South African singer-songwriter Jesse Clegg chatted about his forthcoming show at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Carnegie Hall show
Clegg shared that he is looking forward to his upcoming show with Zolani Mahola at Carnegie Hall on October 29th, 2024. “I’m excited to take people on the journey of my music and give them a sense of who I am as an artist,” he said.
“It is also a celebration of South Africa and it’s history, and I’m proud to be representing the incredible story of our country and to be a part of that special canon of music,” he noted.
Music and songwriting inspirations
On his music and songwriting inspirations, he revealed, “My music is very personal and is usually inspired by my own life, memories, experiences, and things in the world that make me feel something or question myself.”
“As a songwriter, I’m always trying to write about the human experience in a way that is emotional and allows someone to relate it back to their own life,” he expressed.
Future plans
Regarding his future plans, he shared, “This last year has been a really creative time for me and I’ve written a lot of my new music as well as collaborated with artists from several different genres – electronic, house, Afro-tech and folk.”
“So, there’s a new body of songs on the horizon that I’m very excited to share with the world. I also have a big tour coming up in South Africa that I’m hoping to expand internationally next year,” he added.
Tour the U.S.
His goal for the coming year is to tour in the United States. “I think every musician wants their music to be played and enjoyed by as many people as possible, but I also want to feel continuously challenged creatively and expanding and exploring as a writer,” he said.
The digital age
On being a part of the digital age, he said, “Social media has pros and cons for musicians today.”
“On the one hand, it’s wonderful to have direct access to your audience and to be able to engage with them directly and share your music and your journey without any mediation,” he explained.
“On the other hand, there is so much music coming out every single day that it becomes difficult to cut through the noise. I think we also have to remember as musicians that our first job is to make great music, not to make great social media content,” he elaborated.
“It’s great when they go hand in hand but the music always comes first for me,” he added.
Jesse on his late father Johnny Clegg
He revealed that his father, the late but great Johnny Clegg, was a “wonderful influence growing up” both as a man and as a musician. “I got to see the incredible discipline and dedication that it takes to be a lifelong artist,” he said.
“I also had a role model in someone who took care of their family, built a successful career and was socially and culturally impactful. As a father myself now, I am still learning from his example,” he acknowledged.
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, Clegg said, “Success for me is both career and creative.”
To learn more about Jesse Clegg, follow him on Instagram.
