JES

meet this chart topping, ceiling shattering, ever so radiant siren from NYC

Artist Bio

Determined, relentless, and uncompromising in the pursuit of excellence. Ideals that might characterize an artist formed under the high-pressure environment of New York, the greatest city in the world, and they aptly define JES. Her career path so far has been nothing less than astonishing.

This chart-topping, award-winning New Yorker has packed four solo albums, two Billboard #1 singles, international touring, and countless landmark songs into a constantly evolving career.

Since her legendary release with Motorcycle, “As The Rush Comes” expanded the boundaries of electronic music, JES has propelled an unending stream of solo hit songs and collaborations. JES has collected awards and nominations from the prestigious International Dance Music Awards b(Miami) and the International Songwriting Competition (Nashville), and received 3 Grammy nominations, most recently for her song Hold On in 2015. Her tours have touched the shores of 6 continents with landmark shows at international events such as the Beijing Summer Olympics, while her songs have topped the Billboard Most Played Songs of the Decade chart.

“As The Rush Comes” – Motorcycle (Official Video, 2003)

Memento and More

2022 is proving to be another landmark year for dance music’s most irrepressible talent. JES hit the top spot on the Beatport Trance Chart again with her Will Atkinson collab, Long Way Home, resulting in the longest-running #1 of the year. Her recent single with Aly & Fila, “Sunrise” was remixed by Dutch dance legends RANK1 and included for the second year running on the annual who’s who of dance compilation, Armin Van Buuren’s A State of Trance 2022.

JES keeps the rest of the year just as exciting with a new double album—Memento—out now on Magik Muzik [Black Hole].

Tell us about the inspiration behind your music.

“I grew up in Manhattan in a musical family. We had a piano and guitars in our apartment for as long as I can remember, and I was drawn from an early age to music. I was obsessed with listening to the radio. I would memorize and knew all the words to the songs I heard so I could sing along. I often stayed up late into the night, recording my songs on an old tape recorder that belonged to my parents. By the time I was a teenager I started to search for musical projects to get involved with. I would go to auditions for bands, shows, musicals, jingles, and anything that allowed me to be involved in music. I’m mainly self-taught as a musician, so learning to compose and produce my own music is something that has shaped my creativity enormously. I have always had some sort of recording set up so I can get the ideas down, but I love playing with bands and other musicians. That has always been a big influence on me.”

Do you have any favorite instruments in your collection?

“I play acoustic and electric guitar. I also play piano, and I love my vintage Wurlitzer that lives in my LA apartment. I enjoy using Ableton and Pro Tools, and I have a ton of software instruments, but the starting point for a lot of my work is just me and my guitar or piano!”

What are your future goals?

“It was very refreshing to release a new album. Although this one covered music from the whole journey of my career, it was a lot of fun to work on new songs and collaborations. I feel energized and excited about recording another one right away. I can’t wait to start creating a new sound and artist incarnation for my next album project. I have also been working on a new acoustic EP made up of songs that I wrote when I first moved from New York to LA so it has a very different flavor to now. I rediscovered the tracks recently, and I am so excited for people to hear them at last!”

What projects are you working on now?

“My new double album—’Memento’—is out right now on Black Hole Recordings. There are another five singles coming from the album, including some new remixes and acoustic versions. The next single will be the Elypsis remix of my song “Awaken,” which is coming out on December 16th. I will be continuing my tradition of recording a Christmas song for release in December. I have a secret love for holiday music, and I try to record one of my favorites every year as a special gift for my fans. You can find out which one I’ll be recording if you follow my socials! I am also working on a special down-tempo / acoustic show of some of my most famous songs for a limited tour next year. I am looking forward to previewing the show early next year in LA.”

Have there been any challenges you have faced in the music industry?

“It is always tricky maintaining a good work/life balance as an artist because my work is my passion and I could just be happy doing it all the time. I always want to keep growing as an artist, and now we have very tight release schedules, so the demand for new music is higher than ever and I want to keep it all as special as I can. This can make it challenging to maintain your individuality and passion for your art so I make sure to be conscious and aware of everything I’m working to not get to lost in it all. You have to work hard to keep yourself in good form, both mentally and physically, to fulfill the demands and maintain your personal clarity and awareness.”

What is the first rave/techno/edm/dance concert you went to?

“The first rave that I went to was Ultra Music In Miami. It was a great first time for me. At the time, I didn’t understand That ‘As The Rush Comes’ with my then band Motorcycle was as big a hit as it was so I heard it played all over the place so that really made it more than exciting! I got to experience the event in a unique way which was a lot of fun and made me want to go to a lot more raves and festivals.”

What do you think about the current state of dance music?

“Running my weekly radio show ‘Unleash The Beat,’ (which is on its 524th episode and has around 2 million monthly listeners) means I get to listen to a lot of new tracks every week.”

“There is still a lot of great music out there. It can be hard to find great new music because there are so many new songs released, but I love going through my promo inbox every week. It’s interesting to see how the styles and trends of music change from week to week and how new hybrids of genres are developing.”

Is P.L.U.R. alive and well or is it just a part of the past?

“I think a lot of the fans are still talking about PLUR, so it’s a message and ideology that I feel is still strong. The movement has informed so much of modern rave culture that even if the younger fans don’t know what it’s called, they still know how it feels and why it is important. Particularly in these divided times, it is crucial that we find ways to come together and appreciate each other. PLUR is still very relevant, and I think its message and meaning are one of the reasons that dance music and festivals are so popular today. It promotes good feelings and unity.”

Is dance music important and why?

“Dancing to music in a group is one of the oldest rituals in human history. It is still an essential part of our communities today, and I can’t wait to see where it will take us in the future!”

A Message from JES

“I will be re-launching my website very soon and offering a whole host of new features and experiences that my fans will be able to enjoy. Sign up to my mailing list to stay informed of the latest developments!

I have also been developing a new line of innovative merchandise and experiences on my Amplifyd store here:

https://amplifyd.com/jes/featured.

You can score anything from a handwritten lyric sheet or vocal production masterclass with me, to hoodies, hats, and water bottles. We are adding new items and experiences all the time, so check back regularly! Also, please follow my socials, and come to my show when I’m in your town!”

Support JES

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Memento -New Album Out Now

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