Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: Hi!! Thanks for having me on your platform, appreciate the support! My name is Jesse Maxwell, I’m 27 and I’m an alternative R&B artist from Toronto, Canada. Starting a career in music was never something planned. I started writing and composing music because it was something I enjoyed doing and it’s why I continue doing it.
Q: Did you have any formal training, or are you self-taught?
A: I’m a classically trained pianist, that’s really how I started my music journey, I was 7 years old when I started. Songwriting and production are both self taught. It was an instance of trial and error, getting to know myself as a songwriter, how I express myself getting to my sonic palette and what sound textures help shape my sound. For me it’s less about perfecting the skill and more about being comfortable enough to let my mind create in places I’ve yet to explore, and push myself out of my comfort zones.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences?
A: Frank Ocean and Tyler, the Creator were probably the first artists that really impacted me. I was probably 12 or 13 when Odd Future started blowing up and I was so into it, the way they presented themselves. It was the first time I saw music as more than just songs, but a culture, a lifestyle, an attitude. Some other musical influences I’d need to give credit to are people like Amy Winehouse, James Blake, and more recently, Arca. Arca has very much impacted the way I view composition and deconstruction in music production and I’ve been quite fascinated by the density they bring to their music.
Q: You have just released your new album, ‘LP2’. Is there a story behind it?
A: I wouldn’t say there is a specific story, although maybe I’m too close to it where someone could listen to it and say there is one. Without realizing, I definitely illustrated some contrasting ideas in the album and that seems to be a constant theme. These dichotomies are present in songs like ‘enemy’ where I write about a love/hate relationship, ‘middle yellow’ which talks abstractly about the conscious and unconscious state of mind and ‘nosedive’ which depicts a high and comedown.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even another album from you in the near future?
A: Absolutely. We’re in the process of finishing the next album, if you know me, you know I’m always creating something but I’ve been doing a lot of production and composition work for other artists, it’s been taking up a lot of my time and lately I haven’t found as much time to create for myself. That’s not a bad thing, I think it’s cool to be able to create in different spaces for different needs and I’m so excited for my artists to be able to showcase their works soon as many of them will be releasing more music shortly.
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
A: Well, I’ve always been told that my music sounds pretty sexy, so… listeners, whatever you wanna do with that information! I put a lot of myself into my music, very emotive as an individual, and constantly introspective – perhaps that’s something that people connect with. Honesty and authenticity is something felt. A big thing I want people to take away from this album is the moments of stillness in density, heavy, warm and textured instrumentation over a downtempo backdrop, which I think describes this album quite nicely.
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A: Woah, I kinda just stared at this question for a couple minutes. This is layered for me. It’s hard to say… It’s difficult to feel success as an underground independent artist at times, and I think that success is where I base a lot of that fulfillment. Everytime I release a new track it feels like I’m starting from square one. I’ve had some wonderful success and that success helped me feel fulfilled in what I was doing. There have been moments that have been extremely fulfilling like playing shows around Toronto. That feels so incredible and that’s when my music feels like it’s able to give back the work I’ve put into it. Shows are really the only thing I’ve felt that are tangible, in the room, you can see people’s faces and watch them sing the songs you’ve created, there is no better feeling. I started releasing music during the pandemic so my music journey has been blanketed with feelings of isolation. It’s when I get to share moments and experiences with people around my music that feel like my music is giving back to me what I put into it.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: It’s different every time. I wish I could say I had a recipe but I assume if I did, my songs would come out sounding similar or constructed. I pull inspiration from anywhere, sometimes a lyric, a chord progression, sometimes a sound I come across that is intriguing and inspiring. My creative process is funny, I go into this other world, like a trance, definitely less present to my surroundings and I can go for hours putting something together, and by the end of it I’m pretty drained.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: The most difficult thing I’ve had to endure in my music career is maintaining my status as a full time musician/producer. My job is never a steady one nor a reliable one. So there are times where I’m super busy and times where I need to do more outreach or play more shows to sustain myself. It keeps me on my toes and keeps me working hard always.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: A successful and proud moment for me was getting on Sirius XM. That was a cool moment for my career, I had really just started out and I remember getting the email that CBC3 on Sirius XM was spinning my tracks, and I was over the moon. Super proud that my music connected with those people enough to support it on the radio. Another proud moment was the first concert I played in Toronto. It wasn’t the best concert we’ve played, but for me it was monumental to be able to take that step to play live shows and check that off the bucket list.
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