Next up in our series featuring the 2016 Top 7 Boots and Hearts Emerging Artist Showcase finalists are Toronto area duo Jess and Tay. Made up of 18-year-old Jessie Bower of Hamilton and Taylor Adams, 19, of Pickering Jess and Tay met while both were roommates and classmates at Humber College. Jess and Tay are pretty much as fresh as you get when it comes to Emerging Artists considering they almost didn't enter the contest because they felt they didn't have enough material ready. But they did enter and are currently sitting at the top of the vote count just ahead of Vanessa Marie Carter at the time of writing this.
7 Questions with Jess and Tay
#1: Being selected as a finalist for Boots and Hearts Emerging Artist is a big deal. One of the 7 of you will perform on the Main Stage at Boots and Hearts this summer. Describe the moment you found out you made it? How did they contact you? Where were you? and has it sunk in yet?
When we first received the news it was through email. Jessie was just about to go to an exam when my phone went off. At first I wasn't even going to look because I was too tired, but when I checked, it said "Boots and Hearts Emerging Artists Showcase". I immediately freaked out and ran to the kitchen. Jess was just about to leave but i made her read it over because I didn't believe it was real. We couldn't wait to call our family and friends to let them know the amazing news! Still to this day we truly don't think it has sunken in yet. With the voting open we find ourselves so focused on the promoting aspect that the fact that we are actually playing at Boots and Hearts feels so unreal but we are super excited to feel the rush of the big stage. We are honoured to have this incredible opportunity and to share it with family, friends and the other amazingly talented emerging artists. Watching our idols perform and knowing that we could perform on the same stage as them is a dream come true.
#2: Every artist I've spoken to has a story about how / when they decided to pursue music as a career. Describe the moment that you knew that music was the path for you and what inspired you to take that path.
For both Taylor and I, music has always been a huge part of our lives. Since we were young we have always had a passion for singing and performing. As we got older we both got more into writing our own music and our passions began flourishing and we realized this was what we wanted to do with our lives. The support from our family and friends has always helped us to keep going and be able to do what we love. We loved to perform separately, but when we began writing and playing together something just clicked. We are so blessed to have found each other and to have been able to connect through music. We can't see ourselves doing anything other than performing for the rest of our lives.
#3: What's your all-time favourite movie?
Jess: She's the Man
Tay: Grease
#4: Your ideal brain food?
Jess: Apples
Tay: Eggs
#5: If you could see any artist in concert, who would you see (living or dead)?
Jess and Tay: Shania Twain
#6: Name a fictional character most like you?
Jess and Tay: Zak and Wheezie from Dragon Tales "Cause you know two heads are better than one"
#7: Why should you be chosen as the 2016 Boots and Hearts Emerging Artist Showcase winner?
Even though we didn't grow up in the country, Country music has always held a special place in our hearts. Everyone can relate to the stories it tells and we love to tell stories through our music. We are both very passionate about playing and performing, and it has been a big part of what brought us together as friends and as a duo. It's like our home, we have always loved and appreciated country music and all that it represents. Winning this competition would not only kick start our career but it would remind us how truly blessed we are to have this opportunity and how hard work really does pay off. We feel that our music has the potential to speak to country fans and audiences of all ages. We have both been waiting for an opportunity like this for a long time, and we truly feel that we're ready to show people what we are truly capable of, and the fact that we get to do it together makes it all the more special. We'd like to thank Boots and Hearts, Republic Live and Sirius XM once again for this amazing opportunity, it has already made this a summer that we will remember for the rest of our lives.
Want to get to follow Jess and Tay on their path to Country Music stardom?
Follow them online here: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube
Want to help determine their starting position in the Boots and Hearts Emerging Artist competition this August for a shot at opening for Chase Rice? Vote for them here: http://bootsandhearts.com/showcase/
Field Service Tech by day, Live Music Nut by night! My family and I call the Thousand Islands region of Ontario home. I'm a blogger, social media geek, tech, and live music fanatic. I founded Sound Check Entertainment in 2010 to help promote festivals and emerging artists from across Canada and the world! I now act as festivals liaison, manage media relations and, of course, cover events in the National Capital region. I'm also a diehard Habs fan but Sens fans fear not; as long as they aren't playing against my Habs I cheer just as loud for the Sens.