Jesse O

"I'm Jesse from the block!" exclaims Bronx-born rising singer/songwriter/producer/dancer and all-around fly-boy Jesse O. Way proud to be representing the city as the native New Yorker aboard Next Magazine's float this year, Jesse has just one thing to say about performing to a crowd of thousands: "It's going to be ridiculous!"
Having graduated from college with a science degree and the intention of going pre-med, Jesse found that his love of music started to take over his day-job life of working as a microbiology lab assistant. "The assistant job may be my nine to five," he says,"but I'm finding more and more that at night, Jesse O wants to come out and play".
And play Jesse O does. Inspired by the likes of Michael and Janet Jackson, Usher, Beyonce, and Prince, his 2005 self-produced and self-released CD "Exposure" features a pop-chart ready mix of dance-floor stompers(the slinky "Step to This") and socially conscious ballads(the pro-safe sex "My Brotha"); it also earned him an OutMusic nomination. This year, his feel-good anthem "I Think I'm Falling In Love" landed on Revolutions, the first compilation album of LBGT artists on Sony's Music With a Twist label.
"Working with Music With a Twist has made me feel good about what I'm doing," Jesse says. "I came into this not aware that there were other artists out there doing what I'm doing, but as I did my research I found out that there were. And not only are they out and proud, but they're out and proud and talented as hell."
He's a veteran performer at past Prides in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Philly and Jersey City, but this year's March down Fifth Avenue marks Jesse's first time performing on a float. " I feel blessed...and a bit stressed!"he says with a laugh. "No, for Pride, it's a party. I'm going to have everyone shaking their behinds."
Up next for Jesse? A music video shoot for "I Think I'm Falling In Love," more gigs to perform and of course, plenty of new music to make. "I'm not doing this just for the purpose of entertaining, " he says. "I love to sing and dance and write my songs, but as an openly gay artist I have a lot to say, and music is the most effective and natural way for me to say it. So ya'll get ready!" - Next Magazine (2007)

After interviewing him for my Friday Finale, I had to immerse myself into the world of Jesse O, the first ever openly gay, R&B singer of the new millennium. While the comments on the interview were mixed - a few complained that the interview did not feature any of his music or there was no reason to support his music, I decided to give you one. I always like to remind people to support the cause, even if you have to support, because of the fact that he's a black, gay, man. But there is more to it than that.

If the current state of R&B is any indication of the sign of things to come then Jesse O is the way to turn. He is another artist that just sings without all of the overproduced hijinks of producers who aren't musicians and the studio tricks that performers use and once they are live, they sing under the notes that were once there in the studio. He draws us in to his world by using his relaxing, smooth voice matched with a mix of eclectic drum thumping, R&B based tracks, that are a relief to today’s radio. Most singers can not take credit for writing their own material – but how many singers come to mind that not only write and produce their own music? But the bigger question is where have those artists gone who have done both? If the past is a great prediction for the future then Jesse O may have a career as rich as Stevie Wonder, Prince, Marvin Gaye or Rahsaan Patterson.

While the more radio friendly track is “Set The Record Straight,” that doesn’t mean that the rest of the CD is without merit. It is on tracks such as “Big Trip,” “My Brotha,” and “I Won’t Argue With It,” that Jesse showcases his vocal abilities and you can literally hear him preparing taking his place in R&B music. More so than anything, I think the Exposure EP which can be purchased on I-Tunes or CD Baby is a sign of things to come. As indicated in my interview his is obvious focus, this is not the last that we'll ever hear of Jesse O and I believe that he'll make an impact on the future of R&B music...I heard that he slayed the kids in New York over the weekend...another cd that gets the TRENT JACKSON STAMP OF APPROVAL

review by Trent Jackson - In the Mix With Trent (2007)