Jessie Malakouti Interview
JESSIE AND THE TOY BOYS on the FEMME FATALE TOUR with BRITNEY SPEARS, NICKI MINAJI & NERVO
JESSIE AND THE TOY BOYS on the IDENTITY FESTIVAL
JESSIE AND THE TOY BOYS playing at The Estate in Boston, MA May 19
May 18, 2011
By Lena Lamoray
I spoke with the lovely JESSIE MALAKOUTI from JESSIE AND THE TOY BOYS about her summer tour, the FEMME FATALE TOUR, with BRITNEY SPEARS, NICKI MINAJI & NERVO and so much more. If you watch The CW network, you are already familiar with JESSIE AND THE TOY BOYS because her song “We Own the Night” was featured in their promos. That was my first introduction into the world of JESSIE AND THE TOY BOYS and after spending some time getting to know the band and speaking with Jessie, I can now consider myself a fannequin. Do not miss checking out JESSIE AND THE TOY BOYS live. They are playing in Boston and then they are hitting the road with BRITNEY SPEARS and coming back to star in the Identity Festival. You have plenty of chances, as do I, to catch up with JESSIE AND THE TOY BOYS.
Lena: I was first introduced to you when I heard “We Own the Night” featured in The CW promos. How did your relationship with The CW come about and if you had a chance to guest star on any of their shows which one would it be?
Jessie: My relationship with The CW, I’m not sure how that came about. The music supervisors over there were just aware of my band just because we are based out of L.A. and we have built up a pretty big West Coast following. I think that one of the music supervisors came to a show of mine and really liked the music so I think that’s how that came about. If I was able to guest star in any of The CW shows it would probably be “Gossip Girls”. I would like to guest star in that. Is that over now, I’m not sure?
Lena: No, it is still going on. That is what I picked for you because I figured that would be the one that you liked. I like “Supernatural”.
Jessie: Oh, I’ve never seen “Supernatural”. I have no time to watch television, I wish because everyone talks about that show.
Lena: It is a good show.
Lena: “We Own the Night” is definitely my favorite song. When is your full length album coming out? What can you tell me about it?
Jessie: Well, the Toy Boys and I are still writing the record. We are just tweaking a couple of things but it’s almost there. I’m very excited about it and I’m very proud of it. It’s the accumulation of several years of writing and finally putting it into one album. Obviously, in that amount of time, I’ve been writing songs since I was sixteen years old, professionally and even before that, non professionally , obviously I’ve gone through a lot in that amount of time, so it’s about different Toy Boys in my life. I write about things that every young person or any person can relate to. I write about love, war, betrayal, sex, dancing and having a good time. I’m very excited. I’ve been able to collaborate with some amazing producers on it; Nellee Hooper, who I’m a huge fan of, Jimmy Harry, David Gamson, so it’s a pretty all-star packed record. Also there are some up-and-coming producers like, Doctor Rosen Rosen, Justin Trugman. They are people that I really believe in and their talent. I had a really nice time collaborating.
Lena: Do you do a lot of the music too or just the writing?
Jessie: I do a lot of everything really. There is sort of no formula to how I go about writing a song. Sometimes I will sit down at the piano and come up with the melody first or sometimes I’ll have the lyrics first or sometimes I’ll even be sitting in a café and I’ll see something that inspires me. I like to observe people a lot. I go out and I people watch and that sometimes sparks an idea.
Lena: Living in L.A. should help with the people watching.
Jessie: Totally!
Lena: How was your experience working with Yelawolf?
Jessie: It was cool. I think he’s a very talented new artist and I’m all about new artists. I really feel like there is a lot of music yet to be discovered out there. I try really hard to keep my ear to the ground and basically I am this scene that I write about and the style of music that I write about. You know, club culture wherever, I’m always out at clubs looking for DJs who play fresh stuff and finding new music and Yelawolf was no different. I was turned on to him a while ago and I’m so excited for him now because obviously, since we did “Push It” Eminem signed him to Shady Records, which is amazing. I think both he and I are going to have really big years.
Lena: That’s really good. I like the “Push It” video and the concept was really cool. What was it like filming it and was it challenging to work with all that foam towards the end?
Jessie: Thank you! Yeah, I came up with the concept. I come up with all of my visual art. Thank you, I appreciate that. It was really fun. The foam was actually the most enjoyable part because that was the very last shot we did. You know when you are so tired that you are loopy? Your body gives up being tired and you slip from being tired and exhausted into this loopy phase. Well, that is where everyone was. We just genuinely had a blast shooting that scene. We were just all in la-la land and having fun. We stayed up all night so that shot was probably at seven in the morning the next day. We just got in and it was warm and it felt like we were all in a Jacuzzi.
Lena: I hope no one slipped.
Jessie: I don’t think so but you know what is funny, we had to do it all in one take. We had one shot because the foam dissipated. We had to make it work.
Lena: It’s also nice that you are employing the Old Navy mannequins and you gave them some nice blue eyes. They don’t use them anymore so they are out of work.
Jessie: Well, I rescued them from being mannequins and I turned them into Toy Boys. They are actually not mannequins at all but Toy Boys with magical powers.
Lena: That works and I take it that they are pretty quiet.
Jessie: Yeah, they don’t talk back. We communicate through thought bubbles.
Lena: I wish I could make it to your Boston show so you are going to have to tell me what I am going to miss out on.
Jessie: Oh, you can’t come.
Lena: No, I scheduled something in already.
Jessie: Oh okay, that’s a bummer. I hope to meet you at one of the shows. Yeah, I’m really excited for the Boston show. We are playing at The Estate. I’ve never been to Boston and one of my biggest mentors is from Boston and she talks about it all the time. I am really excited to go there. As far as our live shows are concerned, you can expect to dance your ass off. We just love to have a good time and there is a ton of dancing and a ton of energy. It’s almost like if a punk rock show and a hip hop breaking circle from a downtown L.A. sidewalk competition collided.
Lena: Do you bring your own lighting?
Jessie: No, not right now but I have ideas of things I want to do. I want to use projection machines, lights and lasers. I have all kinds of ideas and it’s fun because as Jessie and The Toy Boys grow we are able to add more elements into the show. The club show is pretty raw but that is the way that I like it in the clubs. You can really get a sense of me in the club shows. It’s kind of just me and a mic but the Toy Boys and I make it fit.
Lena: So it’s nice in an intimate setting.
Jessie: Totally, yeah.
Lena: What are some of your influences? I hear a lot of ‘80s pop and rap in your music like Pretty Poison, Salt-n-Pepa, Janet Jackson and so on.
Jessie: Totally, I love ‘80s music so you are absolutely right. I love ‘80s and ‘90s Madonna records. I love Cyndi Lauper and Missing Persons. I’m a really big Dale Bozzio fan and I think she is really cool and deserves more credit. I like a lot of rock actually. I like The Cure and that type of rock. I don’t really like modern rock. I like The Clash and as far as rap, I do love rap. I got my start as a hip hop dancer in Los Angeles so obviously hip hop music is part of who I am. I enjoy raping. My favorite hip hop artist is probably Tupac. I definitely love Salt-n-Pepa, they are amazing.
Lena: Have you ever heard of Pretty Poison? They are an old (‘80s band).
Jessie: No, I will look them up, though.
Lena: I’m older than you, so… “Catch Me I’m Falling” was their big hit.
Jessie: Alright, how does it go? Sing it!
Lena: No, no I do not sing. (The interview would have gotten real ugly, really fast if I started to sing, trust me.)
Jessie: Okay, I’ll look it up.
Lena: Who is your favorite fashion icon?
Jessie: I love Marilyn Monroe because she was always classic but she had a little bit of edge to her in everything that she did. Even for the time, too she would push the envelope and I don’t mean when she was undressed. She was always classic and classy but she had a little bit of edge to everything she did. She was always a few steps ahead. I love iconic bombshells like her. I love Brigitte Bardot. I guess in terms of my style, I love the ‘50s; Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte Bardot if they collided with Joan Jett. I think I’m a little bit punk rock deep down so Joan Jett meets Brigitte Bardot meets Grandmaster Flash.
Lena: You definitely have that vintage pin-up look but it is edgier and brought more into the mainstream.
Jessie: Yeah, I like to kind of combine different elements that would not normally go together and make them go together. I have this leopard cape thing that I’m obsessed with lately that I wear every day. I’m probably going to wear it to the Boston show. It’s so cool because it is so funky and different but if you put it over a pretty high-waisted skirt or something it just totally transforms the whole look. I like combining different elements from the ‘50s and ‘80s. I should have lived in the ‘80s. That should have been my time.
Lena: You would not have liked the hair.
Jessie: I love the hair.
Lena: Oh no, I used to have the high hair, it was awful.
Jessie: Oh my god, I thought it was rad. That hair is wicked. I loved that hair.
Lena: No…. (It’s embarrassing looking at old photos.)
Lena: What was your experience like playing SXSW?
Jessie: SXSW was awesome! It was really cool. I have never been before and I always wanted to go and to get the opportunity to go and see other bands and perform several shows. It was great and it could not have gone any better. I loved just the energy of the type of venues at SXSW. Everyone is just down to the music and just down to have a good time. It was really fun and for me to perform in such a raw setting, I think it really shows people what I bring to the table as a live performer. I love blowing people away live. SXSW was cool because they got a chance to see me and my band in a very cool intimate setting. I really enjoyed it and I hope to do it again next year.
Lena: What can you tell me about Jessie and The Toy Boys that most people don’t know?
Jessie: I’m not sure. I don’t know, sorry.
Lena: Perhaps, a mini introduction to you and what your band means to you?
Jessie: One thing about who I am as an artist, I feel like with Jessie and The Toy Boys I have finally figured out who I am as an artist. I’ve obviously gone through several stages as an artist and have written hundreds of songs. I’ve had several bands and what not and I have really taken the time to grow as a person and as an artist and learn. I really value my time that I spent in the UK because I did learn so much and I was exposed to different genres of music that I normally would not have been exposed to. With Jessie and The Toy Boys, I’ve been able to take my Los Angeles roots and sort of mash them up with my experiences abroad and the club culture in the UK and all the different genres of music and mash them into one sound, which I don’t think anyone else sounds like Jessie and The Toy Boys. My biggest thrill is watching people discover our sound.
Lena: Let’s talk about your tour with Britney Spears this summer. Congratulations and I know that is going to be great for you.
Jessie: Thank you so much. I’m very excited.
Lena: She will have three opening acts?
Jessie: Yes, myself, Nervo, who are these amazing DJs and Nicki Minaj, who is absolutely incredible.
Lena: Yes, did you see her on Saturday Night Live?
Jessie: No, I didn’t. I will have to go and watch that.
Lena: How did you get involved in the Britney Spears (Femme Fatale) tour and what are you looking forward to the most?
Jessie: I have to tell you, I am so honored and so humbled to be a part of it. I’m really, really excited that Britney and her camp and everyone involved in the tour would give a new artist, like myself, a chance to tour. I really appreciate the opportunity and I just can’t wait to perform my songs live. That’s what I write them for. I can’t wait to share them with the world. I don’t want them to just sit in my computer. I want to go and sing “We Own the Night” live and things like that live. It’s a totally different experience live and I am very grateful for the opportunity to be able to do that and be in front of so many people this summer. I really think it is going to change my life.
Lena: Have you met her, yet (Britney Spears)?
Jessie: I have. She’s lovely, so lovely.
Lena: I was going to say she seems like a really nice person. I just wish the media wouldn’t give her such a hard time.
Jessie: She is a sweetheart and she’s beautiful. She’s a beautiful person and absolutely stunning. The same thing with Nicki (Minaj), she is very stunning , charismatic and has great energy. I’m excited about the entire lineup. I think that we are going to put on a really fabulous show.
Lena: I’m sure it’s going to be amazing. Your remix contest went well are you planning on doing another one?
Jessie: Yes, I’m so happy that we did that because again what I was saying earlier about giving new artists a chance and discovering new music, it was so wonderful to hear these kids in their bedrooms all around the world and what they did to “Push It”. I felt like they all had such a different interesting take on it and they came up with things that I would have never come up with. I was really impressed and I would love to do another remix contest for the next single, one hundred percent.
Lena: It’s great to include your fans and let them be a part of your life and your music.
Jessie: Absolutely, it is all about the fans. My fannequins are everything to me.
Lena: You call them fannequins. That is so cute.
Jessie: Yeah, that is what I call them and that is what they call themselves. We are a crew.
Lena: Would you like to add anything, a message to your fans?
Jessie: “Push It” is number seven on the dance chart right now and I am really excited about that. I just wanted to let everyone know, including yourself, that I really appreciate the support and I just want to say thank you.
Lena: You are very welcome and thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me.
Jessie: Thank you, Lena. Hopefully, I will see you. Are you going to come to the Femme Fatale show in Boston because that would be rad?
Lena: I’m going to try to. I’m going to Comic-Con but I think the Boston show is in August.
Jessie: Yes and if you can’t make it to that we are playing the Identity Festival in August and we are playing in MA. (The Identity Festival is August 20 at Comcast Center in Mansfield, MA.)
Lena: Thank you again and I am going to make it to a show. (Of course I want to see Jessie and The Toy Boys live, who doesn’t?)