From singing jazz in a Birmingham pizza restaurant at just 16 to touring across the UK and carving out her own place in music, Jessica Sweetman has built a career defined by honesty, resilience and raw emotion. Drawing inspiration from artists like Stevie Nicks, Fleetwood Mac and Lana Del Rey, her music blends grit, vulnerability and hope in a way that feels deeply personal.
Her latest single, Rise Up, explores the darkness people move through before finding light again, while the video features Emmett J. Scanlan in a role that came together after a chance meeting at the Irish Post Awards. We caught up with Jessica to talk about music, touring, dream collaborations, heartbreak and why taking back her real name changed everything.
What made you choose Emmett for the video, and what was the inspiration behind Rise Up?
I met Emmett at the Irish Post Awards in November last year. I performed the song at the beginning of the night and later, at the after-party, we got to talking at the bar and he said it was on his “bucket list” to be in a music video. I said, “I’ve got one for you!” Fast forward a few months, and we found ourselves in Hastings filming Rise Up. The inspiration behind the song itself captures the moments of darkness we move through before the light appears. It’s real and has grit and turbulence that ultimately result in a beautiful, soft landing. It’s a song about hope and triumph.
Who are your musical influences? Your voice really reminds me of a young Gwen Stefani during her No Doubt era. How did you develop your sound and style?
Thank you. That’s a huge compliment. I love Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac. I also love Lana Del Rey. I guess I developed my sound and style through performing a lot, and I have never stopped writing. I believe that to better your craft, you just have to practise it every day. All aspects of it. This is truly the only way to figure out who you are creatively and keep evolving.
You have worked and played with artists like Hozier, Keane and Paul Oakenfold. Who would you love to collaborate with next?
There’s a whole long list. Where do I start? Asaf Avidan, Vance Joy, Glen Hansard, Imelda May. There are so many talented artists whom I respect and adore.
You are currently touring and heading to places like Glasgow, Manchester, Nottingham and Birmingham. What has that experience been like for you, and is there a city that has stood out so far?
We are four shows in, and I’ve just arrived in Manchester ready to play Bridgewater Hall tomorrow. I’m loving them all. I make sure every day that I go and walk around each city. Even though I don’t have much time, I spend at least one hour just walking. I have to say, I fell in love with Edinburgh.
When did you first fall in love with music, and what genres do you personally enjoy listening to?
I listen to all genres, really. I grew up listening to jazz, though. My first gig was in a Pizza Express in Birmingham when I was 16 years old. I was having dinner with my parents one night and saw they had weekly jazz nights. I remember asking the manager if I could audition for a weekly residency. I turned up the next day and sang two songs. She gave me the gig for 60 quid and a free pizza. I guess that’s where it all began.
I love that your British accent comes through in your music. Were there any artists you grew up listening to in Birmingham who still influence you today?
Robert Plant. What a legend. He is from where my grandma lived in Birmingham. I actually had the pleasure of meeting him in a studio I was recording in Nashville a few years ago. He just came up to me in the corridor and showed me his guitars. Honestly, he is one of the most down-to-earth, nicest people I’ve met. In fact, he is on my list of people I want to collaborate with. That would be a dream.
Love is such a universal theme in music. How do your personal experiences of love shape your songwriting?
I love love. The truth is, I want to write more about it. I haven’t written many love songs, as sad as that sounds. I tend to write my best work when I am a little rocky. I know many songwriters feel this way, too. I wrote a song called Marilyn that will be coming out sometime this year. It’s a painful yet hopeful song about my experiences in life, relationships and love. Also, Broken Perfect Love, I guess, is the closest I’ve written to a love song. It’s about how we are all a little broken and love can help fix us.
You have had such a unique journey, from Birmingham to London to the U.S., facing both burnout and breakthroughs. How have those experiences shaped the way you express emotion and connection in your music today?
Thank you. It’s been a journey for sure. My songs are my “babies” in this world, and music is my best therapy. Without my songs or writing my way through all this stuff, I think I’d really struggle. Making music and telling these stories through song is very healing for me.
After everything you have been through in the industry, what does “staying true to yourself” look like now, both as an artist and in the stories you choose to tell?
Staying true to yourself as an artist is absolutely the key here. It’s very hard in this business not to get pulled in different directions, and everyone wants to put you in a box or a lane. It’s the hardest part of what I do. Last year, I woke up one day and decided to take back my real name, Jessica Sweetman. In that moment, I made a promise to myself that I would move forward being exactly myself and own my journey and everything that comes with it. It was the best decision I ever made and is when the storyline changed for me. I am truly grateful to the team around me now who understand me, trust me and let me be me as an artist, songwriter and producer. Just be you — that is my advice to anyone out there.
