An Interview with Singer-Songwriter Jessica Harper

KXSC’s Federica Tovar got the chance to talk to Jessica Harper. Harper is currently a second-year student in the University of Southern California’s Popular Music Performance program, where she is training as a Singer/Songwriter.

Federica Tovar: Where did you grow up? Has your hometown influenced your music in some way?

Jessica Harper: I’m from a small town in Missouri. Country music naturally had a large presence in my upbringing, so I grew up singing Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton. A lot of my melodic influence has come from these women. My music isn’t considered “country” because my town also had a surprisingly involved music culture for its size. From a young age, I was exposed to country & pop from my peers, classical & musical theater from school arts programs, and classic rock & vocal jazz from my parents. This concoction of seemingly opposing styles is why I often struggle to define my genre in more specific terms than pop/rock.

FT: When did you first get into music/the arts? Tell me a bit about your music background.

JH: When I was a toddler, I started taking dance lessons (that career was very short lived…as it should have been). That led me to musical theater where I quickly learned my passion was for singing. My vocal lessons were predominantly classical, so I studied opera for several years. It wasn’t until my sophomore year at an arts boarding school that I believed I could make a career out of writing and performing pop songs.

FT: What artists do you draw inspiration from? How have they influenced your music?

JH: As I mentioned before, my influences are all over the place! I like to think of it as a patchwork quilt. Patsy Cline and Billy Joel hold the strongest weight melodically. For lyrics, I turn to Tom Petty and Johnny Cash. I also like to call ABBA and Queen the “angel and devil on my shoulder” reminding me to take my songs & arrangements in new directions.

FT: How would you describe your sound?

JH: Haha honestly I try not to define it as much as the industry will let me. My latest release, Michigan, was a tame version of all these influences. It toed the line between pop and rock – having moments of Queen and Adele.

FT: What issues do you highlight in your songs?

JH: In addition to standard love/breakup songs (which obviously I still write because there’s nothing as universal as love), I like to branch outside for topics. This can be socially conscious like my songs about eating disorders, identity, and religion, or just curiosity about a particular topic. 

FT: You released your most recent EP, Michigan, last spring. What was your inspiration for the project?

JH: Michigan was my romantic coming of age. It followed my exploration, and struggle, of finding a balance between dependence and independence. The order of songs shows the progression of a healthy supportive relation to a toxic codependent relationship where one loses their sense of self. The final track, “Waves of Time,” acknowledges this loss. While the order can seem pessimistic to end on that note, I see it as the end of a chapter instead of a book. My next project will show growth from that point on (hopefully I grow along with the songs).

FT: You recently shot the video for the EP’s debut single “Rainy Day.” What can we expect from that? What was the concept for the video? Do you have a favorite story/moment from the shoot?

JH: I’m so excited to share this video with you guys! It is a full-on musical number in the style of La La Land and Singing In The Rain. John Chigas, the director & a friend of mine, came to me with the idea last summer. Initially, I thought it was a stretch, but the concept was too cool to pass up. I didn’t know how we were going to pull it off, but it worked!

My favorite moments from the process were the dance rehearsals before shooting. John asked me if I danced, so I told him “sure, why not?”. I had no clue what I was in for. The first rehearsal was terrifying because I felt so out of my element, but the choreographer, Cassie Cavanaugh, was a dream! She worked with me one-on-one and gave me the confidence I needed to get through it. By the end, I was having a lot of fun dancing!

FT: Any plans for your music/project in the coming months? New music? Tour?

JH: A lot of new music is in the works, but it needs more time marinating before I record it. The goal for this summer is to do a series of mini-tours along the West Coast on the weekends. However, that is all tentative right now with the current COVID-19 epidemic. If a tour is not possible for the state of everyone’s health, I will definitely find a virtual option to accomplish a similar reach!