We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessica Anderson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jessica, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I am currently wrapping up my sophomore album, and I have to say that this is my most meaningful project to date. Sonically, it is an ode to Soul music. I wanted to pay homage to a genre that often people think is dead, and instead push the sound of soul music forward. At the same time, lyrically I wanted to move in a different direction from past projects. I have spent a lot of time in my career thus far singing almost exclusively about trauma, pain, and justice. All of this is important, and it also takes a tremendous toll on the artist to chronically source emotion from such a heavy and dark place. I would not take back my previous projects by any means, but I am excited to be working on a project that centers JOY.

The album is called Three Sisters; it is named after an ancient indigenous gardening technique where three specific crops are planted beside each other. Although these plants can grow independently, when they are grown side by side, they grow more sustainably and plentifully. A poet named Zadie Smith writes about how joy is a strange mixture of “terror, pain, and delight.” In that sense of meaning, 1) terror 2) pain and 3) delight function as the “Three Sisters” in the album, weaving their way together to reflect on the premise, potency, and power of Black Joy. The album conjures up themes of gardens and green spaces to get into this idea of what it takes to cultivate joy. It is a meditation, interrogation, and reflection on Black joy and uniqueness of our experience because of the intergenerational, historical, and systemic pain, terror, and delight. It’s an album with the kind of levity that I personally have needed, but I also believe the world at large needs.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Jessica Lá Rel; I am a cinematic soul artist. Soul is foundational to my sound, but I grew up singing in a rock band and training in classical music and musical theater. I also was groomed in the Black Church. So my sound is the culmination of many different influences. I have been blessed to sing for artists like Diddy, Faith Evans, Kanye West, Kirk Franklin, and Maverick City Music. I’ve opened for Melanie Fiona, Luke James, Omarion, Angelique Kidjo, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and J. Holiday. I have released multiple projects, including 3 EPs and 1 album which landed me Best R&B Song at the Independent Music Awards and a spot at #12 on the UK Soul Charts. I am excited to be wrapping up my next album set to be released in 2024!

My music focuses on themes of life, love, freedom, and justice. The beauty of having a musical platform is that I have been able to reach and perform for a variety of audiences. In 2018, I traveled the country in an unconventional tour called “The Sit In”, where I hosted intimate concerts in homes, community centers, and nontraditional venues. But I also have been able to sing for civil rights icons like the late US Rep. John Lewis, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Poet Nikki Giovanni, Freedom Rider Rip Patton, and Oprah Winfrey. I am forever grateful for the opportunity to bring people together through music.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

In my time preparing for this upcoming album, I’ve lost more than I could’ve imagined.

My mother (and best friend) died. My brother was sent to prison. I lost $20K in a series of personal and professional scams. I endured sexual assault at the hands of someone else in the music industry. I faced a number of health challenges of my own. I ended a 5-year relationship and walked away from another that I thought was “The One”. I could keep going, but ultimately the point is that life threw me some of the greatest blows while birthing one of my best works yet.

I take it as no surprise that so much strife has come my way. In the spirit of my mother, I count it all joy. I count it all as confirmation of purpose. Throughout every challenge, I kept working on the album. My pace might have changed, but my resolve never did. I think sometimes we think resilience means that we cannot adjust. But in truth, I don’t expect myself to run at the same speed if I hurt my foot; I change my pace. I still make it to the finish line, but I also adjust my pace to acknowledge my capacity. These last three years have given me tremendous perspective on what resilience looks like outside of “hustle/grind culture” and instead inside a framework of genuine self-care and consideration. I don’t want to release an album on the power of Black Joy if I have nothing left to conjure that Joy for myself.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

We are inundated with so much media, content, and information. I recognize it can feel overwhelming to know how to concretely support artists. But here are a few ideas tailored to different levels of capacity and resources:

1) Share and comment (with more than 4 words, not emojis) on social content artists post.

2) If they have a performance (virtual or in person), go! Invite others. Even if you can’t go, tell others about it.

3) If you are connected to venues, spaces, groups, or networks that may benefit from music, tell them about artists you love/support. LOOK for opportunities to include them.

4) If they have a Patreon or subscriber-based platform where you can contribute financially, give to their cause. Music costs a tremendous amount to do professionally.

5) A lot of emerging artists are still in need of various parts of their “team”. If you are connected to anyone even remotely affiliated with music or the music industry, share the artist’s profile with your network in organic ways. Know a booking agent? Manager? Festival/Talent Booker? Sync Licensing Supervisor? Entertainment lawyer? Music Marketing Manager? All of these kinds of people are tremendous assets to artists — and getting warm introductions can make a HUGE difference.

Contact Info:

• Website: jessicalarel.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/jessicalarel
• Facebook: facebook.com/jessicalarel
• Youtube: youtube.com/jessicalarel
• Other: tiktok.com/@jessicalarel

Image Credits
Kola Shobo Jason McCoy