“I’ve made a small world for misfits and weirdos.” - Jessica Winter
Cramped into her own small, pastel-infused room in Brixton, spewing with books belonging to the sprightly singer-songwriter, one of them is inevitably introduced to me over Zoom: Hallucinations by neurologist Oliver Sacks. Whilst we all wish this year was fictitiously conjured as a nefarious hallucination, my grey-drenched Monday morning is brightened by an amiable, upbeat, and complimentary chat with the goth-meets-indie pop newcomer, Jessica Winter.
“Most of us are inbred - it’s where people either go to die or leave”, is the illustrious picture by which Winter paints her hometown of Hayling Island near Portsmouth, which she eagerly left at the age of 16 for Brixton. Enveloped in a state of “small mindedness” of such towns, Winter learnt from a young age the key to unlocking the door of her own imagination which would transcend the myriad influences and music scenes that eventually came her way.
An air of pride washes over her as she recites her uncle as the “local punk hero” in Hayling and an indelible influence during her formative years, which perhaps first inspired her to embrace a world of such “misfits and weirdos” consumed by punk’s effervescence. Retrospectively speaking, Winter recognises the sheer magnitude of it all on her career in music, concluding with a pertinent moment of self-realisation: “if it’s in you, just do it and don’t let anyone else stop you.”
“Some of the weirdest people I know are allowed to put on nights there.”
However, transitioning from the “small mindedness” of Hayling Island to the “melting pot” of Brixton’s multiculturalism played surprisingly well into Winter’s self-admitted “chameleon” tendencies. Naming “heavy metal”, “pure pop”, and “trap” as a few choice genres, including Britney Spears and Marilyn Manson as a couple choice artists, Winter imminently became infatuated with the chameleon-esque venue of Brixton’s Windmill. “Some of the weirdest people I know are allowed to put on nights which are great!”, confidently asserts Winter simultaneously gawking at the very thought - yet including herself in the equation with her successful ‘Hate the Haus’ club night.
Having recently met her fellow collaborator from HateZine, a publication directed toward social justice in the arts, at this very venue, the two joined forces to raise money for various causes and offer a substantial platform to some much-overlooked performers. From spoken word, to dancers and performance art, the pair of organisers excelled in their ability to coalesce their “small world and community of misfits and weirdos.” My admiration for such an arts project further highlights the truly multi-faceted artistry of Winter - supporting her fellow performers who have perhaps lacked a substantial platform until now.
Yet Winter has also fulfilled a supporting musical role for one particularly noteworthy artist - the revered, U.S. hip-hop trio Death Grips. Atop a hill in Stockholm, overlooking the tranquil city as the sunset cascaded warmly upon its inhabitants, carnage ultimately ensued. Whilst Winter fretted whether these fans would welcome her as the opening act, the subsequent whooping and applause alleviated her fears and allowed her to revel in the bizarre experience. When asked what the incandescent trio were like in-person, only two words could be fathomed by Winter: “serious” and “intense”.
The heights and strides reached within Winter’s newly-found career have since continued to exceed expectations, particularly through the recent release of her debut EP, Sad Music. In a recent interview, Winter spilled the beans on Robert Smith (of The Cure)’s admiration for the title track, revered by her as “the ultimate” - finding lineage between their writing styles, ultimately conjuring a sense of “I just feel like pure shit.”
Ultimately, Winter seems visibly gratified and overwhelmed with the general reaction toward her debut EP, reciting long messages and touching sentiments from those confiding in her during these trying times. Winter won’t stop here, however, as she describes her multitude of musical “babies”: collaborating with Clipping’s Jonathan Snipes and producer S-Type, producing Jazmin Bean’s record, as well as releasing some new songs of her own, too. Whatever the future may hold for this eclectic musician, Jessica Winter will forever look to champion our community of misfits and weirdos we so desperately need right now.
Jessica Winter’s debut EP, Sad Music, is out now and can be found here.
This interview was courtesy of Gigwise, whose article can be found here.
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