CREATIVE CONVERSATIONS 108: JESSICA BAIO ON VULNERABILITY THROUGH MUSIC
Interview by Brooke Gibbs.
From humble beginnings in a small Northern California town, Jessica Baio is a Pop recording artist on the rise. Drawing from musical influences such as Hailee Steinfeld and Madison Beer, Jessica’s latest music shows off a character that’s uniquely her own with melodies that soar and lyrics that hit even harder than the beats that accompany them.
Also a TikTok creator with her husband, Sam Jose, Jessica Baio has earned a well-deserved following of 1.9million on the platform. While I originally began to follow Jessica for her prank videos and sense of humour, I was amazed to discover that she is also a talented singer and songwriter.
From songs about grief, to songs about heartbreak and love, Jessica Baio writes from the heart. Futuremag Music’s Brooke Gibss caught up with Jessica to talk about vulnerability through songwriting.
FMM: It’s been a busy couple of months of releases for you. Firstly, a huge congratulations! How does it feel to have these songs out in the open?
Jessica: Thank you. It feels amazing. It’s been almost a year since we wrote these songs so it’s an incredible feeling to have them finally be heard.
FMM: I love how meaningful your lyrics are. You recently released, someday, which is about your husband’s father who passed away when he was young. How did your partner and his family react to this?
Jessica: I was lucky enough to record my husband’s reaction to hearing the song for the very first time. He knew I had been working on a special song for him, but he had assumed it was a love song and had no idea that it was actually about his dad. I got home late one night after being in the studio and finally had a demo. I told him I couldn’t wait any longer and needed to show him the song right now. He started crying after the first sentence. We were an emotional wreck by the end of the song.
Showing Sam’s family was also very emotional. His mom and brother came to visit one week and I showed them in the car while driving. Once again, I think everyone was crying. Something super special about this track that most people don’t know, is that Sam and his family are actually singing with me in the outro. We got them into the studio and had them hum the melody of the outro. I think having their voices added made the song even more sentimental.
FMM: Someday is such a personal and emotional song to you and your loved ones. Do the words come naturally, or can it sometimes be a challenge to find the right words for the moment?
Jessica: It was definitely a challenging song to write. Sometimes, I feel intimidated by writing in general, so trying to write a song about something so sensitive… I just wanted the lyrics to be gentle and to come across the right way. I’m so grateful for the talented people I get to make music with. We were all crying in this writing session and I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to get through recording the vocals, but we did it. I couldn’t be happier with how the track ended up. It says everything and more.
FMM: My personal favourite song of yours is Start Over because of how raw and genuine it is. I read that you found inspiration for this song through a friend who had shared her feelings with you. Can you please share a bit more about how you turned that conversation into this song?
Jessica: Yeah! I was trying to think of song concepts one day and a conversation I had with a friend in high school just sort of stuck out in the moment and I started writing about it. She had been with a guy for a few years and knew things just wouldn’t work out in the long run, but couldn’t fathom the thought of having to start from zero with someone new. I thought it felt universal. I think almost everyone has been in a relationship, where even if you haven’t lost feelings, sometimes you know the relationship needs to end, but the thought of starting over is really scary.
FMM: As a creative, do you find it harder to write songs about your own experiences or from experiences of others?
Jessica: Most of the time I write with other people, so in that environment I find it a lot easier to write about someone else’s experiences so my own aren’t in the hot seat. I have a hard time wanting to be vulnerable and talk about my own feelings because it can be uncomfortable, but that’s when the most honest songs are written, so I try to push myself to open up, even when it feels uncomfortable.
FMM: The song features Mykyl. How did you know he was the perfect fit for Start Over?
Jessica: So I had started writing this song, but I knew it needed a lot of work. Mykyl is someone I’ve written a lot of songs with and he’s just so incredibly talented. I reached out to him to help me workshop the song and when it was done, he recorded a demo vocal for the duet part. It was just so beautiful. We both fell in love with the song and knew he should be the one to sing on the track.
FMM: Will there be any music videos for these two recent releases?
Jessica: I don’t have any plans for music videos at the moment.
FMM: What message do you hope listeners take away from these releases?
Jessica: I think my favorite part of listening to music is when it makes me feel something. I don’t have to relate to the lyrics to feel exactly what they’re talking about and I think that’s what’s beautiful about music. So, I hope my listeners are able to feel something and can connect with my music, even if they haven’t had the same experiences.
FMM: I find your voice so angelic! Do you think you’ve found your sound? Or is it something you will continue to experiment with?
Jessica: I’m sure my sound will evolve as I do, but I definitely think I have started a good foundation for my sound while creating this EP.
FMM: Do you perform live?
Jessica: I grew up performing a lot locally, but haven’t done a show since before Covid. I really miss performing and have plans to start doing live shows soon.
FMM: For anyone coming across your music for the first time, could you please share a bit about who you are as a musician and how you got into releasing songs?
Jessica: Yes! So I am a pop music artist who grew up in a small town in Northern California. I’ve had a passion for music for as long as I can remember. I grew up watching American Idol and just wanted nothing more than to be up on that stage. I started taking voice lessons at 10 and released my first song at the age of 13. I’ve just sort of kept at it since then.
FMM: Who are some of your musical influences and what is it that draws you to these influences?
Jessica: When I was younger, some of my biggest influences were Jessie J, Demi Lovato, Tori Kelly and Justin Bieber to name a few. I think with TikTok now, it’s easier to find smaller artists’ music and find inspiration from a variety of songs, but a few people whose music has really drawn me in are Tate McRae, Lauren Spencer-Smith, Amelia Moore, and Olivia Rodrigo. I like each of them for different reasons, but I think what stands out the most to me is that I really feel something when listen to their lyrics and that’s my biggest goal when creating my own music.
FMM: It’s been really interesting watching you grow. I originally followed you on social media for the prank videos you do with your husband, Sam, before I realised you’re also releasing music too. I see that a lot of new musicians are using the TikTok platform now to promote their music. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using TikTok for new releases?
Jessica: Yes, so I currently also create videos and content with my husband. Our senior year of high school is when TikTok really started getting popular and we both really dove into trying to make viral videos. We sort of had a little contest going on where we each of us tried getting to a million followers first (laughs). As for the music side of TikTok, I think it has been an amazing asset for so many smaller artists, because anyone can go viral on the app, which essentially means anyone has the chance to blow up their own songs. I honestly can’t think of any disadvantages to using the app for new releases.
FMM: It’s January, so now’s the perfect time to reflect on what you want to achieve for the rest of the year. What’s next for you?
Jessica: After the release of my EP, I’d love to start performing a lot more and then possibly beginning working on an album.
FMM: For those loving your music as much as I am, how can we continue to support you so we can hear more from you in the future?
Jessica: First off, thank you! I am so happy to hear you’re loving my music! That seriously means so so much to me. Following my socials, pre-saving new songs and just streaming my music helps so much.
FMM: Are there any other comments you would like to add about yourself or your music?
Jessica: I’m just so grateful to be able to be making music and am so appreciative towards everyone supporting me, so thank you so much! I’m so excited to create more music and can’t wait to see what this year has in store.
