Interview with Jessi Malay
Monday, February 12, 2007
Shelia Goss: Did you always know you wanted to be a singer?Jessi Malay: From the time I was 3 years old, performing was always the most natural
thing for me, the most fun thing for me to do, and deep down inside what
I knew I was destined for, but I grew up scared of making it a profession.
School always came first but it was dancing, singing and being onstage
that I had a passion for. It wasn't until I was 14 that I realized if
I didn't give it a shot I would regret it for the rest of my life.
Shelia: What is a typical day like for you?
Jessi Malay: Usually I'll wake up and try to
get my butt to the gym, do a little cardio, or take a yoga class...it's
just the best way to jumpstart my day otherwise I never feel fully
awake...The rest of my day varies... I'll either have to go into the
studio to record or write, or go to the dance studio to rehearse with my
choreographer and dancers, or go into the label for a meeting about my
project.
Shelia: Who are some of your favorite singers?
Jessi Malay: I grew up listening to a lot of
dance divas like Donna Summers and Janet Jackson, I was a big Mariah fan
during her "Dreamlover" days, and Aliyah was a HUGE inspiration to me.
Shelia: If I were to go to your stereo, whose CDs would I find in it?
Jessi Malay: Right now I'm really feelin Robin Thicke, the man is just
so soulful and sensual, I love Snoop's new album, and I appreciate
the message Ludacris' single "Runaway Love" is projecting. He's talking
about some heavy stuff on that track but does it in a way that's not
too depressing and still makes you wanna groove.
Shelia: What challenges, if any, did you face getting the CD put together?
Jessi Malay: I'm still facing challenges and still finishing up the last
few tracks of this album! Honestly it seems like the never ending process
but we just want to make sure everything is just right before we let it
out there... In this day and age you can't release anything that s not
above and beyond because as a new artist, you won't stand a chance.
Kids have smartened up, they know what's crap and what isn't , and if all
you've got is one single, they'll just download you're single and not care
about the rest of your album. That's why it's so important to create a
body of work that can stand up on it's own track after track. Right now
I'm in the process of getting those last couple tracks for my album but
they gotta be singles so there's a very high bar we all (me and my
producer/writers) have to meet.
What's your favorite time of year? Definitely summer... I'm a Cali girl
and Cali was made for summertime.
Do you prefer being alone or in a crowd? Completely depends on my mood
but more often I like company...not necessarily a crowd though. I like to
spend a lot of one on one time with the people I'm close to. I hardly ever
like being completely alone.
What's your favorite vacation spot? Puerto vallarta, Mexico... I've
been going there since I was little and I just love the laid back culture
down there, the sweet people, the good food, the beaches and
waterfalls...it's hard not too love that place.
Do you prefer an SUV, luxury car or sports car? An SUV... I'm a little
girl so driving an SUV makes me feel a little bigger, like I own the road!
Is your favorite thing to wear a dress or pair of jeans? On a daily
basis or to go out to a club at night, definitely a good pair of jeans. I
always feel sexy without the slutty in some skinny jeans and I can dance
in em. But I LOVE getting all dressed up for events in a form fitting
dress... I think my curves work well in dresses.
Do you prefer lip gloss or lipstick? Actually lipstick... gloss can
get messy and my hair always gets stuck to it... plus boys can't stand
kissing a gooey mouth.
What do you find the most appealing or sexy about a man--his eyes,
smile, physique or his mind? I'd be lying if I didn't say all of the
above...on a pure attraction level, a sexy smile is my weakness but he can
smile for days and I won't care if he doesn't have the personality to back
it up... I'll tell you what I'm most attracted to is humility, confidence
without cockiness.
To hear music by Jessi Malay, visit her myspace page: http://myspace.com/jessimalay.
