting or just you know, personally professionally.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
Yeah, I mean I have a good group of friends here. Honestly,
the gay community in Nashville, like going a lipstick lounge
and playing songs about girls is really cool. I definitely
have plans to release songs that like say her in It,
but right now I'm just focusing on I have some
(21:01):
fun songs that I'm going to release that are like
totally country rock. And I'm really influenced by Carrie Underwood too,
because she has that, Like she had this album that
is really rocky and like awesome drums, So we'll have
to get my girl in the drums for that.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
You have a time period for that or that next
year sometimes.
Speaker 4 (21:21):
Yeah, So I want to be living here in Nashville
and release that stuff. But I'm gonna I'm gonna release
at least one more single for the fall, and it's
just like a drinking song. It's gonna be I like
to drink and party.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
Well, you're in the right city, I guess. Yeah, So
what do you What are you telling yourself then? Because
I sometimes I will last like, you know, what, if
you've been here for eight years, what would you tell
yourself eight years ago that you don't know now? And
for you, it's you were here years ago and now
you're coming back, and what's because obviously your mindset is
different in every single way. What are you telling yourself
(21:56):
as you come back to Nashville full time and what's
your mindset compared to the first time.
Speaker 4 (22:01):
Yeah, so coming back here, I'm just going to focus
mostly on songwriting and the money will come. I was here,
I was doing Broadway, I was bartending. I was focused
on like paying bills and making money. And now I'm
just like, I just want to write the best songs
(22:22):
and the money will come.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
I do believe that.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
You just believe in doing what you should be doing
and everything else will come.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
With you writing songs, going out supporting other friends and
just like I went out last night, I haven't seen
people in a while, and everyone was just so happy
to see me. And I've definitely made an impact with
some friend groups, and I think that just focusing on
songwriting is going to be my biggest thing.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
Are you in hopes of like a publishing deal?
Speaker 4 (22:48):
Yeah, that's my goal. Okay, I think I came here
without a goal, and like, I had so many friends
that weren't in the industry and that's cool, but I
just want to aim for that publishing deal.
Speaker 3 (23:00):
Is there any way you can just summarize real quick
to somebody because I didn't really know. This is when
I first moved the difference between say a label or
a deal and a publishing deal.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
Yeah, I mean a publishing deal is just you go
in writing songs and they're going to own your publishing
and get you co writs. A record deal is the whole,
the whole kit komboodle. So I don't think I need
that because I'm doing a lot of stuff on my
own and they really take a lot from a record deal.
So the publishing deal will be kind of like the
(23:31):
first step, and then record labels like kind of do
your distribution and get your songs on radio and management
and everything. So I think a publishing deal would be
my best bet.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
How how much does social media help you.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Well, that's why I'm here right now.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
I know, I know. I mean, if you're listening, it
really is Jessica out to me. And this is where
we are. Was months ago, and you know, I said, hey,
just be patient with me and think thank god you were. Yeah,
so I appreciate that, and this is why we're here,
so outside of just this podcast. So I mean, it's
such a good, great way for you to distribute your music,
right and your song is the way that you want
(24:09):
them to be heard, and you want them to be sung,
and so for you, do you use it as your
major tool to outsource your music.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
Yeah, that's another huge thing that I want to do. Like,
so I'm going to get my own house and I'm
going to have like a cute little room and have
people over kind of like this, write a song and
then do like a little interview and post it on
social media, and I think that'll give other artists exposure
and like we'll do things together. I was never one
(24:38):
to like go out to a meal and then post
a picture of like my tacos and margarita on Instagram,
but like that's kind of what it's about. Going places
and like really putting your original music on social media
for sure.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
Yeah, and you get a lot of good feedback, good
and bad. I'm sure right, you got to have the
bad of course, because people have nothing better to I know.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
I'm like, now I'm posting funny videos and being myself,
So I'm gonna do that with my music.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
That's the hardest part I think about social media, whether
it's for your job or just in general, even with myself.
Like you know, I'll take a video or something and
I'm like, you're just such a hard critic on yourself,
and you think you look stupid or you're acting stupid,
and you're like yeah, But at the same time, like, dude,
this is just who you are, Like it's not a
big deal. Who really cares, you know what I mean?
So I can't even imagine music what that like that
(25:29):
burden may have on you, Like what if this song
everybody hates the song or hates these lyrics or whatever,
So it could be a great thing and a bad thing.
I do want to talk about some of your music here.
We'll talk about Burn first. It's your latest single, latest single,
lay single. He I'll play a little clip and we'll
talk about it real quick. All right, what's the story
(26:00):
behind what do You Letting Burn?
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (26:02):
Well, I wrote this with one of my friends, and
it's about being with someone that's not good for you.
There yeah, I mean, but you do it anyway because
you're stupid and just you kind of like it, like
you're you're with somebody, maybe they don't treat you right
or and then you just stick with them because you
(26:23):
like the feel of it, you're comfortable with them, and
yeah it hurts, but it kind of feels good.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
Just written about somebody for you personally or more of
like we've all been there, but maybe not somebody.
Speaker 4 (26:36):
Specific real Honestly, it was my friend who was like,
I feel like I've been in pretty good relationships in
my past and people. If someone's not going to be
good to me, then I'm not going to stick with them.
But that was the opposite for her. She was with
this person that wasn't good for her, and yeah, we kind.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
Of just is she in music as well?
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Or did Yeah she's a songwriter?
Speaker 3 (26:59):
Oh okay, yeah, gotcha?
Speaker 2 (27:01):
Yeah, so you know, all right.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
Here's the whiskey nose and we'll play this real great.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
The whiskey.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
It does know good? I am bad.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
This is the story of my life.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
Is only these Yeah, for a very long time.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
Even now.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
If you want the honest truth, which I'll give it
to you, but especially after I'm drinking.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
You're the drunk truth teller.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Yeah, I think everyone is.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Oh, yeah, for sure that what's that old saying where
they say the truth comes out when you're drinking or
something like that, whatever it is? Now? Is that a
Is that ever a really bad thing for you?
Speaker 2 (27:47):
I mean I haven't I haven't been on the other
end of it.
Speaker 4 (27:50):
But but I think, yeah, it's not.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
It's not a bad thing.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
Okay, are you big whiskey girl? In obviously you like whiskey.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
I've loved whiskey until I release this song, and people
are constantly taking shots with me and buying me bottles
of whiskey. So now I've switched tequila.
Speaker 3 (28:10):
Well, before you switch, what was your go to?
Speaker 4 (28:12):
I love honeyjack on the rocks or shot just shots
of honey jack, but I drank so much of it
after releasing this song.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Is everyone just buying new shots left right, and I'll steal.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
Yeah, I'll still do honeyjack anytime.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Okay, Well if we ever, you know, see each other
at a bar, go to a show or something like that.
I will buy you a shot. Why, I'll see how
to take at least one more in your life and
we'll take it from that. Please, we'll close out with this.
Do you have anything else coming up, say the end
of this year beginning and next year. I know you're
moving back to Nashville, big moves, anything else you want
to kind of throw out there, Maybe some new music
coming at all.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
Or yeah, oh my god, I'm gonna tease this song
because I have this song coming out. It's called tgi
f It Okay, So I wrote it for people that
just love living on the weekend and not caring about anything,
you know.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Yeah, yeah, when you.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Move back there, we need to get together. We need
to go out one.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
That sounds good.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
You can go to her website, Real Jessica Rose dot
com step to date with everything, all your tour dates
and everything. All your information is on there. Go follow
her social media Real Jessica Rose, check her out music
stream her. I really appreciate you coming in here on
your story. This is awesome and look forward to you
getting back out here in Nashville permanently. I can't wait
all right, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Thanks love this episode of The Bobby Cast.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
Subscribe on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Right now talking for another episode of Unsigned and Independent
with Kickoff Kevin. It's season two episode eleven, Kevin.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
What is her name?
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Jessica Rose?
Speaker 1 (00:18):
What about her made you go? Dang, I'm interested in her.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
I came across her on Instagram, saw her music, saw
her perform a little bit, and I said, I need
to find out more about her.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
So Unsigned and Independent is a show Kevin does with
artists who really have something cool about them. They just
haven't been signed yet for whatever reason, and mostly they're
funding everything themselves.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Yes, so we do this show.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
So if you like their music, you can support them
by listening to the music, going to live shows, buying
merch is a big deal. Jessica is moving back to
Nashville next year. She doesn't live here now, not full time,
so she works part time lovest here.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Yeah, she comes here in the fall, but still does
a lot of stuff back at home in New Jersey.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Dang.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Yeah, okay, so here she is. She talks about American
Idol as a teenager, so she isn't a really ship
one for band members too.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Which is odd. You're like the boss, Yes, that's what
it's like.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
The Carli Pierce thing with her drummer like, she's his boss, Like,
what's the power dynamic?
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Really, that's that's what I was in.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
She's his boss.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
So that's not for this episode here, but that's what's up.
This is Jessica Rose, unsigned, an independent, and you can
follow Kevin on Instagram at kick Off.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Kevin, Jessica, I noticed when you drove in here you
had Louisiana plates. Yeah, I'm not gonna give out your
license plate here, but you had Louisiana plates. But so
where are you from? Because I read Jersey, I read Nashville,
and now I see Louisiana.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Oh my god.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
And so where's home or well, home is Nashville now right, Okay,
But where'd you grow up?
Speaker 4 (01:44):
So I grew up in New York originally, and then
I became a Jersey girl. Right now, I'm not living
living in Nashville. I actually woke up today on a
mattress on the floor at my friend's house.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
What.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
Yeah, I'm staying at his house and he has this
bare bedroom, so he gave me a mattress. That's what
I'm sleeping on right now. I am going to move
back to Nashville in January, so right before COVID, I
moved to Jersey. I was playing in Nashville, and then
I had no gigs left, so I was like, I
(02:20):
guess this is.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Time to now move back home.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
So when I was in Jersey, I was doing like
Facebook lives and stuff for forever, it seemed like during COVID,
and I just never moved back to Nashville. So I
always stay with friends when i'm here, and yeah, so
the mattress.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Life is not for me anymore.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
So I'm definitely going to get a place to live
here in January.
Speaker 3 (02:44):
So you are like the true definition of you know,
trying to make it, And how often are you coming
to Nashville?
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Then I usually spend the fall here, okay, fall spring?
Last last spring met my band got an airbnb, like
a like a short term rental, So we got an
airbnb for two months last spring. But I'm ready to
move back because I spent all of like my early
twenties living in Nashville, playing downtown and I loved it.
(03:12):
But then when COVID hit, I had no gigs and
I'm a full time musician, so I had no choice
but to move back home.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
And did you get any gigs? Obviously, everything was shut down,
so maybe not any gigs, but were you able to
provide for yourself back in Jersey different way or through music.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
I moved in with my family, so I didn't have
any overhead for the most part, and I was doing
live videos.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
I gained a good Facebook following doing that, and then once.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
Gigs started, I was playing on boats like people when
COVID was happening and we were getting back into things
like people would say, do you want to come play
on my boat? It's outside, and you know, just trying
to make ends meet. So I definitely had the luxury
of living back home and not having like a mortgage
or rent. So for me that worked out. But now
I'm a big girl, so I need my place.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
But what are your parents think about that? Are they
going to say, I mean, are you living with them
right now?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Or no?
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Yeah, okay, okay, So they're going to be upset or
sad when you when you got to go come in
this winter? Are they kind of like, all right, it's
time now you need you need to move on with
your life here.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
They wouldn't want me to live with them until you know,
I'm eighty years old. I'm a good roommate there you go.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Yeah, so I pretty much.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
I'm just I'm so excited to get back to living
in Nashville. I so the Louisiana car is a rental.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Car, gotcha?
Speaker 4 (04:32):
And yeah, I moved here to Nashville in twenty thirteen,
and I went to Belmont University my last two years.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Okay, so that was pretty cool.
Speaker 4 (04:43):
And then I just started playing downtown, which everyone advised
me not to do.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
And I said, I moved to Nashville because I want
to do music.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
So did you go to Belmont as a musician or
as like an engineer or producer?
Speaker 4 (04:57):
I studied music business, Okay, yeah, not as like a songwriter.
I just, you know, me being naive. I'm like, you
can't teach how to write a song. I mean those
classes definitely would have helped.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
Yeah, they have actual classes like that.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Yeah, have you.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Ever taken anything like that?
Speaker 4 (05:15):
I've done like retreats, songwriting retreats and kind of like,
I'm gonna be doing a lot of that in the fall.
Speaker 3 (05:21):
Because how does that like? Because to me, I've never
written a song. I would love to write a song
one day. I mean, I just think it'd be fun.
I've said it on here before that. I would like
to be part of like a writer's around, like a room,
just to sit there and watch how a song comes about,
because I've never seen it. You just see the end product,
and they know there's so much work that goes into it, right,
So I can't imagine. So, say you say a writer's
(05:42):
retreat or even this taking a class, like what are
they are they teaching you? Like when you say how
to write a song? What does that really mean?
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (05:51):
I mean I've done stuff with NSAI, so they have
like a songwriting camp and you could go and hit
songwriters will come in and talk about their experiences.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
But I feel like it's either in you or it's not.
That's how I feel.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
That's how I feel too, because I'm like, I've never
written one, and I don't feel like it's really Maybe
it is, I guess I don't know. You never know
until you try. But that just seems like it's such
a personal thing almost where it's like teaching somebody to
do that. And I guess obviously it works at Belmont,
but it just seems like something that would just be
so like individualized. Each person would be so different and
(06:25):
be already it's a class about that.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Yeah, I think that would be very hard.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
I write songs about my life and about my friend's life,
so right, you can't.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
You have to go out there and just live your
life and then a song.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
Do you like writing songs more or performing?
Speaker 4 (06:40):
I like performing more, and that was like the biggest
thing for when I moved to town. I just wanted
to perform, and I was playing like eight hour days downtown.
Totally burnt myself out, but I leave there with a
couple hundred bucks and I'm like, wow, like I did it.
You know, I played downtown and I'm making money. But
(07:04):
I've come to realize that it's all about the songs,
all about the original music.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
So it took me a while to learn that.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
But now I know I just have to write music,
keep my head down and write right right, and you know,
eventually things will happen.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
When you say it's all about the original music, are
you saying like, if you want to really make something
out of yourself or you and your band, then you
got to write your own songs, perform your own songs,
and it's got to be it's got to catch on.
Is that what you mean by that? Yeah, so you
can only play so many cover songs before you're like, Okay,
I need to start doing my own thing.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
That's what I've come to learn.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
I think, you know, from I moved here in twenty thirteen,
so from what I've learned throughout the years, it all
starts with the song.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
And I didn't believe it at first, but now I know.
Speaker 4 (07:47):
You know, if you post an original song or someone
hears it and they connect with it, if it goes viral,
I think that's that's what it's about, a song that
connects with people.
Speaker 3 (07:56):
Do you remember the first song you ever wrote? What
was it called.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
All I Ever Wanted?
Speaker 4 (08:03):
And I actually sang it on national television what oh
my yeah, like a contest. I sang it on American
Idol Nice Oh my gosh. I was seventeen, and it
was a crazy season. It was when like Nicki Minaj
was on, Keith Urban was on too really, and they said,
(08:26):
do you have any original music? I don't know why
they asked me that, and I said, yeah, I do. Meanwhile,
it was just half of a song, so like I
didn't really have an actual song, but it.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Was like, oh I don't wanted.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Yeah, it was like such a corny tune and I
didn't make it through.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Have you ever seen that song? Did you ever sing
it again, like in front of an audience or no?
Or did that song kind of going out of regard me? Really?
Oh that sucks?
Speaker 4 (08:53):
No, it's cute, but I realized, Okay, I really get
to like work on my career. And I didn't know
this is what I wanted to do until I got
told no on national television and cried ooh.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
And how long after that did you move to Nashville?
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Three years later?
Speaker 3 (09:12):
Okay? Yeah, and you're so you're in Nashville for a
little while, moved back, and now you're trying to move back.
But you've been on your Instagram and every video where
you're playing it seems like you're playing somewhere different, you know,
whether it's in a basement somewhere or outdoor somewhere, or
every stage, every setting is different, which is how it's
supposed to be for an artist. What is that road
like for you? Are you constantly on the road other
(09:34):
than just going from Jersey to Nashville? Are you constantly
performing in different places and trying to find these gigs
on your own as an independent artist?
Speaker 4 (09:41):
Yeah, So I do all my booking, like everything myself.
So I just placed a merch order, I designed my
merch I'm writing my songs. I'm like trying to produce
and I'm booking. So it's a lot of computer work,
which I thought, like being a songwriter an artist, that'd
be fun. And like I'm just like on my laptop
(10:02):
for hours a day just trying to get opportunities or
you know, just mapping out a tour. So yeah, I've
been on the road a lot, and I've been trying
to play more festivals, which is really cool. So I've
been in my niece on rogue. It has a lot
of miles on it.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
You go there, you go, is it you? You have
a band? You have a full band?
Speaker 4 (10:28):
Right?
Speaker 3 (10:28):
How many members?
Speaker 2 (10:29):
There's four of us?
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Okay, So you talk about this booking and everything, is
that everybody kind of has their own role.
Speaker 2 (10:35):
Yeah, I mean not. They try to help, for sure,
they're always willing to help.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
Like my bass player is producing a lot now and
everyone's trying to help. But at the end of the day,
I'm doing everything because it's my name. So it's not
like Jessica Rose Band, It's Jessica Rose, So I'm mapping
everything out, but they're definitely always willing to help.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
How did you and your form out here in Nashville or.
Speaker 4 (11:02):
We actually all met in Jersey and New York. I
met my guitarist actually at the guitar shop that I
took my first lessons at, and he became my guitarist
years later. And then this last year I met my drummer,
my bass player. So we met in Jersey. We instantly
(11:22):
became like best friends, homies. And now, yeah, they're coming
to Nashville and we're going to do this thing.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
So they're not here right now. No, Okay, where's your
guys next stop after this or from here?
Speaker 4 (11:33):
At the end of the year, we're doing a few
Jersey shows and playing a few writers rounds here, and
then next year we're going to be doing Alred downtown.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
We're playing Old Red who we're playing there in a
few weeks.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
They've been super cool because Alred has a few locations
and they're connected with the Opry, so I've known them
for a few years.
Speaker 3 (11:55):
And yeah, so and you have a significant relationship with
some a member of your band, right, can we talk
about that? So I'll let you the floor is yours.
Then I'll let you explain your relationship with Yeah, continue, No.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
I actually I met one of my band members last
year and she came to a gig of mine, and
she didn't know who she was coming to see because
she was going to see her bass player friend. So
she was at my gig and then after my show,
I went to another bar and she was playing at
that bar and she plays the drums, and I was like, damn,
(12:32):
like I really need a drummer. So I started talking
with her and we hit it off, and like didn't
know that we were going to be together together, but
we were talking about music and spending hours together and
like every day we meet up, have coffee, talk music,
and then we ended up dating. So now I'm a
(12:53):
girl that dates her drummer.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
I'm one of those is.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
The drummer dating the lead singer could go either way here? Yeah, yeah,
what's that dynamic like? Because I've had a married couple
on here, I've had you know, siblings that are in
the same band on here, So I'm always just so
interested in what that dynamic is like dating somebody that's
in your band, because you spend so much time together,
you go through the bad the good. Like it's it's
(13:20):
hard enough to work with somebody no matter what you
do that you're dating or married to. Yeah, and then
when you're part of a band, like you are really intimate.
You're not doing separate stuff, you're doing everything together, right,
So what's that dynamic like for you guys?
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Yeah, it's it's crazy because we really jumped into things
being in a band. You're like, you're like fam, you're
family when you're in a band, So we, you know,
would spend all of our time together. That's all we
do because I'm either doing music or I'm with her,
So jumping into that was definitely it was easy, but
(13:52):
there were hard times, like with things that we agreed
on and didn't agree on.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
But for the most part, she's very supportive.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
I'm supportive, and we both know that we have this
higher dream and we could do it together. So that definitely,
you know, makes it a lot easier to have that
companion while you're going after this almost impossible dream.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
And what would that dream be for you or you
and your band? Do you have an ultimate goal? Do
you have like a bar where you're like, hey, if
we play here, if we do this or if we
sign here, then that means we made it. Do you
have that goal in mind?
Speaker 2 (14:29):
I absolutely do, and I've always wondered.
Speaker 4 (14:32):
This is why I love this podcast because I've always wondered,
and like was looking for answers all the time and
just like listening and meeting people and figuring out what
I want to do. I just didn't know what I
wanted for a long time, and now I really know.
I'm like I've always wanted to be the front man,
(14:53):
playing festivals, going on tour, playing stadiums and playing my
original music because it's it's a little different, but it
fits into country. And you know, I'm just a little different.
I'm not the typical country girl.
Speaker 3 (15:09):
I'm what do you mean by that?
Speaker 4 (15:11):
Because I'm I like girls. So I'm a gay female
country artist. And for the longest time, I've never felt
like I fit in or I belonged, And when I
lived here full time, I just didn't have that.
Speaker 2 (15:27):
Reassurance in my own self.
Speaker 4 (15:29):
So now I finally, like, I came out on social
media and I just want to own it. And I
used to write songs in rooms with guys and I'd
be singing about a boy and like I just knew
it wasn't right, and I knew that I didn't want
the world to hear that. So I was never proud
of my music. And now that I'm finally have my
(15:52):
own platform, I'm able to be myself.
Speaker 3 (15:55):
And how long ago was that?
Speaker 2 (15:57):
It was about two years ago that I came out.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
So you spent the vast majority of your obviously your life,
but even just your music career of trying to be
somebody that you're not.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Yeah, exactly do.
Speaker 3 (16:08):
You feel like that was that reflected in your music?
Speaker 4 (16:11):
Yeah? I reflected in everything. I wasn't happy. I couldn't
be myself. So how am I going to get on
stage and let people think or believe in my music
when I don't even do that? So I'm like, I'm
over the moon with the music that I have ready
to come out and record.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
So it's definitely been a struggle for sure.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
What are some of the struggles that you've dealt with since, say,
coming out. Do you feel like because of that you
may hit some roadblocks if you will?
Speaker 4 (16:43):
Yeah, you know what, Like I've had meetings and I've
paid for mentorships and stuff like that, and like people
told me who I should be what I should wear,
what I should do, and now, especially in this day
and age, I feel like you could do anything you
freaking want, anything at all, Like if you want to
jump on a pogo stick on TikTok and sing about girls,
(17:06):
I don't know, Like that's the most ridiculous thing. Yeah,
you got to get creative. Yeah, I just I feel
like I could do whatever I want. And honestly, coming
out on social media was huge because it's like, all right,
it's out there in the world now I can't go back,
and I could be proud of who I am.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
So I'm just I'm really happy that I did that.
Speaker 4 (17:29):
I don't know why. For my entire life, I didn't
want to. I mean, part of it was because my
parents are not okay with it. Now they are and
they're the most supportive parents in the entire world, especially
with music, But for a long time they didn't support
my relationship.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
You know, did you come out to them before you
ever came out to the world. Yeah, okay, how long before?
Speaker 2 (17:50):
Oh my gosh, like eight years?
Speaker 3 (17:52):
Oh wow? Yeah, So so they knew for eight years?
Speaker 2 (17:56):
Yeah, oh wow. Yeah, because they weren't okay with it.
Speaker 4 (18:01):
And you know, now that the world knows, like, you can't,
you can't take that back, And it was really really hard,
but now they're totally cool with it, like Coole as parents.
Speaker 3 (18:14):
How long did that take them to kind of adjust
to it and accept it?
Speaker 2 (18:18):
Probably I mean nine or ten years, like oh well, yeah, okay, yeah, so.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
You've did you ever feel like you were kind of
out there on your on your own? I mean both
musically and personally as well, So that had to be
a compile onto everything just to make this struggle even harder.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
Yeah, it was weird because I knew how much my
parents love me, but I knew how they weren't okay
with that, And I think it was more of like,
you know, our daughter is gay, Like they didn't want
to want people to know. So now that everyone does,
and everyone's like, we're so proud of like your daughter
and who she is and that she's following her dreams.
(18:59):
And I have an older other and he tells me
all the time. He's like, most people don't follow their dreams,
and you are, and that takes a lot.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
And you're fighting a whole nother obstacle, like you're not
just following your dreams of playing music you're also having
to battle this, you know, being gay in the industry. Ye,
battling just coming out. So I do appreciate you telling that.
Speaker 4 (19:20):
And this is like the first major podcast or even
anywhere that I'm talking about this.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
That's awesome. That's awesome, Thank you. I do appreciate you talking.
I mean, I know that can't be easy, especially only
a couple of years in it something that you've battled
for so long, So I do appreciate you sharing that.
What are some other struggles that you've dealt with outside
of you know, being gay in the industry, just trying
to make it in music in general. What do you
think has been some of the biggest obstacles for you
(19:47):
to get to where you ultimately want to be.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
Yeah, I think well, for me, I know, I've learned
that like knowing people is great and just making those relationships.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
So I'm excited.
Speaker 4 (20:00):
I've been playing some bigger shows and meeting some bigger
artists and there you know, their team and getting to
know people. I think being that shy little girl and
not being myself was the biggest struggle for me. So
other than that, now that I could be myself and
people like I get I'm a good hang People like
(20:23):
to hang out with me and we have fun. So
I feel like just getting to know myself better and
getting to know other people better was my biggest setback.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Do you have an influence out here that somebody who
really helps you get through some stuff or whether it's
songwriting or just you know, personally professionally.
Speaker 4 (20:40):
Yeah, I mean I have a good group of friends here. Honestly,
the gay community in Nashville, like going a lipstick lounge
and playing songs about girls is really cool. I definitely
have plans to release songs that like say her in It,
but right now I'm just focusing on I have some
(21:01):
fun songs that I'm going to release that are like
totally country rock. And I'm really influenced by Carrie Underwood too,
because she has that, Like she had this album that
is really rocky and like awesome drums, So we'll have
to get my girl in the drums for that.
Speaker 3 (21:18):
You have a time period for that or that next
year sometimes.
Speaker 4 (21:21):
Yeah, So I want to be living here in Nashville
and release that stuff. But I'm gonna I'm gonna release
at least one more single for the fall, and it's
just like a drinking song. It's gonna be I like
to drink and party.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
Well, you're in the right city, I guess. Yeah, So
what do you What are you telling yourself then? Because
I sometimes I will last like, you know, what, if
you've been here for eight years, what would you tell
yourself eight years ago that you don't know now? And
for you, it's you were here years ago and now
you're coming back, and what's because obviously your mindset is
different in every single way. What are you telling yourself
(21:56):
as you come back to Nashville full time and what's
your mindset compared to the first time.
Speaker 4 (22:01):
Yeah, so coming back here, I'm just going to focus
mostly on songwriting and the money will come. I was here,
I was doing Broadway, I was bartending. I was focused
on like paying bills and making money. And now I'm
just like, I just want to write the best songs
(22:22):
and the money will come.
Speaker 2 (22:23):
I do believe that.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
You just believe in doing what you should be doing
and everything else will come.
Speaker 4 (22:27):
With you writing songs, going out supporting other friends and
just like I went out last night, I haven't seen
people in a while, and everyone was just so happy
to see me. And I've definitely made an impact with
some friend groups, and I think that just focusing on
songwriting is going to be my biggest thing.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
Are you in hopes of like a publishing deal?
Speaker 4 (22:48):
Yeah, that's my goal. Okay, I think I came here
without a goal, and like, I had so many friends
that weren't in the industry and that's cool, but I
just want to aim for that publishing deal.
Speaker 3 (23:00):
Is there any way you can just summarize real quick
to somebody because I didn't really know. This is when
I first moved the difference between say a label or
a deal and a publishing deal.
Speaker 4 (23:09):
Yeah, I mean a publishing deal is just you go
in writing songs and they're going to own your publishing
and get you co writs. A record deal is the whole,
the whole kit komboodle. So I don't think I need
that because I'm doing a lot of stuff on my
own and they really take a lot from a record deal.
So the publishing deal will be kind of like the
(23:31):
first step, and then record labels like kind of do
your distribution and get your songs on radio and management
and everything. So I think a publishing deal would be
my best bet.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
How how much does social media help you.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Well, that's why I'm here right now.
Speaker 3 (23:48):
I know, I know. I mean, if you're listening, it
really is Jessica out to me. And this is where
we are. Was months ago, and you know, I said, hey,
just be patient with me and think thank god you were. Yeah,
so I appreciate that, and this is why we're here,
so outside of just this podcast. So I mean, it's
such a good, great way for you to distribute your music,
right and your song is the way that you want
(24:09):
them to be heard, and you want them to be sung,
and so for you, do you use it as your
major tool to outsource your music.
Speaker 4 (24:16):
Yeah, that's another huge thing that I want to do. Like,
so I'm going to get my own house and I'm
going to have like a cute little room and have
people over kind of like this, write a song and
then do like a little interview and post it on
social media, and I think that'll give other artists exposure
and like we'll do things together. I was never one
(24:38):
to like go out to a meal and then post
a picture of like my tacos and margarita on Instagram,
but like that's kind of what it's about. Going places
and like really putting your original music on social media
for sure.
Speaker 3 (24:54):
Yeah, and you get a lot of good feedback, good
and bad. I'm sure right, you got to have the
bad of course, because people have nothing better to I know.
Speaker 4 (25:01):
I'm like, now I'm posting funny videos and being myself,
So I'm gonna do that with my music.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
That's the hardest part I think about social media, whether
it's for your job or just in general, even with myself.
Like you know, I'll take a video or something and
I'm like, you're just such a hard critic on yourself,
and you think you look stupid or you're acting stupid,
and you're like yeah, But at the same time, like, dude,
this is just who you are, Like it's not a
big deal. Who really cares, you know what I mean?
So I can't even imagine music what that like that
(25:29):
burden may have on you, Like what if this song
everybody hates the song or hates these lyrics or whatever,
So it could be a great thing and a bad thing.
I do want to talk about some of your music here.
We'll talk about Burn first. It's your latest single, latest single,
lay single. He I'll play a little clip and we'll
talk about it real quick. All right, what's the story
(26:00):
behind what do You Letting Burn?
Speaker 2 (26:01):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (26:02):
Well, I wrote this with one of my friends, and
it's about being with someone that's not good for you.
There yeah, I mean, but you do it anyway because
you're stupid and just you kind of like it, like
you're you're with somebody, maybe they don't treat you right
or and then you just stick with them because you
(26:23):
like the feel of it, you're comfortable with them, and
yeah it hurts, but it kind of feels good.
Speaker 3 (26:30):
Just written about somebody for you personally or more of
like we've all been there, but maybe not somebody.
Speaker 4 (26:36):
Specific real Honestly, it was my friend who was like,
I feel like I've been in pretty good relationships in
my past and people. If someone's not going to be
good to me, then I'm not going to stick with them.
But that was the opposite for her. She was with
this person that wasn't good for her, and yeah, we kind.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
Of just is she in music as well?
Speaker 2 (26:57):
Or did Yeah she's a songwriter?
Speaker 3 (26:59):
Oh okay, yeah, gotcha?
Speaker 2 (27:01):
Yeah, so you know, all right.
Speaker 3 (27:04):
Here's the whiskey nose and we'll play this real great.
Speaker 2 (27:14):
The whiskey.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
It does know good? I am bad.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
This is the story of my life.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
Is only these Yeah, for a very long time.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
Even now.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
If you want the honest truth, which I'll give it
to you, but especially after I'm drinking.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
You're the drunk truth teller.
Speaker 2 (27:35):
Yeah, I think everyone is.
Speaker 3 (27:37):
Oh, yeah, for sure that what's that old saying where
they say the truth comes out when you're drinking or
something like that, whatever it is? Now? Is that a
Is that ever a really bad thing for you?
Speaker 2 (27:47):
I mean I haven't I haven't been on the other
end of it.
Speaker 4 (27:50):
But but I think, yeah, it's not.
Speaker 2 (27:54):
It's not a bad thing.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
Okay, are you big whiskey girl? In obviously you like whiskey.
Speaker 4 (27:59):
I've loved whiskey until I release this song, and people
are constantly taking shots with me and buying me bottles
of whiskey. So now I've switched tequila.
Speaker 3 (28:10):
Well, before you switch, what was your go to?
Speaker 4 (28:12):
I love honeyjack on the rocks or shot just shots
of honey jack, but I drank so much of it
after releasing this song.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
Is everyone just buying new shots left right, and I'll steal.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
Yeah, I'll still do honeyjack anytime.
Speaker 3 (28:26):
Okay, Well if we ever, you know, see each other
at a bar, go to a show or something like that.
I will buy you a shot. Why, I'll see how
to take at least one more in your life and
we'll take it from that. Please, we'll close out with this.
Do you have anything else coming up, say the end
of this year beginning and next year. I know you're
moving back to Nashville, big moves, anything else you want
to kind of throw out there, Maybe some new music
coming at all.
Speaker 4 (28:45):
Or yeah, oh my god, I'm gonna tease this song
because I have this song coming out. It's called tgi
f It Okay, So I wrote it for people that
just love living on the weekend and not caring about anything,
you know.
Speaker 2 (29:00):
Yeah, yeah, when you.
Speaker 3 (29:02):
Move back there, we need to get together. We need
to go out one.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
That sounds good.
Speaker 3 (29:05):
You can go to her website, Real Jessica Rose dot
com step to date with everything, all your tour dates
and everything. All your information is on there. Go follow
her social media Real Jessica Rose, check her out music
stream her. I really appreciate you coming in here on
your story. This is awesome and look forward to you
getting back out here in Nashville permanently. I can't wait
all right, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Thanks love this episode of The Bobby Cast.
Speaker 1 (29:27):
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