As I sat there staring into the Zoom interview, I could hardly believe [Jessie Murph](https://www.instagram.com/jessiemurphhh/) was only 16 years old at the time, now 17 having celebrated her birthday just last week. The rising star isn’t just a pretty face who can sing, she injects passion, emotion, and storytelling in her lyrics, inspired by real-life occurrences we can all confide in and relate to.
In describing herself, Jessie states, “I’m an old soul for sure. And determined, very determined.”
On top of her smooth, sultry voice, Jessie is a multi-instrumentalist who plays the piano, guitar, and ukulele. Born in Nashville but raised in a small town in Alabama, Jessie was born to both parents being musicians... and genes definitely run in the family. Upon relocating to Athens, Jessie began discovering her creative self, which ultimately was a no-go in their culture. As she began to gain a buzz on TikTok and social media, cyberbullying and internet shaming came with it as well.
As a result, Jessie unleashed her second single called [“When I’m Not Around”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El7j9egUx_w) earlier this year, inspired directly by the backlash she received for being her true authentic self. Turning a negative into a positive, Jessie brought the record to life in the music video, reminding folks to cut ties with the fake ones.
Today, Jessie returns with her highly-anticipated new song titled “Sobriety,” gifting fans with yet another beautiful record to find comfort in.
Flaunt caught up with Jessie Murph via Zoom, who had just got back from laying out at the pool on a beautiful day in Los Angeles. Read below as we discuss her upbringing, being signed at 16, getting bullied when she was younger, the real meaning behind “When I’m Not Around,” shooting the visual, creating music for people to relate to, recording “Sobriety,” her fashion sense, and more!
**It’s a beautiful day to be at the pool!**
It’s so pretty, I feel like I’ve been here for so long. I was supposed to have a festival, my first concert. It was called Breakaway, a smaller one in Ohio. Right before it, I got COVID so I’ve been stuck here.
**How was your COVID experience? Are you okay?**
It was fine. About halfway through, I started having breathing problems. I have asthma so it was a little rough.
**Do you feel 16? You’re so young!**
Oh my gosh, no. Not at all. I feel like I’m old bruh. I think I’m an old soul, definitely. 100%.
**Where did you get this drive from?**
Honestly, it’s like a chip on my shoulder. Growing up and people being like “you can’t, you can’t.” It’s like “ooh, watch me.” I love that type of shit, I use it as motivation. It’s always been in me.
**Are you still in high school?**
I am, I’m a junior. I’m kinda old for my grade. \[laughs\]
**How long have you been doing music?**
I’ve been singing my entire life, but I started writing around 11. So it’s been a good while. \[laughs\]
**Being from a small town in Alabama, what was a young Jesse like? Did you think you’d be signed at 16?**
Honestly, I’ve always wanted to be a singer. It’s always been my dream. I literally have notebooks from when I was a little kid, of pages of words. I guess I manifested it. When I was little, I did sports. But other than that, I’ve always been super into music.
**Favorite artists growing up?**
I listened to a lot of Sheryl Crow growing up and Bill Withers. I’ve always been a fan of Rihanna, she’s such an icon bro. Also really random shit, I listened to a lot of country. Now, I’m super into rap. It’s this whole mix of genres.
**Your family moved to Athens, then you started posting on TikTok and they didn’t like it for whatever reason?**
Well it being deep deep in the South, it’s in the middle of the Bible Belt so people were really stuck in the past. The whole town, it was hard for them to accept it. Especially being a female who was saying the things I was saying in songs and TikToks, they didn’t think it was acceptable. That was rough because I could see dudes doing it, but I couldn’t do it? That shit pisses me off! So unfair. People being like “what’re you doing?” made me want to do it more. The chip on my shoulder came from that.
**What’s “When I’m Not Around” about?**
If you listen to it, it sounds like it’s about a boy. But it’s about the town, how fake and close-minded it was. How people say “I’m so proud of you, I love you to your face,” then behind your back they’re like “what the f\*ck is she doing?” That one came from the heart.
**How was it recording the song?**
I was in Nashville when I recorded that song. It’d been something that was on my chest for a long time, I needed to get it out. It felt really good to put it into words. I’m not somebody that’s going to sit and cry and talk about my feelings. I’ve always loved to put it into my songs, it’s so much more effective for me. That was definitely a release of all that, 100%.
**It’s at 2 million views on YouTube, how does it feel to hit those numbers?**
Honestly, it’s crazy that people sit and watch me. That’s wild. It’s surreal for sure.
**What was your creative vision with this music video?**
The music video was such a big part of this, especially because we had the cheerleaders. They are so important to the video because cheerleading is where all the fake and inauthentic friends I had in real life were from. My cheer team made me run for singing cuss words in songs, it was f\*cked up. That vision came from all of that, the cheerleaders. If you watch the music video, you can see them whispering in the background. It’s so symbolic of what I went through.
**Best memory from shooting the video?**
Probably getting to work with people my age, being around people my age onset. It was so fun getting to meet everybody and talk to everybody, I loved it.
**What is it that you want fans to get from your story?**
Honestly, especially in high school and in middle school, shit people are mean. It’s rough. Everybody goes through times when they have people talking about them, people not approving of how they look, what they say, or what they wear, all this shit. It’s important for people to know they’re not alone in that. Literally, everybody goes through it at least once and it’s a shitty feeling. I want everyone to know that we can all feel shitty together.
**What do you do for self-care?**
Honestly, probably not enough. \[laughs\] I write songs and I sing about it.
**Being only 16, what do you like to do for fun?**
Well, I just got my license so I can drive around. I’m really excited about it. I like to drive around, I love to paint and draw. And music.
**What do you want fans to take away from “Sobriety”? How was it recording that record?**
“Sobriety” was honestly so fun to record. I was in Nashville for that one too. Honestly, I have bad social anxiety. That day, it was especially bad and I wrote about it. When people hear “Sobriety,” everyone is going to relate to it in their own way. We all go through things like that in our own lives. I honestly wrote what I was feeling that day, that’s how “Sobriety” came out.
**How excited are you to drop it? I know you’ve been teasing it.**
Oh my god, I’m so excited. It’s taken f\*cking forever. I’m super anxious about it taking so long because everybody’s on my dick about it. \[laughs\]
**Is there a music video coming too?**
There is, I’m really excited about that too. What I was thinking about for the music video is how sometimes I can be around people, or see people on social media, who look so perfect and put together, just in a great state. But behind closed doors when they’re alone, it’s not the same story. Social media is so fake, and that’s some of what I wanted to put in the music video.
**How did you find your way to Columbia Records?**
Honestly, people slid in the DMs. At the time, my mom was managing me. We started doing interviews with people on Zoom. I really loved Ron, he just was different from the other label heads and I liked that.
**How does it feel to be signed so early? People work their whole lives to get to this point.**
Crazy. It’s f\*cking crazy, but I’m so grateful it happened so early. Everything went so fast after I signed. I’m so grateful.
**3 things you need in the studio to record?**
Probably Red Bull. Definitely Red Bull. I really don’t need much. I love when studios smell like weed to be honest, it’s super comforting. \[laughs\]
**I’m like, there’s no way you’re 16! \[laughs\]**
I don’t feel 16 at all, oh my gosh.
**Do people tell you that all the time?**
Yes, definitely. I had a session the other day, I walked in and they’re like “you do not act 16!” Thanks? \[laughs\] I don’t know what to say.
**How would you describe your fashion sense?**
Ever-changing. Literally, it changes so much. I’ve been really into the color blue lately, I’m obsessed with it. I feel like my whole wardrobe is turning blue. I’ve been super into jeans but matching jean outfits because they’re blue. \[laughs\] It’s pretty weird.
**Any goals for yourself at this point of your career?**
Honestly yes. I want to sell out arenas one day. I want to do that.
**You're performing at Austin City Limits in October, correct?**
Yes ma’am, that’ll be my first performance.
**Are you nervous?**
Hell yeah I’m nervous bruh! That’s going to be scary, but I’m so excited. Being in front of a crowd gives me so much energy. I feed off the energy. I’ve never sung in front of a crowd before, but I did competitive cheer for a while and competitive figure skating. I was always so energized by the crowd.
