Freshly invigorated from their whistle-stop tour of the UK in May, Jess & the Bandits return with brand new music – their first since 2020.
Emotional Baggage is a suitcase full of relatable life scenarios, skilfully packaged by front woman Jessica Clemmons. Jess’s life as a full time musician has been turned on its head by the welcome arrival of her two sons over the past few years and the lyrics tell of her internal, emotional struggles to keep the ship sailing, amidst a storm of dirty diapers and sleepless nights.
Written with one Nashville’s most exciting female producers, Femke Weidema, this single has an authenticity and humorous charm which will strike a chord with anyone struggling to juggle family life. Femke, writer and producer signed to Liz Rose’s publishing company, has recently become a mother herself, giving even more weight to the message in Emotional Baggage.
“I wrote Emotional Baggage with my producer, friend and co-writer Femke. We have both entered very new parts of our lives that involves being married, having children and trying to balance a career and the person you once were. I think women in the same situation will definitely relate but I also think anyone who carries a heavy load in their lives will relate as well. You may be a son who has to help care for your parents while working a full time job. You may be a friend who always seems to be the one to be the shoulder to cry on or the one to listen. Although you wouldn’t change it for the world, sometimes you just need some you time.”
As well as keeping herself busy with writing, producing and recording new music, Jess’s old songs are continuing to have an impact, with If You Can’t Be Mine (written alongside Jeff Cohen and Victoria Banks) appearing in hotly anticipated new country music TV drama, Monarch.
Not content with simply juggling mum life and musical work, Jess has announced the release of a new podcast, Jess Talks Texas, where she will be taking a dive into the world of Texan country music. Each week she will be featuring one brand new artist, one established act and one heritage act on the show, playing great music and talking about all the latest news on the Texas Country Music scene. The podcast will be released at the beginning of September and will be available on Apple, Spotify and all regular streaming platforms.
In the first episode, Jess Talks Texas features Aaron Watson, a country music star just returned from vocal surgery, a new artist named Will Carter who has spent 5 weeks in the top 60 in the TX country charts and Teague Brothers Band, an Americana Folk Country Rock Band fronted by a US Army Veteran who’ve topped several Texas charts over recent years.
To add to the number of compartments in her own emotional baggage, Jessica is planning an intimate Acoustic Country Christmas tour of the UK at the end of November, more details to be released in due course.