Interview with Jess Yaffa

Nov 22, 2022

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

I have always been a huge music fan and have been singing since I could speak. I truly fell in love with songwriting when I was 16 and have been doing it ever since and want to do it for the rest of my life. Music was always something that I wanted to go into and there wasn’t a question in my mind but I’m finishing up my degree in Communications and Law right now so if I had to do something else I would love to be a lawyer.

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

I am a huge comedy fan and love to watch stand up - which helps me step out of my own creative box because I love to make people laugh. I also just love hanging out with my friends because thats really where I get my inspiration from - real life moments and experiences.

Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?

I grew up in and around New York City and it is my favorite place in the world. The diversity of people, thought, and music taste has given me an open mind to discover and appreciate any and all music. I grew up listening to Bruce Springsteen and Lauryn Hill so they had a huge impact on how important storytelling is to me through my music.

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

Maggie Rogers, Florence and the Machine, and Bleachers. The energy would be unmatched.

If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?

Be confident in yourself. I think a little more confidence when I was younger could have gone a long way, but I am grateful for the experiences that I have had that have given me more confidence over the years.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

Its hard to choose just one song that means the most to me because they have all come from such real experiences but I wrote “Run Away” when I was 16 years old and finally released it when I was 21 so I really enjoyed watching this whole process over the past 5 years.

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

I want to spread a message thats relatable for people to feel like they are not alone - that the experiences that they have gone through in life are normal.

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

I have been making so much music and am so excited to share it! I just released my song Run Away on October 14th so stay tuned and follow me on instagram @byjessyaffa.