Fujah - America's Stories - Missouri Culture

Jessica Rae thinks that a good laugh is like a fun song. That’s why she has an entire MySpace page with recordings of her giggles. (Check it out at myspace.com/rocketlaugh.) But this country music artist has more than just a cute laugh going for her; Jessica is a rising star in the Nashville music scene and is dedicated to outdoing the ordinary.  Although she’s a city girl from Chicago, Jessica has a definite flair for country music. Songs such as “That’s That with That” and “Dancing with the Devil” show off not only her vocal ability but also her talent on the violin, which she has played since she was four years old. Jessica has been featured on the PBS television show “Legends and Lyrics” airing this fall with musicians like Guy Clark, Roger McGuinn and Glen Phillips.

When did you first discover your love for music? Did you come from a musical background?
I found music at a very young age. I would go to my grandparents’ house and listen to my grandma play the piano and sing big band tunes, and my grandpa would always join in, playing his fiddle. Sometimes, if we were lucky, we got to listen to him saw away “Pop Go The Weasel” which was my favorite. Supposedly, at four years old, I asked my mom if I could learn the violin to “be like my grandpa.” This is where my education began. I’ve been playing the violin ever since, and I’ve traveled and seen the world because of it. 

Do you write most of your own music?
I do. Most of my songs are co-written because I love collaborating with other writers. I try to marry an idea with the co-writer that I’m planning on working with that day. If I know the type of song that particular writer is great at, say a dark ballad or a happy love song, I will bring an idea that will really take advantage of his or her talent to make a successful write.

Where do you get inspiration for your songs? Is there a certain theme that you tend to write about more than anything else?
Gosh, I am inspired by everyday happenings and the people around me. It’s probably hard to be in a relationship or be friends with a songwriter because your stories, hardships and life circumstances tend to turn into song titles or lyrics. I tend to write about relationships whether it be about love lost, being in love, lonely without – but lately, I have been trying to dig a little deeper to reach the different emotions that are tucked away in hidden corners.

Are you hoping to produce an album in the near future?
Yes, I am currently writing toward a CD that I hope to have produced by the end of the summer. I’m really excited about the new material and the people I am working with.

Are there any unexpected challenges you’ve faced in the music industry?
There are challenges, but I wouldn’t call them unexpected. I think I came into the business knowing that I would need a “thick skin” and expect the unexpected. From what I’ve experienced so far, it’s been a wild roller coaster ride with a lot of ups and downs. The highs keep me moving forward and the lows have a great view of the next place I need to be – on the top again.

Do you travel a lot or are most of your performances in Nashville?
For the past couple of years, most of my performances have been in Nashville. I’m now booking gigs out of town, which is great. My hometown, Chicago, is always a great city and it always welcomes me back. I’ve got fans that may not have listened to country music before, but they like what I’m doing. I don’t ever want to be considered “in the box” with my music, like “she’s country,” or “she’s pop.” Personally, I think good music is good music regardless of the genre.

What is your favorite song of all time?
My brother and I grew up with “Hush Little Baby,” so I guess that would put it way up on my list.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
When I first told my parents that I was going to move to Nashville and pursue a singing career, they gave me a lot of advice that stuck with me, but my pops gave me one piece I will always keep close: “You always have to be one step ahead. Never write to what the culture is listening to today because you’ll always be playing catch up. Don’t meet the market, create the market. Just be true to yourself and your own message and one day the industry will buy in.”  Oh, and I can’t forget one of the quotes my mom had taped inside the kitchen cabinet door: “Do better if possible, and it’s always possible.”

We like to describe Fujah as “smart, sexy, cool.” What is your idea of “smart, sexy, cool”?
Being honest, being honest, being honest.

You can listen to more of Jessica’s music and read more about her at myspace.com/jessicaraemusic.