·5 min read

10 THINGS – Jesse Palter

Get to know 10 Things about Jesse Palter

You’re originally from Detroit, where music has had a profound impact on fans across the globe. What initially drew you to start your singing career and how did you get your start?

I have been singing my entire life! I suppose I was just “bit by the bug.” It ultimately surpassed the point of being a cute hobby, particularly when I started writing and recording my own songs (which happened when I was 13 years old). As far as an official start, I guess I’d say when I began collaborating with (the late great singer/songwriter) Andrew Gold who became a mentor of mine, and realized songwriting is my end game – that was a life changing epiphany. Everything has sort of snowballed since then. Growing up singing in the music venues of Detroit and playing with Detroit musicians was invaluable to my musical maturation. I honestly learned more from being on the bandstand in Detroit than I did in a practice room at a conservatory.

Who have been some of your biggest musical influences that has shaped your career to what it is today?

Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Prince, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Randy Newman, James Taylor, Miles Davis, Laura Nyro, _____ (insert every jazz master vocalist), Billy Joel, Fiona Apple, Harry Nilsson, Don Henley and Glenn Frey… and my 2 closest collaborators Sam Barsh (pianist) and Mike Jellick (pianist) to name a few.

If you had the choice to work any one person, who would that be and why?

Max Martin. He’s masterful at crafting a pop song.

Your debut album, Paper Trail, will release on July 19, 2019. What’s the meaning behind the name?

I decided to title my album ‘Paper Trail’ not long after I wrote the song “Paper Trail,” which is a sort of nostalgic reflection on a love lost. I felt like ‘Paper Trail’ is a poignant way to sum up my intention with this album – which is to document a moment in time and leave behind a ‘trail’ of music through song and lyric.

What’s the inspiration behind your music and what do you hope your audience draws from these songs?

I write about what I’m going through. Every song on the record is autobiographical, except for one (which is based on a good friend’s story). I need to really feel something intensely to want to write about it. If the listeners are able to see and hear themselves and their lives in between the lines of my music, then I’ll feel like my mission is accomplished.

The other side of the music business is the business of doing music. What are some of the realistic challenges that come with being an artist in this industry?

How to navigate the industry side of pursuing a career as a creative professional, at every level (I’ve felt it when I was an independent artist and I’ve even felt it as an artist with a machine behind me). It’s the wild west out here! But it always has to come back to the music. We do what we do because we have no choice – it’s who we are at our very core.

What advice would you give to your younger self and also pass on to others?

The muse doesn’t always sit around and wait to show up like some divine birdie over your left shoulder – work for what you want and do it often. Songwriting is a discipline, and a lot of times it’s just about showing up and chipping away until the floodgates open. I would also tell her to keep some of that 13-year-old gusto intact because her younger self didn’t take no for an answer and never doubted herself.

When you’re not busy working on your music, how do you attempt to get some peace and relaxation?

Anything with my 2 doggies (hiking, long walks) and a glass of delicious red wine.

When it comes to fashion, which designers and styles appeal most to your personality?

I love the art of fashion, most particularly the intersection of fashion and rock and roll – I feel that being an artist is a 360-degree mission and it’s important to me that the visual and the sound work in tandem. I’m currently in Italy for a gig, and have been strolling the shopping districts admiring the fashion here. So at this moment, anything Italian-made is fire in my book. But I like to mix high and low – I feel like it’s a worth the splurge to get amazing quality items for the basics (cost per wear, right?) Like, a beautifully made blazer / shoe / leather jacket / fedora / bag, etc. and then you can mix it with whatever is on trend on the low end. I also love vintage, environmental purposes and because a lot of times vintage items were so beautifully made. I tend to like fashion that is part rock n roll, part French “off duty” chic.