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jess joy is a magnificent creature to have in your biome, part friendly space visitor, part swamp witch, and part stage panther on the scent of something new. joy (formerly of the band Moon Honey) is a multimedia artist and performer based in New Orleans. Moon Honey toured the country, were lauded by the New York Times - “whirlwind virtuosity” - and NPR - “one of those voices cults form around”, played on KEXP, worked with producers John Goodmanson (Blonde Redhead, Sleater-Kinney) and Greg Saunier (Deerhoof), and went out with a bang.



In 2021, joy transitioned to solo artistry with her debut album PATREEARCHY,

released by Joyful Noise Recordings and likened to the well loved, polarizing sound of the band Sparks by Bob Boilen on NPR All Songs Considered. SOURCEHEIRESS, her sophomore album and first full-length visual album, is a work of “maximal pop” created in collaboration with producer Mike Byrne (ex-Smashing Pumpkins), but that genre description is but the lightning bug’s shell trying to hold in a radiant glow. Think Animal Collective and Björk if you must, but also think of a transistor radio falling through a dream vortex. Think the Aurora borealis or the appearance of a whale’s tale in a calm sea. Jess is a fairy, an explosion, a figment. A model for how to live in this curious universe.

press

“Her vocal style reminded me a lot of Sparks, and especially Russell Mael. I wound up playing her adventurous album PATREEARCHY quite a few times…You’re in for a treat” —Bob Boilen, All Songs Considered

“Truth and vulnerability delivered with the innocence of a woodland creature.” —Buzzbands LA

”Her bright and vibrato-heavy voice juicily wraps itself around rich, lyrical, wild, spiritual imagery.” —The Stranger

“[joy’s singing voice] can alternate between fragile sweetness, warbling operatic hugeness, and a more guttural thrust, occasionally in the span of seconds.” —The Vinyl District

“It’s difficult to indulge in a fairy-tale world that feels like it is in constant danger of dovetailing into a hellish nightmare, but if you take the time, it’s easy to be impressed at the complex structure that jess joy has built; it has a foundation indebted to greats before her, but towers with uniqueness. This is unabashedly jess joy…” —Beats Per Minute

“The single [Permanent Heaven] itself is a deeply moving piece of music. Euphonic instrumentals meet the piercing reverberating vocals of Joy, who pours her heart out into the emotional lyrics.” —Grimy Goods

“‛finally blooming’ is a song that’s all acrobatics & loop-de-loops, or if you want to use the metaphor from the song itself, it’s one of those endlessly climbing twisting flowering vines that start from nothing & grow so wild & fast they turn whole buildings into vertical gardens” —L.A. Record

“Best Out-of-Venue Experience” of Echo Park Rising. “The vocals of Jess Joy suggested she was singing to birds & butterflies fluttering around her.” —Buzzbands LA