An Interview With Fashionista Turned Singer-Songwriter JEAN WATTS On Her Breakout Single ‘Blow’ And More!

Jean Watts first gained a cult following as a hugely influential Instagram fashionista (788K followers), but as a dancer and singer at heart, she’s now ready to make her music debut with her first single, “Blow.”

The blonde bombshell shot the video in Hawaii and channels the bohemian goddess of every man’s dreams. The tropic-infused production bounces into an explosive chorus, packing enough innuendo to keep it cheeky and playful; Watts’ vocals soar.

Up next for Watts are plans to release her debut EP and hit the road to tour America.

Connect With Jean Watts Here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeanWattsMusic/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeanwatts_

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jean_watts/?hl=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg6wZlw_FMB75Rty7vM42bg

Learn more about Jean Watts in the following All Access interview:

Thanks for your time! So where does this interview find you today? Is there music playing in the background? If so, what is it?

Thank you! Right now I am on a flight to Chicago. There’s no music but I actually just got done watching The Secret for the first time, even though I’ve read the book.

How is 2017 treating you so far? Did you approach the start of this year any differently then you did last year?

2017 is great so far. I definitely came into this year promising myself to really go hard. I worked so hard the last few years and I’ve been through so much in this journey that I finally feel its starting to pay off. I’m more than ready for the next step and I am excited about it.

Growing up, did you always want to be a musician? Can you recall your first musical memory?

Honestly, I never really wanted to be a musician when I was at a young age. I gravitated to music and the arts immediately. My mother was a singer, my father was a musician. I was always around music. I took what was around me and what I was going through and always made it into something. 3rd grade was the first time I knew I wanted to be a singer, though. I tried out for our Christmas Choir and the teacher gave me a solo and of course I took it very seriously haha. But all together, I live for art and creating. I hope I am lucky enough to do it for the rest of my life.

Could you see yourself doing anything else today? If you weren’t a musician, what would you be doing?

I really couldn’t, but if I could see myself doing something else it would be acting, but if it wasn’t anything with entertainment… I would be a school teacher. I LOVE kids and I love teaching anything I know and feel passionate about. I think teachers are so important and really change the future.

Let’s talk about your debut single, “Blow.” Where did the inspiration for it come from?

I don’t usually like writing to a track that wasn’t written for me, but when Damon Sharpe showed me a track he had with Christopher McDonald, I immediately wanted it.  Just the track alone is sexy cool vibe. So it was easy to write from there.

What was it like making the video for it? How creatively involved were you with the making of it?

We had about 100 treatments for it. I was going to direct it at one point, but the treatment I came up with was way too expensive lol. I asked my good friend, Solmaz Saberi, who is an amazing photohrapher/videographer to direct my video, she came up with the idea of being out doors and nature. So we decided to pack up and head to Hawaii. No big crew or cast. We went through so much for each shot.

We hiked on sharp rocks with a bunch of gear and wardrobe, swam in a freezing freezing waterfall. I almost got pneumonia, no joke. I had to swim in the ocean with a dress on and waves, Solmaz had to push me all the way down in the water. Heat was real. I almost burned myself with the fire dancing. Solmaz got bit by bugs. It was intense…. but we would do it all over again in a heartbeat. The video is beautiful, but I love the video because of the experience. It was epic!

Has it been easy to transition from being an influential Instagram fashionista to a singer?

NO! haha. People thought I was a makeup blogger/influencer and decided to become a singer for the fun of it, which is the furthest from the truth. I have been doing music my whole life. I started working on music in a basement on the south side of Chicago when I graduated high school. Which was then how I learned how to produce. Then, my cousin heard one of my songs and introduced me to a guy who owned a big time studio. He introduced me to a label and we started working right away. Things went south when it came to the contract, so I kept writing with different producers around Chicago, independently.

Eventually I made my way out to La La Land, which was the best decision I ever made. When it came to social media, I’ve always been into makeup and photography. I would outline my lips in glitter to school in 4th grade. So doing selfies of my different looks was actually another art to me. Girls started following me for it and blogs were re-posting my looks. I decided to start a makeup line, etc. I was trying to gain as many followers as I could, so when my music was ready, I had someone to show! So now that I’m there, I have to be patient and hope my followers will follow me for my music and not just the makeup looks and glam that I like doing, which I think they will eventually.

When do you hope to release your debut EP? How will your future songs compare to “Blow”?

Every song has it’s own personality on the EP. You have your fun, sexy, crazy in love, vulnerable, confident, and inspiring. I’m constantly changing and growing, so I wanted it to show my different colors while it all being one piece of art. The EP in general is somewhat an introduction to the different sides of me. I’m excited to keep going though because I’m already on my 6th album in my head. haha.

What artists have continued to inspire you and your music? Who would you absolutely love to work with in the future?

Beyonce Beyonce Beyonce. To me, when I create music, I create a world. I want it all to be an experience. The music, the visuals, the way it makes you feel, whatever it is. Its the beauty of being a true artist and that is what Beyonce is. I LOVE how she always reinvents herself because that is what I see myself doing as an artist.

At the end of the day, what do you hope your fans take away from your music? What do you hope is the message of your songs?

Right now, I want them to relate on a general level and have fun with me. I haven’t gone deep yet, I’m just getting my toes wet. But my over all message in life is to inspire people to be 1) believe in themselves. I was going down a wrong path for a while and changed my life around and if I could do that, so can anyone else. 2) To be kind! Its always best to spread love and not hate. 3) To help raise peoples consciousness. We need that. and 4) just to entertain! It’s so addicting having visions in your head and seeing it come into physical form!

Is there anything else that you would like to share with our readers about yourself or your music?

Grab your seats, it’s gonna be a long one!