July 8, 2025 |
Perceptive and evocative, Jessica Winter is an artist whose name deserves to be on everyone’s lips. Born into a self-described “dysfunctional” family on England’s south coast, Jessica has poured her creative energy into celebrating the journeys of women striving to find themselves. On her debut LP, My First Album, releasing on Friday, she declares she is “not healed but getting there” – and proud of it.
Winter’s vivid musical world is rooted in her imagination, shaped by complex family dynamics, bizarre encounters within the industry and a turbulent childhood. From a very young age, she was in and out of hospitals – undergoing her first surgery for hip dysplasia at just one year old, with multiple corrective operations continuing until she was 16. Long stretches of immobility kept her perched on special stools, often placed in front of the piano by her mother, sparking the early flames of her musical passion.
Winter’s love affair with music continued into her early teens when she started her first band, Rotten Luck. Inspired by her punk-playing uncle, she then moved into his London home where music quickly became her world. As a singer, songwriter and producer, Winter has since released a string of EPs including Sad Music (2020), More Sad Music (2021) and Limerence (2023).
Her sound – a heady mix of sharp punk, pantomime and ‘80s pop – evokes a romantic, nostalgic haze, reminiscent of psychedelic Kylie Minogue and vintage Madonna. You can easily picture her lighting up an underground queer space in Camden, where the atmosphere is intimate yet electric, like a dance scene pulled straight from a mid-‘90s film.
My First Album (2025) is a profound exploration of love – how we see it, consume it and interpret it. The lead single, L.O.V.E, wrestles with the push and pull of “good and bad love,” capturing the messy co-dependency that so often comes with it. Having grown up on songs like The Beatles’ All You Need Is Love and Mariah Carey’s Without You, Jessica acknowledges how these anthems shaped her own views on life and love, ultimately guiding her toward self-love over the relentless pursuit of love from others. The album’s closing track, To Know Her, drives this home with the peal of church bells, which Winter describes simply: “That’s me marrying myself.”
Here, we sat down with Winter to dive deeper into her musical influences, what she’s learned about herself along the way and how she’s carefully crafted her striking artistic identity.
1. If you could describe your sound in three words, what would they be?
Open, raw, heart.
2. How has your style of music changed since you first started out to now?
It’s gone more pop. I love the dichotomy of pop. It’s precision and chaoticness. It feels like life to me.
3. You’ve just released Big Star, the last single to go live before the full album drops – why did you decide that this would be a good one to release at this point in time?
This song sums up the album. It’s my origin story. It has to be released when the album drops! It’s about a dreamer who followed the bright lights to the big city in hopes of making it in show business, she’ll do whatever it takes and neglects her relationships in pursuit of a fantasy. Reality has beaten her down along the way and by the end of the song the final refrain is a reminder of her hope and innocence. Perhaps it’s telling us she’s a star no matter what.
4. Who’s one artist that has had a profound impact on your craft and why?
I think Kate Bush has always done what she wants to do and I love her playfulness with music and production. I have always admired Freddie Mercury and Siouxsie & The Banshees showman ship. I also deeply love Leonard Cohen and Eels for their lyrics. I love Neil Young’s writing too. I also respect Madonna for not only being an incredible performer but for writing her songs too. It’s hard to just pick one.
5. If you could collaborate with any artist, dead or alive, who would it be?
6. Film plays a role in inspiring your creative output, with your music video for Wannabe inspired by Edward Scissorhands – if you could watch only three films for the rest of your life, what would they be?
It’d have to be Braindead (1992), Jaws (1975) and You’ve Got Mail (1998).
7. What’s your perfect Sunday like?
A British summer afternoon, walking a dog, any dog in nature, a roast dinner and a game of Scrabble please? I can dream!
8. What’s your favourite thing about performing live?
I love the connection, it’s nice to feel that music can have an effect. Rather than just putting it out on the internet and not really knowing anything more than that. It’s an instant reaction and I feel connected to people when I’m playing. I think the people that come to my shows who are fans may be cut from the same cloth as me. I like feeling that I’m not alone in what I’m singing about.
9. What’s your guilty pleasure?
MAFS (Married At First Site).
10. What are you excited about in the next few months?
I’m excited to see My First Album become real. To hold the vinyl in my hands. To go on tour. I’m excited to continue!
Photography courtesy of Jessica Winter.
