While TikTok is useful for many things, including putting us onto the latest beauty tricks and the best food spots in town, there is one thing that the app is now infamous for, and that is revealing who is next up in music. Thanks to this fact, pop artist JESSIA is experiencing newfound fame, and rightly so.

Ahead of the release of her debut EP, and following on from the viral success of her infectious cut “I’m Not Pretty”, the pop artist hopes to welcome her rapidly expanding fanbase into her sweet-sounding realm with the drop of her latest track, “First Call”, which is as hauntingly beautiful in sound as it is visually pleasing, thanks to its beach-bound visuals.

When speaking on “First Call”, the artist explained, “I write a lot of my songs while I’m walking, and I love going to the beach at sunset and processing my life. It’s very therapeutic for me. I wrote “First Call” on my local beach, so I wanted to put the viewer back into that moment.”

Ahead of the release of her upcoming EP, the artist took some time to chat to Wonderland about finding success through TikTok and the album that nurtured her love of music. Head below to enjoy our interview with JESSIA…

Hi JESSIA! How are you doing?
Hello! I’m great, thanks for having me!

So you are from Canada! Do you think growing up there influenced your current sound?
Maybe? I am influenced by a lot of artists from all over the world! I definitely grew up listening to Canadian artists like Sarah Mclachlan and Jann Arden, but I wouldn’t describe my current sound as sounding Canadian. I’m influenced by a whole bunch of worldwide artists!

It would be fair to say that your sound is very pop-orientated. Do you have any pop artists that you look up to?
Yes! Jessie J, Pink, Paramore, Julia Michaels, Harry Styles, Sia – just to name a few haha!

You have experienced great success thanks to one of your tracks going viral on TikTok! What was that experience like?
So unreal! “I’m not Pretty” completely changed my life. It has been non-stop since then, but this year has been one of the best years of my life! I have gotten to grow and evolve and experience so many cool things! I’m still pinching myself to this day.

So, you have just dropped the sunset-filled visuals for your track “First Call”, can you talk us through how you landed on this concept for the video?
I write a lot of my songs while I’m walking, and I love going to the beach at sunset and processing my life. It’s very therapeutic for me. I wrote “First Call” on my local beach, so I wanted to put the viewer back into that moment.

And, the track comes from your debut EP “How Are You?”. How did it feel to release your first multi-track project?
So good! I mean, it was terrifying but in the best way possible! I have been wanting to release an EP for a while now, but things just kept postponing it and in hindsight, I’m glad I waited. I’m really proud of this EP and how it feels like a completed chapter in my life. It’s like a little time capsule that I can always go back to!

Can you describe the overall theme and meaning behind the project?
I wrote most of it in a pandemic where I had too much time alone to think. I got very introspective, and I was constantly checking in with myself and asking my friends, “how are you?” It’s about the journey of pulling yourself out of a rough patch and rebuilding yourself and a whole new life.

Do you have a favourite track from the project?
It changes every week for me haha. It really depends on what is going on in my life. This week I am vibing to “Be Here Now”.

Do you have a favourite album of all time?
There are so many! I would have to say Back To Basics by Christina Aguilera was the first album that made singing really fun. Singing her stuff is like vocal acrobats, I love it!

What are your plans for the future? Are you currently working on any other projects?
I am in writing mode right now! I’m really excited about what we are creating. I am hoping for a tour in 2022 because I want to meet and hug everyone who has been on this crazy journey with me!