Jesse Saint John on Authenticity, Chills, & Words People Use Often

I feel like I’ve been besties with Jesse Saint John for years. Hard to believe we’ve only crossed paths IRL once a couple weeks ago at Bardot in LA. I was walking up a staircase he was walking down. I had to tell him my name but his eyes immediately perked up, which almost felt as good as the hug that followed. Not to light a candle and strike a yoga pose, but, you could just feel his energy in florescent fashion.

I’m big on reputations. Jesse’s is solid. A respected songwriter, singer and performer, an outspoken LGBTQ advocate, a trendsetter, a fill-in-the-blank-here-because-he’s-probably-qualified-in-that-department-too. A few highlights of course is working with pop stars like Kim Petras (my second top played artist in 2019) to Britney Spears (umm, hello!) to Lizzo whose smash hit “Truth Hurts,” Jesse co-wrote and it recently got him nominated for a Grammy. He did that!

Merely scratching the surface here but let’s not expose the full extent of my obsession. Instead, let’s segue into a cute and informative Q&A moment because why? Because when there’s a star in the room, we take notes and bask in that shine.

What’s your favorite song or album of all time (or right now)? What’s the story for you behind it?

Oh my god too many to answer, I’m sure you hear that a lot, but at the moment I’ll say Yeezus. It still feels so fresh & he was saying a lot of culturally relevant things that still resonate & employing innovative production from people like Arca & Gessafelstein. Really important project.

How do you discover new music? What are a few of your go-to playlists, stations, sources...?

I write it! Haha really though, I look at my friends’ suggestions on Instagram, I surround myself with artists & creation, so when I see someone post something on socials I usually try to look into it. I’m constantly searching for new stuff & keeping my ears open in Ubers haha.

If you had to write a recipe for a hit song, what are the ingredients you'd include? 

Authenticity, chills, words people use often.

Imagine you're a career coach. What do you wish you knew when you first started?  

I wish I knew that no1 knows what’s best for you better than you know yourself. We’re all just kinda making this up as we go & your instinct is your best career plan.

The perfect writing session. Break it down for us from start to finish. What are a couple pro tips from personal experience? 

A lot of talking with co-writers before we even start music, if you feel safe & close with your co-writers then you have no fear of failing, not every idea is great but you can say something bad that gets you to the next great idea. It’s also important to make sure no1 is hungry, food is lovely.

Who is your musical icon... the one that inspired you to get into the business and why? Do you have a favorite new artist that you can't stop listening to? 

Britney & Fiona Apple inspired me, I see parallels in them, even though they are completely different. I listen to Kim Petras, Lizzo & Megan Thee Stallion, I’m sure you’d be hard-pressed to find a gay with taste who doesn’t have that exact same answer. 

What’s the last song that got stuck in your head? Which part? 

On God by bbno$ & Lewis Grant. Every word from start to finish (including ad-libs).

What was the defining moment/break in your career that helped get you to where you are today?

I have a few I think but ‘Das Me’ by Brooke Candy is the first full song I ever wrote & having that get about 5 million hits pretty instantly was the realization that I needed to move forward thinking “ok this is like a real thing that I can do.”

What artist has your favorite social media game and why?

I love Lauv’s social media, it’s all so free & I love him as a person so he makes me happy.

If you have $100,000 to break a new artist, how would you spend it?  

I invest in creating songs & visuals that thoughtfully convey their unique narrative, create a world that feels specific to them & has a unique place in the world where people can visit & feel seen. I’d also spend a lot on ads & probably pay some Tik Tok kids haha.

What advice would you give new artists hoping to connect with fans and make a true impact on the industry?

Figure out why you’re doing this & stick on that path, trust what makes you unique, ask ‘what spot are you filling that isn’t filled yet’, be grateful & know your worth & put the hard work in.