Tobias Jesso Jr.

Tobias Jesso Jr.
Birth nameTobias MacDonald Jesso Jr.
Born (1985-07-11) July 11, 1985 (age 39)
OriginNorth Vancouver, Canada
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • piano
  • bass
  • guitar
Years active2014–present
LabelsTrue Panther Sounds[1]
Websitewww.tobiasjessojr.com

Tobias MacDonald Jesso Jr. (born July 11, 1985) is a Canadian musician from North Vancouver, British Columbia.[2] His debut album Goon was released in 2015 on True Panther Sounds. He was included in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 20 Biggest Breakouts of 2015.[3] He won the first ever Grammy Award for Songwriter of the Year at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards for his work on releases by Harry Styles, Adele, FKA Twigs, Orville Peck, King Princess, Diplo and Omar Apollo.[4]

Career

After living and playing bass in Los Angeles for 4 years, Jesso moved back to his home in North Vancouver.[3] He started playing the piano in his spare time while working for a moving company. It was during this period that he wrote his first piano-based song "Just a Dream." Eventually, he sent one of his demos in an email to former Girls bassist JR White. Jesso co-wrote the songs "When We Were Young" and "Lay Me Down" (featured on the Target version of 25) with Adele, which is included in her 2015 album 25.

Goon

Jesso's first demo was released in August 2013 after a painful break-up and his mother's cancer diagnosis.[5] JR White, along with Patrick Carney of The Black Keys, John Collins of The New Pornographers, and Ariel Rechtshaid, helped produce Jesso's debut album entitled Goon. Aaron Sperske plays drums on the album except Danielle Haim plays drums on the track "Without You." His song "How Could You Babe" garnered increased attention after being tweeted about by both Adele and Alana Haim.[6] He collaborated with Sia and Adele on the song "Alive". Originally intended for Adele and Rihanna, the song was eventually recorded by Sia and appeared on her album This Is Acting.[7] His first major tour started in 2015.

Musical style

Jesso's music has been compared to singer-songwriters of the 1960s and 1970s from Randy Newman to Harry Nilsson and Emitt Rhodes. He cites Newman as one of his favourite artists.[8] Even though he was a bassist and guitarist for years, his new music was written by him on the piano—an instrument he started playing at the age of 27.

Awards

Jesso was nominated for Songwriter of the Year at the 2015 Juno Awards.[9] On June 20, 2016, Jesso was the recipient of the SOCAN Breakout Award at the SOCAN Awards in Toronto. He won the Grammy for Songwriter of the Year non-classical in 2023.[10]

Personal life

Jesso married Australian musician Emma Louise in January 2019;[11][12] they have since had a child.[13]

Discography

List of albums
Title Album details
Goon

Singles

Songwriting and production credits

Title Year Artist(s) Album Credits Written with Produced with
"Alive" 2015 Sia This Is Acting Co-writer Sia Furler, Adele Adkins
"When We Were Young" Adele 25 Adele Adkins
"Lay Me Down" Adele Adkins
"Roses" 2016 Shawn Mendes Illuminate Shawn Mendes, Thomas Hull
"How Do We Make It" Jarryd James High EP Producer Jarryd James
"Same Old Story" John Legend Darkness and Light Co-writer John Stephens, Blake Mills
"Marching into the Dark" John Stephens, Blake Mills
"Slow Hands" 2017 Niall Horan Flicker Niall Horan, Alexander Izquerdio, John Ryan II, Julian Bunetta, Ruth-Anne Cunningham
"Orlando" XXXTentacion 17 Jahseh Onfroy
"Ayala (Outro)" Producer XXXTentacion, John Cunningham
"You Get My Love" Pink Beautiful Trauma Co-writer/Producer Alecia Moore Pink
"Still Around" Paloma Faith The Architect Co-writer Paloma Faith, Christopher Stracey
"If You Leave Me Now"
(featuring Boyz II Men)
2018 Charlie Puth Voicenotes Charles Puth Jr., Robin Wiley
"Hunger" Florence and the Machine High as Hope Florence Welch, Emile Haynie, Thomas Bartlett
"Grace" Florence Welch, Emile Haynie, Sampha Sisay
"The End of Love" Co-writer/Co-producer Florence Welch Emile Haynie, Florence Welch
"Bruised Fruit" St. Paul & The Broken Bones Young Sick Camellia Co-writer St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Jack Splash
"Not Thinkin' About You" Ruel Ready Lary Darnell Griffin Jr., Mark Landon, Ruel Vincent Van Dijk, Samuel Elliot Roman
"Wish You Well" Emma Louise Lilac Everything Producer None
"Mexico"
"Falling Apart"
"Just the Way I Am"
"Never Making Plans
Again"
"Gentleman"
"Shadowman"
"Solitude"
"A Book Left Open in a
Wild Field of Flowers"
"When It Comes to You"
"Malibu Nights" LANY Malibu Nights Co-writer Paul Klein
"Reasons" Cautious Clay Table of Context EP Joshua Carpeh, Ross Birchard
"Unsaid" 2019 Ruel Free Time Peter Harding, Mark Landon, Ruel Vincent Van Dijk, Spencer Stewart
"BRKN" Madison Ward Beyond Me Madison Ryann Ward
"Hallelujah" Haim Women in Music Pt. III Danielle Haim, Alana Haim, Este Haim
"Nice to Meet Ya" 2020 Niall Horan Heartbreak Weather Niall Horan, Ruth-Anne Cunningham, Julian Bunetta
"San Francisco" Co-writer/Co-producer Julian Bunetta, Teddy Geiger
"Bend the Rules" Co-writer Niall Horan, Julian Bunetta, John Ryan
"Nothing" Co-writer/Co-producer Julian Bunetta, Jeff Gunnell
"No Judgement" Niall Horan, Julian Bunetta, Alexander Izquierdo, John Ryan Julian Bunetta
"Woman" Ellie Goulding Brightest Blue Co-writer Ellie Goulding, Eli Teplin, Christopher Stacey
"Brush Fire" Gracie Abrams Non-album single Gracie Abrams, Blake Slatkin
"Pain" King Princess Non-album single Mikaela Straus, Nick Long, Shawn Everett
"Intro" Shawn Mendes Wonder Kurtis McKenzie, Adam King Feeney, Scott Harris, Shawn Mendes
"Always Been You" Scott Harris, Shawn Mendes, Zubin Thakkar
"Overdrive" 2021 Conan Gray Non-album single Co-writer/Co-producer Christopher John Stracey, Conan Gray, Jordan K. Johnson, Oliver Peterhof, Stefan Johnson The Monsters & Strangerz, Chris Stracey
"Kansas" Ashe Ashlyn Co-writer Ashlyn Willson, Leroy Clampitt
"Whoa" Cautious Clay Deadpan Love Cautious Clay, Christopher John Stracey
"Shook" Cautious Clay, Nolan Lambroza
"To Be Loved" Adele 30 Adele Adkins
"Can I Get It" Adele 30 Max Martin, Adele Adkins, Shellback
"Somewhere" LANY gg bb xx Paul Klein
"I Die First"
"Tom Brady" Amy Allen AWW! Co-writer/Co-producer Amy Allen, Andrew Haas, Ian Franzino Amy Allen, Afterhrs
"Unsatisfied"
"Which Way"
(featuring Dystopia)
2022 FKA twigs Caprisongs Co-writer FKA twigs, Mike Dean
"Careless"
(featuring Daniel Caesar)
FKA twigs, Simon Christiansen, Daniel Caesar
"Thank You Song" FKA twigs, Alejandra Ghersi
"C'mon Baby, Cry" Orville Peck Bronco Christopher Stracey, Orville Peck
"The Curse of the Blackened Eye"
"Let You Go" Diplo Diplo Matthew Phelan, Naji Kareem Lomax, Teisha Matthews, Thomas Wesley Pentz
"No Good Reason" Omar Apollo Ivory Co-writer/Co-producer Omar Velasco, Kevin Rhomberg, Carter Lang Carter Lang, Knox Fortune, Omar Apollo
"Boyfriends" Harry Styles Harry's House Co-writer Harry Styles, Kid Harpoon, Tyler Johnson
"Dotted Lines" King Princess Hold On Baby Co-writer/Co-producer Amy Allen, Dave Hamelin, Mikaela Straus, Shawn Everett King Princess, Shawn Everett
"Dangerous" Madison Beer Silence Between Songs Co-writer Jeremy Dussoliet, Leroy Clampitt, Madison Beer, Tim Sommers
"Better Angels" Marcus Mumford (self-titled) Blake Mills, Marcus Mumford, Robin Pecknold
"How I'm Feeling Now" 2023 Lewis Capaldi Broken by Desire to be Heavenly Sent Lewis Capaldi, TMS
"Heaven" Niall Horan The Show Niall Horan, Joel Little, John Ryan
"Thousand Miles" (Featuring Brandi Carlile) Miley Cyrus Endless Summer Vacation Miley Cyrus, Mike Will Made It, Bibi Bourelly,
"Wildcard" Miley Cyrus, Kid Harpoon, Tyler Johnson
"Always" Daniel Caesar Never Enough Ashton Simmonds, Justin Lucas, Sir Nolan
"Champ" (Featuring Edgar Winter) Portugal. The Man Chris Black Changed My Life Casey Bates, Edgar Winter, Homer Steinweiss, Jason Sechrist, Jeff Bhasker, John Gourley, Kyle O'Quin, Zoe Manville
"Are You Awake?" Lauren Mayberry Non-album single Lauren Mayberry, Matthew Koma
"Houdini" Dua Lipa Radical Optimism Dua Lipa, Caroline Ailin, Danny L Harle, Kevin Parker
"Training Season" 2024 Dua Lipa, Caroline Ailin, Danny L Harle, Kevin Parker, Martina Sorbara, Nick Gale, Shaun Frank, Steve Francis Richard Mastroianni, Yaakov Gruzman
"Illusion" Dua Lipa, Caroline Ailin, Danny L Harle, Kevin Parker
"End Of An Era"
"French Exit"
"Happy for You"
"Anything for Love" Dua Lipa, Caroline Ailin, Danny L Harle, Ian Kirkpatrick, Julia Michaels
"Miénteme" Orville Peck with Bu Cuarón Stampede: Vol. 1 Amiel Gonzales, Bu Cuaron, Christopher Stracey, Orville Peck
"push me over" Maren Morris Intermission Co-writer Catherine Hope Gavin, Josette Maskin, Maren Morris, Naomi McPherson
"to love me" Amy Allen Non-album single Co-writer Amy Allen
"Come Show Me" Camila Cabello C,XOXO- Magic City Edition Co-writer Camila Cabello, Jasper Harris, Morris Anthony Harper, Pablo Diaz-Reixa

References

  1. ^ "Tobias Jesso Jr". www.tobiasjessojr.com. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  2. ^ "Who is Tobias Jesso Jr.?". www.thefader.com. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  3. ^ a b "The Windish Agency: Tobias Jesso Jr". Archived from the original on February 8, 2015. Retrieved October 8, 2016. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  4. ^ "Meet The Nominees For Songwriter Of The Year, Non-Classical At The 2023 GRAMMYs". Grammy.com. Retrieved November 22, 2022.
  5. ^ Homewood, Ben (March 2, 2015). "NME Reviews - Tobias Jesso Jr. - 'Goon' - NME.COM". nme.com. Retrieved December 2, 2015.
  6. ^ "Tobias Jesso Jr: Since Adele tweeted his song, he's even bigger than his dad". www.theguardian.com. February 5, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2015.
  7. ^ Chau, Thomas (September 7, 2015). "Sia Reveals That She Originally Wrote Her Next Single for Adele". Popcrush. Retrieved November 25, 2015.
  8. ^ Adkins, Adele (November 16, 2015). "Adele interviews Tobias Jesso Jr: 'I think that a couple of the ideas we had could be rap songs'". The Guardian. Retrieved November 25, 2015.
  9. ^ "Junos award winners include Buffy Sainte-Marie, The Weeknd and Justin Bieber". CBC News, By David Bell, April 2, 2016
  10. ^ http://www.socan.ca/files/pdf/SOCAN%20Awards-Winners%20List-June%202016-FINAL-EN.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  11. ^ Instagram
  12. ^ "Emma Louise: "I Sorted Out A Lot Of Things That Had Been Holding Me Back"". August 2019. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  13. ^ Instagram