At the beginning of 2010 JES released her brilliant album High Glow that is the home of many great trance anthems of this year like the cover of the 80’s The Cure song Love Song, the erotic and luring Closer and her latest smash hit Awaken that is just released and is part of many A-List Djs radio shows and event dj sets. This year was fantastic for her as she c-wrote with BT two tracks for BT’s Grammy nominated album “These hopeful machines” that already the first one Every Other Way is considered as classic and the forthcoming single The Light in Things is shaped as a big club cracker with awesome remix package. To add she co-operated with Richard Durand in a track about her favorite city of her life “N.Y.C.” For those who maybe don’t know her full list of great achievements just to remind you the following really interesting facts. JES has topped numerous charts worldwide and has earned two honors on Billboards famed Decade End Charts including the #4 Dance Airplay song of the decade. One of her first releases, the now legendary As The Rush Comes by Motorcycle quickly catapulted her into the global spotlight of the world's dance music scene going to #1 in countless countries and winning her several awards including the International Dance Music Award at the world famous WMC Conference. Tour performances took JES all over the world, for every major club brand and international TV shows including the highly prestigious UK Hits show "Top of The Pops" (alongside Beyonce and Maroon 5). From JES' integral role on Tiësto's Elements of Life Tour which earned her the fans title of "The Voice of Tiësto", to a theme she wrote for Coca-Cola called Be It All and a series of concerts at the Beijing Olympics, JES has spread her message of diversity globally and across all genres.
JES' already released and praised by critics album High Glow brings together stadium guitar riffs and anthemic synths placed over rocked dance beats, all complimented with her breathtaking vocals. The latest single “Awaken” coming out from “High Glow” sounds very exciting, dynamic and full of hope perfect to start with it the brand new year 2011. It is supported as always happens with JES singles with state of the art collection of remixes including Thomas Gold, Inpetto, Jonas Steur, and many more. The release of that anthem and her latest participation in the Honolulu Marathon along with other celebrity figures that was a fundraising effort for the LA-based charity APLA (AIDS Project Los Angeles) meant to me that was the best time to request to her for a written interview. She reacted as always very positively and she replied in 20 questions that I send her and I totally believe that is worth it to spend some time to read her answers for issues like her courage to fight her way within a human eating business that is music bizz, her album “High Glow” and the way that is different from the previous ones. Her opinion about artists supporting charities and humanitarian causes and of course if she has any friends that struggle with AIDS and how this affects her. I ask her as well about her in put in the making of her music videos and if she choose the artists that remix her singles. Certainly an interview that will introduce you to many unknown sides of that beautiful and charismatic person that is JES. Read it and at the end you will feel totally “Awaken”.
Dimitri: Hi JES, It is such a big honor for me to have a nice interview with you. First of all congratulations on the things that you have achieved so far and I wonder if you remember yourself dreaming while you were a little girl about having a glorious career as an electronic dance music singer.
JES: I still am dreaming! I always wanted to be a singer, not only a dance singer although I grew up clubbing and love it but I always wanted to sing.I used to act too, but I was always more drawn to music and singing. It was my calling and yes, it is so amazing when the ideas and visions in your head become reality.
Dimitri: There are many girls out there all over the world that they dream to become the next JES. I wonder if you can give them a piece of wisdom on how they should work in order to realize their dreams. Particularly on the way, that they should act when they will come across with bad managers and bad faceless record companies, that will try to take advantage of them and make a profit without caring for their personality and needs?
JES: Actually yes.I understand this well, it's a good question! This business is about the art and it's the art that creates the business opportunities, not the other way around. Sometimes the business people will try and take the focus away from the artistic part and negate the value of it while they're doing deals. You just have to maintain your focus on this while all the other issues are being dealt with and remember that its the most important part. Don't be reactionary, always remain calm and be the bigger person. Whenever something not so pleasant happens I always end up thinking wow, life is so much more important than this and then whatever may be upsetting me melts away and I don't care. Try to stay positive and see things for what they are, don't get side tracked or influenced by promises and hype. It's really all about the music, anything else you can get out of it is a bonus.
JES: Everyone and anyone who has enjoyed a long career is an example because it happens to everyone .Its is the way the business works. Music and entertainment is a business of consummation and you just have to look out for your well-being financially, mental, spiritually and try and protect that but I am sure anyone who has managed to survive the music business "machine" has not had an easy ride!.
Dimitri: Of course to get involved with music is not only fierce and strict competition and hard work but also pleasure and satisfaction. Would you like to tell us the reasons why you believe to be a singer and perform all over the world is the best “job”ever and what things you won from that job so far.
JES: It is the best job but it sure is a hard one too. There are so many wonderful things that make it so amazing. The feedback from shows and the positive comments from the fans all contribute to the inspiration and renew my determination to keep going. When you are able to express your self and connect with people that is a huge reward. Whether it's physical award or just meeting fans who love your music, it all adds to the wonderful job of living music.
JES: Every show is special in some way to me no matter how big or small. If you reach one new person its makes it a special show but I have been lucky enough to play in some very beautiful and exciting places. I absolutely loved performing on the UK TV show "Top Of The Pops" (its such an institution and an honor to be on), also performing with Tiesto at the Formula 1 Grand Prix races in Malaysia for a crowd of over 22,000.
One of my all time favorite venues and concerts is the Global Gathering at Red Rocks in Denver Colorado. The venue is set deep in the mountains and its gorgeous at sunset. I remember passing through there one winter and I saying to myself I want to play here so bad!! ... and the very next year I found myself performing there, it was so cool !
Dimitri: You have released so far the brilliant Disconnect and the fantastic High Glow. Is it possible to pin point the main differences of these two albums and the way that High Glow is a step higher in the ladder?
JES: Well Disconnect was a bookend on a bunch of things. I had worked on a lot of songs and had to get them out and introduce myself as a solo artist after a bunch of collaborations and being in Motorcycle. On Disconnect were a lot of tracks I loved and held onto for a long time.High Glow was the beginning of a new era for me after I had been performing for a while and had a bigger fan base. People started to know me finally as JES and it was important to develop my sound and introduce lots of new music I love. High Glow was very much about the songs and experimenting with fresh idea's and new sounds while breaking the mold of what I was used to writing. It's still very dance oriented,I just didn't stick to the format as much.
Dimitri: From High Glow it seems that we will listen in clubs and radios quite many singles. Is that a proof of how strong is that album musically or the number of singles doesn’t mean something in particular?
JES: The strength of an album for me is the journey from beginning to end. You want people to listen and get lost in it, but to stick with it. I think this is very important in making a record successful. It's good to have a lot of singles on an album and its a great way to spread the message of the album so you can reach a wider audience, but most important to me is that my fans like it.
Dimitri: Are you satisfied with your fans reaction to the tracks of the album and is it possible to tell us for which tracks you get warm feedback in your performances and they ask you to sing it again at the end?
JES: Lovesong and Closer are both new but the crowds love those songs. I do a very fun version of Closer live. I look forward to Awaken's release in January and getting that into my set. I have snuck it in a couple of times already and its had a great response. Halfway Gone gets a lot of comments, and the fans write me about "It's Too Late" which is in the running to be a single in 2011. My fans love the ballads and not just the dance songs so that is very exciting for me and obviously I get a lot of requests for the collaborations like N.Y.C (Richard Durand) and Every Other Way / The Light In Things (BT).
Dimitri: Is possible now to choose your favorite tracks from the album and tell us how the lyrics came about and in which one of them it was more difficult to sing it because maybe of the strong emotions attached to it?
JES: I love to sing the title track High Glow that I wrote a while back. I love the way it is on the album which is slower more band like version but I also love the Tiesto version. The Piano riff gets me every time. It's a classic line for me and when I hear it it always sounds so familiar...something about it and it reels me in. When I sing High Glow at the piano I always get a little lump in my throat from that one. It's hard for me to pick a few because I do love them all but another favorite and one I get some many emails about it Half Way Gone.That one also was written for someone in particular and the feelings were fresh when I wrote it so I really feel that one when I sing it.It has strong emotions attached to it.
JES: Maybe there is a place for you in my marketing department! I love to do covers but I try not to do too many and I try to do them from memory instead of studying them, to make them my own. I also covered Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" on my chill out album "Into The Dawn" and I did that one the same way. There are so many songs I would like to cover that I can't tell you, I have to keep some mystery. Sometimes I'm in the right place to do it and a cover just jumps at me, or I hear something on the radio and think I can do something great with it so I'll give it shot.
Dimitri: Do you take care for good remixers for your songs or this matter is something that the record company takes care off. Do you have in your mind some remixers that you believe will be suitable to remix a track from High Glow and if yes which track goes with the particular remixer?
JES: Actually I do arrange lot of them myself .Sometimes if I don't feel I have the right mix yet I find someone myself to do it. I try and give some remixes out to people that I have been listening to and want to support what they do and get their name out there. I also ask my record company, they always have great suggestions as they deal with it so much but I'm always trying to put a package of fresh ideas together that will represent the song and not just be a big name hit list!
JES: Thank you for the kind words :-) When I wrote Awaken I was trying to make the blueprint for the album. I wanted it to develop the edgy Rocktronica sound of Disconnect but make sure that it kept that EDM emotional sound too.I wanted it to be a great push off song that opens the record and sets the scene.With Awaken I was writing it as message for everyone but also to myself. Sometimes its hard to shape the lyrics and the meaning of the song at the beginning of the process but I had a clear idea for this one.I didn't want it to be to overbearing but I do feel a deep sense of spirituality about my life and I try to let that be my guide.Theres often two sides to this and I wanted it to be strong in some parts and soft in others because we all have both those sides in our personalities. The thing that drives me in my everyday life is my sense of determination that no matter what I come up against I must look inside to find the way forward, thats what I wanted to convey in this song.
Dimitri: Next question of course is about BT’s nomination for a Grammy award for his album These Hopeful Machines that you contribute it as well 2 fantastic songs. Every Other Way already released with big success in the various download portals and now the next one prepared is Light of Things. Please tell us your feelings about his nomination and how your collaboration came about for these two masterpieces and a short comment about each of these tracks.
JES: I am ecstatic about his nomination and really pleased for BT to get this recognition for his album. Its an honor to have been a part of it and to write some beautiful songs with him. We had toured together and hung out in Europe a little and planned to work together, BT has a great inspirational energy and its great when you meet another artist that you really click with. I worked on "The Light In Things" first and took my time with it because I wanted it to be very positive and uplifting. Both BT and I were going through some interesting times and I wanted to try and touch on that in a more universal way that could relate to anybody that was feeling a similar thing in their life. I am really excited that with the TYDI remix people are finally hearing it and it is getting more attention. The song that everyone knows at my shows is "Every Other Way". When we wrote that I went to BT's studio tucked away deep in the woods to work with him. He has a big chest of instruments from all over the world,his closet of cool guitars that he draws on for inspiration... between that and the setting of the studio and hanging out with the Koi in his Koi pond we wrote a beautiful song. It was one of those rare magical moments where we didn't have too much time but we both clicked and the music happened!
JES: I like to begin with the with the lyrics of the song and come up with a story or concept from that.I try to be as organic as possible in my videos so the story of the song and the lyrics come through rather than relying on effects. Even, when I do get to add effects to my videos I try to make sure they have a purpose for being there. One of my motivations in doing a video is to give the fans a visual representation of the song from my perspective. My process is giving the director an element or concept and have them elaborate on it and bring it to life. I really like being a co-director and have been fortunate with a few videos to collaborate with the filmmaker in aspects of the production. I also love being in the editing room and help shape hours of footage into a 3 to 4 min video that tells a story.
Dimitri: Please, choose your favorite music video that you have done so far for any of your tracks and choose you’re all time favorite music videos and give us the reasons why you love them so much and you never get bored to watch them.
JES: Its hard to choose just one! They all mean so much to me and the process is always so different. Each one represents a different time in my career and life and I learn so much each time we make one. As for other videos, I really like the simplistic approach that Florence and the Machine are using, Bjork always has a really cool visual representation of her music and I love Chris Cunningham's work. I would love to do a video with him one day, or at least pick his brain.
JES: I just naturally want to help and would join every charity if I could! As a performer it's so important to stand for what you believe in as you can spread the word to other people easily because you reach more people. There are so many great causes that need our support. I was lucky enough to find a great group of people and a wonderful organization that allowed me to contribute to the fundraising as well as by undertaking a personal challenge. I always expect the best of myself in my work so it was natural to choose something like a marathon that would push me to the limit. Besides doing this for a great charity it was a personal triumph and something I am proud to have accomplished. I really loved it so much. I wasn't a huge fan of running in the beginning but now I may just do a few more fundraising marathons!! The whole process was incredible from beginning to end.
Dimitri: AIDS still affects life’s of many young people in particular worldwide. I wonder if you have any friends that are HIV positive or if you had friends that died from AIDS and how this experience affect you?
JES: I do have some friends that have HIV and have witnessed them living their lives and dealing with the disease day to day. It really puts life into perspective and it's amazing to see how with strength, positivity and determination they overcome it.They really are an inspiration to me and everyone else.I met a lot of people within the charity that also have experiences of friends or loved ones discovering they had contracted the virus and there was an over riding feeling of love and hope.This was one of the reasons why I was so drawn to the charity.It was shocking to hear how the general number of cases of HIV and AIDS are still increasing, and how little support there is for people in this situation. It made me realize how important the work of APLA / Team To End AIDS really is.
Dimitri: From your busy schedule in which other countries in this globe you are going to perform within the next months and your fans should watch out for?
JES: Early in 2011 I will be touring in the USA and the Middle East as well as some Asia dates but I am always adding new shows and moving around constantly. You can stay up to date with the tour schedule on my website planetjes.com, so check there for times and ticket information, and you can always write me there too. I love receiving letters from everyone and I keep them all. Its so nice to hear peoples stories from around the world, so please keep writing me!!
Dimitri: It will be great to tell us quite briefly if you have a personal story that happened to you during Christmas and New Years Eve and you will remember for many years and signals in your heart the special spirit of this days.
JES: I try to be home in for Christmas in NYC but it doesn't always happen ! I just love the fresh crisp air and the busy people running around It gets me in the Christmas spirit and just having a lot of children around you gets you to see the excitement through there eyes. I have been lucky to find myself in some great places and one in particular was was Poland.I was in a small town of Pulawy and it was just a special Christmas because it was very different. We wrote poems for each other and read them to each other. It was creative and sweet and wasn't about presents so much as connecting and expressing ourselves. I don't know if that is always the tradition but as a writer I found it quite refreshing and very touching.
Dimitri: Please tell us what you wish for all the people in this globe to change for the better in the new year coming 2011, what you wish to change in the music industry as a whole and what you wish for you personally and your career?
JES: As cliche as it sounds I wish that people would be more tolerant of one and other and that the world on a whole could be more spiritually enlightened! I think if we started there we could solve some of the World's problems. In music its a similar story, if people would work together a little more to push each other that would be nice. We could get a lot more awareness amongst the fans of whats happening with artists and its easier for them to make a connection with the music regardless of how they find it. I'm always trying to create a long term relationship with my fans. If we can continue to make great music and make that the focus rather than trying to overwhelm people with too much hype we can keep the fans coming back. I'm looking forward to 2011 I have a lot of plans to reach more people and to keep pushing myself to be an even better writer and performer. I'm looking forward to sharing with everyone all the new music I have been working on for them.
Wishing you all a Happy New Year !
Peace, Love and Music,
XO JES
Many thanks to fantastic JES for devoting so much time to reply in a such wonderful way to my questions that I hope was your questions too.
Many thanks to Mark and Jeroen at Black Hole offices for their encouraging support in my radio shows.
you can check the interview published here as well:
and 1mix radio web site too
High Glow tracklisting:
1. Awaken
2. Closer
3. Such A Long Time
4. Fame
5. Half Way Gone
6. Lovesong
7. Do You Love Me
8. High Glow
9. It's Too Late
10. Where You Are
11. Same Mistake
12. Medicine
13. See Through
14. Unleash The Beat
15. All Night
Additional info:
http://www.blackholerecordings.com/
http://www.planetjes.com/
