Introducing: Jessie Kilguss

Based in Brooklyn, New York, singer-songwriter Jessie Kilguss was motivated to explore song writing after working with musical heroes, Marianne Faithfull and Mary Margaret O’Hara. We caught up with Kilguss as she prepares to release her first album since 2018’s The Fastness. Read on to find out more.

First up, could you tell us a bit about Jessie Kilguss?

I’m about to release my 5^th album, What Do Whales Dream About at Night? I used to be a professional actor, although I haven’t done that for a long time (15 years?). I’ve always been a singer and started writing songs around 2007. I’m really excited that live performances are allowed again- both as a performer and an audience member.

What inspires you to write music?

All different things. The title track of this album was inspired by the poem Headphones by the Ukranian poet Serhiy Zhadon. The poem is set in the last war in Ukraine and basically is about a man, a poet, who puts on his headphones and listens to ‘golden oldies’ to drown out the horrors of war. There is a line in it “think of whales in the ocean at night” that inspired the song. I basically wrote all the lyrics in one go after reading that. I found that line so evocative. I’m also deeply mystified by whales. They jumpstart my imagination.

Who has had the greatest influence of your sound? Your voice has echoes of classic country Sixties folk and country, but your songs address very current issues.

There isn’t any one artist who has the most influence. Some songwriters I love are Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, Kate Bush, Lucinda Williams, Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Nick Drake, Liz Phair, Nina Simone…

I went to see Sharon Robinson’s show, My Time With Leonard Cohen at City Winery recently and was deeply inspired. She collaborated with Leonard Cohen as a co-writer, producer and singer since the 70s. I felt lucky to be there in the audience listening to her talk about their writing process.

The Fastness by Jessie Kilguss

What bands or musicians do you have on heavy rotation right now?

I’m completely obsessed with Kate Bush’s album, The Red Shoes. I’ve started listening to Nina Simone again – specifically, Nina Simone and Piano. Sparks, The Replacements, Nick Cave, Dr John, Ry Cooder… the newer music I listen to tends to be made by my friends including Freddie Stevenson, Gramercy Arms, Benjamin Cartel, Jim Andralis and many more.

What song do you always find yourself singing along to?

My favorite singer is Aretha Franklin. If I could sing like anyone, it would be her. I’m sure I’m not the only person who feels that way. She was the Queen of Soul afterall. But I always love to sing along to Aretha, even though my voice doesn’t do her music justice.

Songs I Wrote for the Bushwick Book Club by Jessie Kilguss

If you could work with anyone, who would it be?

My dream collaborator is Nick Cave. He’s my favorite live performer. As a former actor, I’m especially interested in live performance and the magic space that can be created on stage. He does that better than any musician. I would LOVE the opportunity to sing with him or to co-write with him.  Also, I would love to write a song with Sharon Robinson.

What track by another artist would you cover live or on record? You did a wonderful version of My Dear Companion earlier this year.

Thank you re My Dear Companion. I recently sang Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights for a virtual show called The Love Hangover that’s put together by my friends Richard Alwyn and Gary Burton. It’s a really fun song to sing – it’s so dramatic and requires some vocal acrobatics. The video quality isn’t amazing as I filmed it on my phone. It might be fun to make a proper recording of it sometime.

Do you have any advice for anyone starting out in the music industry?

Not really… I’m actually open to receiving advice myself. Haha. I guess advice I would offer is to listen to your own inner voice and follow that.

Was there a specific moment or incident that inspired the lyrics of Great White Shark?

Yes. In 2018, I was helping teach a 3-day songwriting workshop at a correctional facility for girls (aged 11-14) in upstate, NY with Musicambia, the nonprofit that I run (along with founder Nathan Schram). We were writing a collective song, going around the circle and everyone was adding a line. I had just read in the news that a man had been eaten by a shark and I thought it would break the ice and make everybody laugh so I added my line “a Great White Shark ate a man off Cape Cod.” Even though it’s horrendous, it was so far out of left field that everyone did laugh. I got home and decided to turn my line into a song.

What’s up next for Jessie Kilguss in terms of music, gigs, videos…?

The album comes out on September 23^rd and I’ll be celebrating with a record release show at Rockwood Music Hall (stage 3) at 8:30. Playing with me are Rob Heath (drums), Andrea Longato (guitar), James Preston (bass), special guest Claudia Chopek on violin and many guest singers including Larry Krone, Jim Andralis, Susan Hwang, Gary Burton and Charlie Nieland (who mixed and mastered the album). It’s going to be a fun celebration. I recommend getting tickets in advance here.

You can pre-order What Do Whales Dream About at Night? on Bandcamp. Jessie Kilguss has a new single coming out on August 17th called Sleepwalking Heart, you can find out more about that over on her socials, which include Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.