Life comes at you fast, and stacks up even faster. One hit with Clean Bandit can rack up 1.3 billion streams and lay the foundation for seven straight years of touring; a six month breather from the road can become a five-year break just the same (thanks, COVID). But to Jess Glynne, this is just the “pattern of life,” and like a breezy pop melody, she’s happy to harmonize with the natural flow of things.
Following a lengthy retreat from the road and a switch from Atlantic Records to EMI, the English singer is back in the ring with her new record JESS, 15 punchy tracks that extend her dance-pop repertoire first established by the Clean Bandit smash “Rather Be” and Route 94 collab “My Love.”
To celebrate her first tour of the United States in six years (which includes her show at the House of Blues on Thursday, October 3), we caught up with Glynne about making her most authentic music yet, honoring a decade in the game, and playing with — not by — pop music’s new rules. Read our interview below.
Victoria Wasylak: Some artists start their discography with a self-titled album, but other times, artists release a self-titled album down the line in their career, kind of as a reintroduction. Why did you choose to name your new (and third) album JESS?
Jess Glynne: So much has gone on in my life, and I feel that it was the first time in my career that I had been wholeheartedly, authentically me in the creative process. I was given so much freedom in my creativity to write, to sing, to discover what it was that I wanted to put out there. And I think when it came to titling, early on, it [the name JESS] just felt like that made sense with the messaging, the lyrics, the vulnerability, the honesty. I think there could have been another name for it, but for me it just felt right, and I always go with my gut.
What was the barrier to that freedom beforehand?
I think that was just the change in teams. And I think that it was just having gone through so much. I’ve had a lot of loss and a lot of emotional ups-and-downs in my life, and I think it was a grace period for me to not have somebody try and control me, and try and guide the direction [of the music].
It was like, “Jess, go do what you think and what you feel, and come to us, and then let’s all collaborate.” I think it’s always about teamwork, ultimately. It always is about getting the best advice at the end of it, and collaborating. It’s important to always have somebody to help guide you to make the best decisions, because I don’t know everything, and I’m not always gonna necessarily make the right decision or the best decision.
Is there a moment when you could feel that turning point?
It wasn’t that different in the end, to be honest with you, because I always had led the way. But it’s still been a journey of having input and having people question and challenge me, because I think you need to be challenged to be the best.
You’ve talked about being disenchanted with music in the past, and rekindling that spark with this record. Can you take me through what that felt like?
Well, I took a break that was slightly longer than I ever intended. I only ever intended to take six months out, and it ended up being, like, four, five years. Which is mad, but that’s just life. There was no intention behind that, and after I’d been on the road for seven years incessantly – releasing, touring here, there, everywhere – I think I just needed to live my life. Just breathe and be present with my family, with my friends, go to the cinema, go out for dinner, walk the streets, just be free. And I think that was the intention when I finished my last world tour.
In that process, I guess I fell back in love with music because I started listening to old records, things that inspired me before I’d even set out to be a singer. I was reinspired and felt reinvigorated to just get back to the studio and try new things, be diverse and just spontaneous with it.
Was there a moment when you said to yourself, “okay, this lasted longer than I thought, but I feel ready to get back”?
I mean, it was all just timing. I got back in the studio, then it was COVID, and then I got back in the studio eventually, and then it was another COVID lockdown. I flew out to America, did more, and then I came back. It was a lot of change. It wasn’t so deep in that sense of, “I’m ready.” I just followed the pattern of life.
You have spoken about how coming back after this break, so many things had changed that it was like learning an entire new industry. What interests you most about how things are now, and what is the biggest challenge?
I just think there’s no definitive at this point in time in this industry. Nobody knows what will work, what won’t work; what is or what isn’t. I think the ambiguous side to it is exciting, because you could do anything, and it could work. You could do anything because the paper’s plain to draw on.
There’s so many different avenues of which you can release music, be heard. Social media, in a way, is a great thing, with TikTok and stuff like that – the way it allows a new platform for music that’s five, 10 years old to be reinvigorated. Or just a moment that you’ve had it in the studio where you created one little thing, and then that takes off, and you’re like, “oh, I should finish that and release it.” That’s the great side of it.
I think it’s also a downside as well, because it means that the music industry gets a bit oversaturated and a bit overwhelming. There’s so many things coming from so many different avenues. And I think sometimes the authenticity and the greatness gets lost if you don’t pay attention to detail.
Now that you’re back on the road, are you doing anything differently to take better care of yourself, or better prepare yourself, compared to before?
I basically manage my time better and make sure that I get the rest. I make sure that I’m not doing a shit-ton of work in between shows, and I’m keeping it to a respectful minimum. I’m very aware – I drink a lot of water, I’m not drinking a lot of alcohol. I work out, I go to the gym. I look after my mind and my body.
What song from your new album are you most excited to play live on tour?
At the moment, it’s “Lying.” I love it, I’ve just added it to the set.
It’s also the 10 year anniversary of “My Love,” and there was a revamped version of the song released earlier this year. Can you talk to me a little bit about that decision of how you wanted to honor that milestone?
To be honest with you, that wasn’t my decision. The guy [Parisian producer and DJ Alex Wann] did it and came to me. I heard the version that he did, I was just like, “oh my god, I love it. Yeah, let’s do it.” I kinda liked that I could give it to someone else to have their own journey with it. It’s so crazy because I still can’t believe I have a record that’s 10 years old. Like, it just blows my absolute mind.
What do you think makes a perfect pop song in 2024?
Just being real, being honest, and being free. It’s hard. You just gotta do what feels right, that’s how I always look at it. There is no answer to “what is a great pop song?” If you think it’s great and you believe in it, then it’s great. Do you know what I mean?
I always find it really difficult to finish a song because I’m like, “I can add this vocal. I can do a choir. I can add this instrument, or I can add/change the lyric here or add a melody here.” We have to be in the present and respect what we feel is right in that time. And I think for me, there’s so much opinions, and so many people who like this or love that, and we’re not always gonna agree. And I think we’re always going to be struggling with comparisons and trying to be perfect, trying to be beautiful, whatever it is.
In my mind, this album is just me representing me and being who I was in that moment, inviting and singing and whatever, and I will continue to be that person forevermore in all my musical journey, my life. It’s still a work in progress, and I’m not perfect – and I’m never aiming to be perfect – but I think it’s just about accepting that I’m cool, I’m good enough, and I can do this no matter what way or which or where, or what someone’s opinion is.
Interview has been edited for clarity and length.
JESS GLYNNE :: Thursday, October 3 at The House of Blues, 15 Lansdowne St. in Boston, MA :: 7 p.m., all ages, $28 to $50 :: Event info :: Advance tickets