Ready or Not, Jessie Reyez is Coming Up
And she’s saying what needs to be said.
It was a cold, wintry day the first time I heard Jessie Reyez — or at least I assume it was on January 4th, 2017, the date Spotify tells me I added her first single. I must have been unwinding from a day’s work, listening to my Discover Weekly playlist, when the song “Figures” came on. Usually when I’m home, I have music on in the background as I take care of other things. Most days, I zone it out to focus on whatever task I’m working on, but this song caught my attention almost immediately.
“Figures” starts with a guitar intro, using a chord progression that evokes a poignant nostalgia within the first seven seconds of the song. It’s simultaneously a modern and classic sound, reminiscent of the melancholic melodies of the 1950s. Based on the tune, if you were to guess that this, too, is a sad love song, you’d be right. This song tells the story of a girl who’s still in love with the boy who broke her heart. It highlights the dilemma of wanting both her revenge and her relationship. That very conflict is depicted through an indignant question to her transgressor:
I wish I could hurt you back / Love, what would you do / If you couldn’t get me back?
Reyez, a 27-year-old Toronto native of Colombian descent, delivers the mix of emotion through the tone of her voice. She has a very sultry but versatile sound. From the first word, Reyez conveys a feeling of defeat with a subtle raspiness that is used in both verses. This is a sharp contrast to the chorus, which Reyez sings an octave higher, revealing the pain, anger, and confusion she is feeling and emphasizing the calm rationality of the head versus the volatile passion of the heart. In all, Reyez artistically tells a story we’re all familiar with but slyly throws in a message you may not pick up on unless you’ve heard the rest of her music.
Listening to Reyez’s seven-song EP, Kiddo, released this past April, I realized she doesn’t just sing your everyday version of how much love sucks. She also makes a feminist commentary on men’s treatment of women and the patriarchal structure of society. In “Figures,” the very use of that word implies an “I should have known this guy was going to treat me like you-know-what” sentiment. She even plays on the double-standard found in many pop and hip-hop songs of men who need a “ride or die” woman but who are not necessarily expected to be the same.
But “Figures” isn’t the only song where she points out the double-standards in the music industry. Directly following it on the EP is “Gatekeeper,” a provocative message on the objectification of women and how they’re expected to give their bodies to those who “hold the key to their success.”
We are the gatekeepers / Spread your legs / Open up / You could be famous / You know we’re holding the dreams that you’re chasing / You know you’re supposed to get drunk and get naked.
Yes, some may think there is a less vulgar way to put it. But let’s face it — it’s a vulgar reality, and it’s too often left unsaid. And as Reyez notes on Genius.com, this message comes from personal experience:
This song and others from the EP remind me of Alessia Cara, another Canadian singer-songwriter with a soulful sound, but Reyez doesn’t try so hard to prove she doesn’t care. Instead, I get the feeling that she is an artist who is proud of her roots, acknowledges her struggles, and is on the way to “making it,” with or without your approval. I often chuckle listening to that part of her M.O. found in her song “Shutter Island.” But I don’t want to give away the whole EP before you get a chance to listen to it. All I’m saying is that Jessie Reyez seems like a strong, independent, Colombian-Canadian woman, and she’s on the rise. Don’t believe me? You can even catch her featured on Calvin Harris’ new album, Funk Wav Bounces Vol. 1 (which is straight vibes, by the way).
Kiddo combines the relatable coming-of-age story with the more unique coming-to-terms-with-fame account. Set aside the 19 minutes needed to check it out. The music will speak for itself:
