Jess Moskaluke, three time Canadian Country Music Association award winner for Female Artist of the Year, Juno winner for Country Album of the Year (2017, Kiss Me Quiet), and one of Canada's biggest country stars, has new music to share with the world, and is making the rounds to tell her stories.
We caught up with Jess in Toronto, in the green room before her CBC Music First Play performance, to talk about her new EP, writing with new collaborators, awesome feelings on stage, and more.
The new album, Past The Past, is scheduled to be released on November 3, and it seems like it can't come soon enough for the Saskatchewan native. She told us that it feels like the music has been done forever, and that she's excited to share it with country music fans. She also told us that it's been nice to start folding in new songs on stage, allowing her and the band to freshen up the setlist and have some new fun in the show.
While we had Jess for a few minutes we also jumped into a quick round of 5 Quick Questions. Hit play and find out what album she is listening to on repeat, her favourite Shania jam, her late night fast food go to, and more...
We asked Jess about writing with new people on this album, and as we talked she realized that there were more and more new minds on this set of songs. She told us that there's a comfort that grows between collaborators, and that adding new people to that process of creativity and creation can be both exciting and sometimes can make her a little nervous.
On Past The Past she had a little of that when she wrote with Neil Mason from The Cadillac Three. Neil's reputation and success are well known in the industry, and when you hear Right When Ya Left, you'll see how that session turned out.
Spoiler: It went well.
Before we were done chatting with Jess Moskaluke we asked about the feeling that she gets when she's on stage and the fans are singing along and singing back to her. It was hard for her to put into words what it is. She told us that it's one of those things that you really only know after you've felt it for yourself.
When we asked if she remembers the first time it happened she wasn't able to pinpoint it, but she remembers when Cheap Wine And Cigarettes became that songs and she could see people in the crowd at shows singing along with her.
We've asked other artists this exact question before, and Jess's answer lines up with theirs. And we're sure she'd agree with Chad Brownlee, who told us that when he stops getting that awesome feeling when everyone sings with and to him, it'll be time to hang 'em up.
Big thanks to Jess Moskaluke for hanging out with us pre-show, and for letting us invite some contest winners to see her perform at the CBC.
Keep your eyes out for video from the night. And stay tuned for a Past The Past album review and your chance to listen, coming soon!
Jess Moskaluke, CBC Music First Play Setlist
Drive Me Away*
Used
Night We Won't Forget
Good Lovin'
Kiss Me Quiet
Good For You
Kill Your Love*
Camouflage*
Right When Ya Left*
Strong As I've Ever Been
Past The Past*
Parachute (Chris Stapleton cover)
Save Some Of That Whiskey*
Take Me Home
Elevator
Cheap Wine And Cigarettes
