Jesswar

Proud Fijian-Australian, Yugambeh/Kombumerri-based artist Jesswar today announces their long-awaited debut mixtape, LIFE’S SHORT, LIVE BIG, out September 23 on [PIAS] Australia, also sharing new single and video, ‘FELL IN LOVE’.

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Following the Rihanna-inspired, Erica Banks-featuring anthem that was ‘BAD LIKE RIRI’ and the ferocious call-to-arms of their 2021 debut EP TROPIXX, Jesswar’s first single of 2022 marks a rebirth of sorts, an unexpectedly tender love letter that provides an exciting glimpse of their next creative chapter.

“I feel super recharged lately and I’m coming into a new side of myself that feels free and at peace,” Jesswar shares. “Making ‘FELL IN LOVE’ is symbolic for me, not only personally but creatively it gave me room to be gentle and blissful. This is a new path in my journey and I’m ready to be completely submerged in it.”

Immersed is exactly how Jesswar sounds on ‘FELL IN LOVE,’ each element of the track wrapped up in the affection that they sing of, from the gossamer backdrop of gliding, funk-polished guitars to the slinky cadence of the chorus and velvety, sultry flow of the verses.

Uncovering surprising new dimensions to their artistry, LIFE’S SHORT, LIVE BIG replicates this pivot towards emotionality across the entire mixtape, replacing the unapologetic braggadocio of TROPIXX with an as-yet-unseen tenderness, honesty and wholehearted self-acceptance. Jesswar’s debut mixtape proves that to live big is to live with honesty and openness, and that, when harnessed correctly, living in gentleness can be just as radical as living with fearless confidence and pride.

Produced by Jáen Collective with creative direction from Jesswar, the ‘FELL IN LOVE’ video was filmed on location in the rainforests of Yugambeh/Kombumerri land in Queensland. “I made ‘FELL IN LOVE’ in November last year, the climate was hot and I spent a lot of time in the rainforest and by the ocean,” Jesswar says on the video. “Working with Jáen Collective, we created a visual that I’m really proud of and It was surreal to see the concept come to life.”

Emerging into the scene in 2017, Yugambeh/Kombumerri based artist Jesswar has quickly established themselves in the industry as a blended powerhouse, weaving lyrical genius and effortlessly merging genres. Their sound is constantly evolving; fusing hip-hop, pop, and bass-heavy production into an all-encompassing sound spectrum. Strong in their identity, Jesswar has created their own path to success with a relentless work ethic for going after what they want.

Stylistically, Jesswar’s debut mixtape, LIFE’S SHORT, LIVE BIG lives out the bold, carpe diem-style ethos implied by its title - apt for an artist whose sound is constantly evolving, always coming into itself. Thematically, the record is no less ravenous, carried primarily by Jesswar’s undiluted charisma. One of two collaborations on the tape, lead single ‘BAD LIKE RIRI’, featuring viral Texan rapper Erica Banks, is a trap-laced celebration of strong, unapologetic voices and the self-possessed mindset of a baddie. Meanwhile, the low-slung ‘SWEET’, featuring producer and vocalist DVNA, places fierce declarations of romantic devotion and dedication in its verses up against honeyed, love-drunk gratitude in the chorus.

On the raucous ‘ANTISOCIAL’, Jesswar offers an impassioned screed against social injustices, drawing the line between their lived experiences and generations of preceding trauma, a melee of sirens, growling sub-bass and industrial percussion swirling around them. Elsewhere, they effortlessly switch into new and at times unexpected gears, as on the warped, club-ready bounce of ‘THROW IT IN THE AIR’ or the sweltering, carnal longing of ‘CANDY’, backed by pitched-up R&B vocal samples and delivered in a borderline whisper. Audacious and bumping, ‘HEFTY’ is a vintage New York rap cut, featuring stark, staccato strikes of piano over a pared-back beat, with boastful, chest-heavy lyricism and a sneer, while ‘CARAMEL BARS’ is yet another potent, one-and-a-half minute display of Jesswar’s technical abilities, their steely flow riding a tough and immediate minimalist beat.