One can imagine 2020 as a challenger in the boxing ring, throwing hooks and jabs from every angle, ready to wear its opponent down. But what the challenger doesn’t realize is that Jesse Labelle showed up to fight, blocking every punch thrown. After going through Nashville’s tragic tornado in March and then dealing with the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought upon the music industry, Jesse has taken it all like a champ. Modifying his craft to reach his fans via different online platforms and releasing his fan-favorite “Two Hearts and a Diamond,” Jesse has followed the road of positivity while rolling with the punches.
We caught up with Jesse to talk about his 2020 experience so far, the new single and what’s to come, including some music video news!
CN: For our readers who may not be familiar with you, can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
JL: I am a singer/songwriter living in Nashville TN. I write and perform country music and have been incredibly lucky and blessed to have spent the past few years touring across the US sharing stages with some of my heroes including Garth Brooks, Brooks and Dunn, Keith Urban and Eric Church to name a few.
CN: Which musicians, country or not, have influenced you both personally and as an artist?
JL: I have been hugely influenced by Garth both personally and as an artist. Having been able to not only open for him, but spend some time with the man has completely changed me as an artist and a person. When it came to opening for Garth, it taught me how everything comes from the top down. He and everyone on his team are sublime professionals in all that they do and you can’t help but feel part of something very special when you are in their presence. I was also able to spend some time with Garth in Nashville a few months after opening from him. His commitment to not only his career and his craft, but to kindness is unparalleled. He is the Greatest Of All Time for a reason, and just a few minutes with him will show you why.
CN: When did you realize that you wanted to pursue a career in music?
JL: I recorded and produced my first demo tape at 16 years old and from the moment I realized I could write and record my own music, I was hooked. I started a band and we began to play around my hometown and I have never once looked back.
CN: What was the first album you ever owned?
JL: James Taylor’s Greatest Hits…on CD that I likely stole from my dad’s collection.
CN: Earlier this year, parts of Tennessee, including Nashville, went through the catastrophic tornado, which affected you personally. Then the shelter-in-place orders came through due to the pandemic, which affected you professionally. How are you holding up?
JL: I lost my home to the tornado and was displaced when the storms hit. I had been so wrapped up in recovering from the tornado that by the time I found a new home, I was sheltered in it and dealing with the pandemic. It was a heavy one-two punch. I also lost all of my gigs as a result of COVID-19. Thankfully, things are starting to slowly pick up again and I am once again able to start performing for live crowds ( at a limited capacity and socially distant of course)
CN: Challenges can lead to new opportunities as long as you are open to them. You started TRL livestream during the quarantine which then led to Jesse’s Virtual Gigs. How have those experiences been?
JL: The weekly Wednesday night livestream I started during the quarantine called “Total Request Live” has been a huge blessing. It was started as a way to connect with the fans while we were all sheltered in place and very quickly led to requests for private performances during Zoom meetings, happy hours, memorial day parties and so forth. As soon as I set up a website for the virtual gigs, it exploded and has quite literally kept me alive these past few months.
CN: As the Virtual Gigs are booked by fans individually, they must be very intimate. Does the artist-to-fan bond/relationship change after performing in such an atmosphere where it’s practically one-to-one, even if multiple people are on Zoom?
JL: The virtual gigs have been some of the most fun I’ve ever had. The connection is definitely more personal but the vibe brings everyone in the show right back to what we all know and love about live music. From sing-alongs to people wearing their cowboy hats and even some virtual beer and wine tasting parties while I perform, many of these events have led to repeat bookings. I have met so many great new fans and made new friends during these virtual gigs.
CN: In what other ways has the current pandemic situation affected your craft? Perhaps in regards to inspiration (providing some or a lack of)?
JL: I live my life practicing positivity no matter how difficult the situation I am in seems. I have approached this whole year the same way and as a result, have all but finished enough material for a full album. While quarantined at home, I have written, recorded and produced all of the material I likely would ave never had the time to had I been out on the road.
CN: You released your latest single “Two Hearts and a Diamond” on June 12 which is huge fan favorite. However it’s taken some time for you to release it. What was holding you back?
JL: Timing is everything. “Two Hearts and a Diamond” is my favorite song I have ever written. It has taken almost 2 years to release and a large part of the reason for this was simply timing. I needed to make sure that I had all of the pieces of the puzzle together before putting a song I care so much about out into the world. This included making sure we the right music video, the right team, and the right material to follow the single with. I couldn’t be happier that this song is finally out in the world.
CN: What was the inspiration behind the song?
JL: “Two Hearts and a Diamond” was inspired at a wedding I attended. The pastor marrying the couple has said to them “ Kids, marriage is a lot like a deck of cards, if you play your hand right, you end up with two hearts and a diamond” and that caught my ear and never left my head. I brought the idea back to Nashville and spend the better part of a year trying to find the right co-writer for the song, who turned out to be Ava Suppelsa. The song had quite the journey from inception to creation and there is a performance online from the Bluebird Cafe where you can hear the whole story behind the song! Watch it here.
CN: As a storyteller, can you take us through your songwriting process?
JL: For me, every song starts with the words. I have a tattoo, one which reads “ the melody changes, but the words stay the same “. This is because for me, it is always the words that are the cement in any great song. Sometimes it’s the title, sometimes it’s something I think is the title and the rest of the song forms its way around those words, or that concept. Songs are like puzzles to me and the enjoyment comes from trying to find those right little pieces in the pile that fit together to create something new and exciting.
CN: With no large summer concerts on the schedule pretty much anywhere, a lot of us are looking back to favorite memories from past concerts. You definitely have a favorite moment from last year. What was it like to open for Garth Brooks?
JL: Opening for Garth was the best experience to date of my career as a performer. The concert itself was absolutely mind-blowing. Having 40K plus people in a stadium sing your songs back to you is something you can’t describe. In every concert there is a tangible energy that connects you to the crowd, and the crowd back to you. Its like a string in between you and every person watching, and the connection between you and that person gets stronger with each second of the performance. Now imagine 40 thousand strings and the incredible force that pull creates. I honestly felt like I was flying the entire time I was out on that stage. More importantly though, opening for garth taught me the true importance of being a leader and taking care of your team from the top down. It’s a lesson I will keep with me always.
CN: Once things get back to a point of normalcy, will you be bringing back the “Jesse Labelle & Friends” songwriter round at The Listening Room Café in Nashville?
JL: We are bringing back “Jesse Labelle & Friends” to the Listening Room on July 4th, 2020! Tickets can be purchased here.
CN: Will you continue to do TRL and the Virtual Gigs?
JL: I will absolutely continue TRL and the Virtual Gigs. We still broadcast the livestream every Wednesday night at 7PM CT on Facebook and Instagram. I urge anyone reading this to come on in and hang out with Team Labelle. The rooms. Have been growing weekly and wed love to have you. The Virtual Gigs which can be found at www.jesselabellevirtualgigs.com will also stay active! Check out the site and see how you can have your own private concert, anywhere, anytime!
CN: If you had the opportunity to collaborate with any one artist, who would it be?
JL: I would love to work with Vince Gill. His guitar playing and vocals are some of if not my very favorite out there. I mean, if The Eagles chose him to front their band, I think that says it all.
CN: What was the first concert you ever attended?
JL: John Cougar Mellencamp when I was 12.
CN: If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be and why?
JL: Positive. I have always subscribed to positivity as a policy above all else. I believe it has served me very well.
CN: What’s next on the horizon for you?
JL: We will be releasing the music video for “Two Hearts and a Diamond” very shortly and I cannot wait for the world to see what we’ve done with this. It is my favorite music video I’ve ever made, which is fitting, because I wouldn’t want anything less or a song as special to me as “Two Hearts and a Diamond”. Beyond that, I will be releasing more music as the year goes on and hopefully touring again in the fall.
For more information on Jesse Labelle, visit his website at www.jesselabelle.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.