She is a hit in Canada, and now everywhere, thanks to her vehement blues rock, and a recent video that makes the buzz, "Best Boy".
JJ Wilde is a young woman from maple country, whose first album, "Ruthless", has everything to seduce: a voice worthy of the greatest, from Janis Joplin to Adele, hits, like "The Rush" ( single that reigned at the top of the box office in his country), an attitude.
JJ is from the post #MeToo generation, she won't be fooled by anyone and, if she makes mistakes, they are hers.
We recently met her in Paris where, braving the risks, and at the cost of about forty back in her country, she came to defend her first album.
A very spontaneous interview where the artist mixes English and French and laughs a lot.
It's rare these days to do a face-to-face interview.
Weren't you afraid to come to France?
JJ WILDE.
No.
A little bit at first, but it was an opportunity.
This is my first time here!
It was my record company that wanted it.
We take a risk, of course, but that weighs less than the pleasure of coming to France for a week.
Then, I return to Canada, with a quarantine of two weeks.
I rented a chalet and I will take the opportunity to rehearse with my group.
Rehearsals for real concerts?
Not really.
In Canada, you can just give concerts in drive-ins.
After that, we can hope that the situation will improve.
We already have commitments for summer 2021, which is good news.
Don't you regret releasing your album in the middle of the pandemic?
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I know it's always risky to release a record and not play it live afterwards.
But I also believe that we need music more than ever!
Offering these songs is kind of my contribution to getting back to normal, a gesture of hope.
I'm not too worried about not being able to go on stage right away: if people liked my album, they will come see me in concert as soon as they have the chance.
You are a newcomer to the rock blues scene.
What is your story ?
I started playing guitar and writing songs when I was 15.
From the age of 19, I started performing in bars.
Then I played with friends, we toured across Canada in bars, restaurants, radio stations, wherever we could.
It really developed my love of the stage.
I then moved to the east coast of the country to sort of reinvent myself.
It was a break with my group, I was young and naïve and I thought my future hinged on it… I spent two years in an apartment that I didn't like, with three jobs to survive, and I I also tried to give three concerts a week.
I passed 5 songs that I considered my best to a manager, and then I didn't hear from him for a year.
He eventually resurfaced and asked me if I had written any new stuff.
I gave him what I had composed in the meantime, with something like 500 explanatory notes!
Afterwards, it went very quickly.
I met my producer, with whom it was very easy to work, and who has produced everything I've done since.
I had never co-wrote with anyone else in my solo career, so it was an interesting experience, but he gave me my freedom, didn't try to control me.
Then we locked ourselves in a studio for eight days, long days, which resulted in my first EP.
Since then, they are mainly concerts ...
Who are the artists who inspired you?
Amy Winehouse and Adele, who have a low voice whereas women usually go more in the high notes.
They helped me believe in myself, which was not obvious with my type of voice.
Bob Dylan is also a big influence, with his way of writing his stories.
Bruce Springsteen as well, of which my parents are huge fans.
Your album cover is not neutral, is it?
Each song is represented there.
The cover has a lot of clues that I found interesting to offer, because each song comes from a personal experience I had during the two years I spent in the apartment in my hometown, Kitchener.
Everything has a meaning, cigarettes, alcohol, leftovers from a breakfast… A real mess that synthesizes what my life was like at one time.
Since then, you have already released another song, accompanied by a video, "Best Boy" ...
I composed it during confinement, the lyrics in my toilet!
Then I recorded the song at home.
It talks about the relationship between men and women, the way the latter are judged, their hypersexualization.
The clip shows a woman taking power and assuming her freedom, making fun of judgments.
The director launched a call for volunteers - "Send a sexy video of you dancing" - and he had such a comeback, with these men in very little clothes, makeup ... That's right, the freedom to expression!
EDITOR'S RATING: 4/5
JJ Wilde "Rutless",
Black Box Recordings