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With her sophomore album Sex Hysteria, Jessie Murph is no longer just a breakout artist; she’s a boundary-pushing force reshaping what it means to be vulnerable in pop music. At just 20 years old, the Alabama native delivers a body of work that’s as unflinching as it is transformative, fearlessly tackling themes of sexuality, generational trauma, emotional reckoning, and the messiness of desire.
While her debut album, That Ain’t No Man That’s The Devil, introduced listeners to her raw lyricism and bold Southern soul, Sex Hysteria takes that emotional honesty to a new level. “I just go into the studio and write about what I’m feeling in that moment,” Jessie tells us. “So my albums are really a snapshot of time.” On this record, that snapshot captures a young woman owning her voice with unapologetic grit, whether it’s through the heat and hunger of “Touch Me Like A Gangster,” the poignant unravelling of “Heroin,” or the rebellious swagger of “Gucci Mane.”
Inspired by vintage glam yet rooted in ultra-contemporary truths, Jessie pairs retro visuals with bold storytelling that challenges outdated norms. “For me, sex felt like the most honest way to talk about emotional intensity,” she says. “Not just the act itself, but the craving, the power dynamics, the aftermath.” It’s that tension between control and surrender, past and present—that gives Sex Hysteria its fire.
With a late-night debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and her first-ever arena tour, Worldwide Hysteria, Jessie isn’t just telling her story, she’s owning the stage while doing it.
Sex Hysteria is described as your most daring and transformative project yet. What were the first seeds of inspiration for this album, and how did its concept evolve over time?
The concept evolved naturally as I wrote the album and spent time with the songs. I rarely plan out what an album or song is going to be about ahead of time. I just go into the studio and write about what I’m feeling in that moment. So my albums are really a snapshot of time.
From “Gucci Mane” to “Blue Strips” and now “Touch Me Like A Gangster,” the singles are unapologetically bold. What was the emotional or psychological turning point for you that made you ready to create such raw, provocative work?
I definitely wanted to try to share more about myself on this album. Gucci Mane wasn’t even supposed to be a song—I just went into the studio and wrote out a list of facts about me because my label was on me to be more autobiographical in my music. I wouldn’t say there was a turning point, because my music is always raw and honest, but I guess I did grow into the confidence to release music that is especially vulnerable for me.
The album title alone, Sex Hysteria, is loaded with historical and cultural weight. How did you land on that name, and what does it mean to you personally and artistically?
For me, sex felt like the most honest way to talk about emotional intensity. Not just the act itself, but everything around it—the craving, the fantasy, the power dynamics, the aftermath. It became a way to express how deep the need for connection can go, and how sometimes what we think we want is really about trying to feel safe, wanted, or alive. That’s what the song Sex Hysteria is about, and it became the song that best summarised the range of sentiments on the album.
You nod to ’60s femme fatales visually, yet lyrically, you’re breaking modern taboos around female desire and trauma. How do you view the relationship between the retro aesthetic and the ultra-contemporary content?
I’ve always been very inspired by that era—the glam, and the way people got dressed up and decked out unapologetically. While I feel very connected to that part of the ’60s, I obviously do not agree with much of how women were treated then. The song 1965, while in some ways serious, also calls out some of the experiences of women back then.
In what ways did the process of writing this album feel healing or possibly re-traumatising when confronting past wounds and generational trauma?
Writing music is always healing for me. Being in the studio is my safe space, and it’s where I feel most comfortable sharing my feelings and talking about what I’m going through. So it’s always like therapy to me.
“Touch Me Like A Gangster” has this tension between vulnerability and control. Is that balance something you’re still navigating in real life?
Totally. A lot of the album lives in that space between obsession and intimacy, between control and collapse. This song in particular highlights that contrast of love vs. sex—it’s messy, emotional, thrilling, and sometimes devastating. In the end, it’s actually not really about sex. It’s about everything underneath it.
Compared to your debut album, That Ain’t No Man, That’s The Devil, this new record feels more fearless and self-possessed. What’s changed in your life between those two projects?
I think just growing up and having different life experiences. Listening to the albums, I think it’s pretty clear I’m in a completely different stage of my life than when I wrote TANMTTD. So you’re just seeing the evolution of my personal life as well as my growth as a human.
You’ve called this your “rawest and realest era.” What parts of yourself did you have to let go of—or lean into—to get here?
I’ve always written really raw and honest music, so I think this time around, I just felt strong enough to release even the songs that make me nervous to have out in the world.
You’ve already collaborated with big names like Jelly Roll, Bailey Zimmerman, and Koe Wetzel. How did those experiences shape your sense of self going into this new chapter?
I learn so much from everyone I collaborate with, and I’ve been fortunate to work with some truly amazing people and artists. Jelly and Koe have become like big brothers to me, and it’s always so special getting back together to perform our songs, like we did at Coachella and Stagecoach this year.
You debuted “Touch Me Like A Gangster” live at the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Show. How do you think the performance context shaped the way people experienced the song for the first time?
Hm, that’s a good question. That is definitely a party song, and the SI event was one big party. So hopefully it helped people have fun with the song like we were having during the show!
You’ve had a massive year performing at Coachella, Hangout Fest, and selling over 85,000 tickets. What’s one moment on stage that completely caught you off guard, either emotionally or in the chaos of the crowd?
My show at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville last fall was a major pinch-me moment. Selling out my first-ever arena show—and in my hometown. I just felt so grateful and in awe up there.
With the Worldwide Hysteria tour approaching, how are you preparing differently this time around? Any rituals or new creative elements you’re bringing to the stage?
I’m definitely working out and training more because of all the choreo and stunts I’ll be doing this time around! It’s my first time having dancers on tour with me, and I am so excited. I always want people to connect to my music, whether it’s online or on tour. Getting to hear people’s stories IRL is one of my favourite parts of everything I do. So I just hope people continue to feel seen and heard through the music on tour, whether it’s the empowering songs or the more vulnerable ones.
“Heroin” stands apart from the other singles as a more emotional ballad. What made you want to slow things down and show that kind of vulnerability at this point in the album rollout?
I always think it’s important to show different sides of myself on my albums—personally, emotionally, sonically. A lot of it comes naturally, just based on the range of emotions I experience through the album-making process, like anyone who experiences different feelings on any given day. But I do also want to make sure there is a healthy balance of types of songs on there.
In a project that leans heavily into provocation and power, “Heroin” feels more like surrender. Was it hard to include a track that exposes such emotional fragility, or did it come naturally?
It’s always easy to write the songs in the moment, because it’s a release for me to get those feelings off my chest. What becomes challenging is when it comes to finishing the songs and making the executive decision to put them on the album, where the people they may be about could hear them.
