Jessie Ware enjoyed great success in 2012, her debut album was released and she was nominated for a Mercury Music prize. The London singer has now swapped the microphone for a steering wheel in ‘The Fiesta 24Hrs: What Would You Do?’ video campaign for Ford Fiesta.
Would you be able to tell us a little bit about the Ford Fiesta campaign?
I just got to ride around in the new Ford Fiesta for a day. My mate from home just managed to do some fun, silly things while I was driving around South London.
What was it like to drive the Ford car?
It was very nice actually, it was my first time driving an automatic and that was kind of interesting, jolting around for first few hours. The sound system in there was amazing.
How did you doing the campaign come about?
My mate from home just asked me if I would like to have a fun day driving a nice new car so that’s how it came about. When they approached me I thought it was kind of a no brainer really.
It looks like you had a lot of fun while filming, was it enjoyable to shoot?
Yeah it was really fun, a very long day, but it was full of surprises and silly things.
I enjoyed the part with the flash mob, were you expecting the dancers to jump out in front of the car?
You know what I was waiting around for a bit on that one because I told the director that I was mad about group dancing, so I was hoping something like that would happen. When it did I loved it, it was so funny.
Jessie driving the new Ford Fiesta
Now let's talks about your music, you had a very busy 2012, what has been your highlight of the last 12 months?
Probably just being able to have an album out and for people to have liked it.
Last year you were voted for the Mercury Music prize, how did that feel?
It was wicked! It was such a shock and a big compliment. It is an amazing prize and just to be up for it and have that kind of spotlight on you and the album is such a wonderful compliment.
What or who inspired you to get into the music industry?
To be honest I didn’t think I was going to get into the music industry, so I think just doing the music and singing from a young age. It was really my friend who let me be his backing singer that got me going again as a singer and I was quiet happy to be a backing singer for the rest of my time, that would have been fun.
As you say you worked as a backing singer for Jack Penate, how did you find that?
It was lovely, he’s my best mate, so to be touring with my best mate was pretty special. I was proud of him anyway, as he was the first one to go and have the guts to do it, he quit uni to be an artist and it all worked out for him.
Your debut album, Devotion was voted number three in the best albums of 2012 by the Guardian, how did that feel?
It was really nice. To be up there with Frank Ocean, I love that album so much, so I couldn’t really believe it.
If you could do a collaboration with anyone, who would it be?
Probably Kanye West, I think he’s wicked.
You are sitting in for Annie Mac on her radio show while she is away. Are you looking forward to it?
Yeah, I am just about to go and record it. I don’t really think they realise what they have let themselves in for. It’s going to be like a seven hour nonstop spieling set.
What bands or artists do you like to listen to?
I like Tulisa at the moment and Haim are amazing. I think they are the two I am listening most to at the minute.
What do you do in your free time?
Eat. I like to eat everything, especially cream and ice cream.
What are your hopes for 2013?
Just to go around the world and eat, perform, have lots of wonderful experiences, but eat really good food as well. I hear the juice culture in Australia is wonderful, so I can’t wait to try that.
You are doing a lot of touring in 2013 are you looking forward to it?
Yeah, definitely but I am a bit scared about being away from home for so long, but I am just going to have to put up and shut up.
Tagged in Jessie Ware