Following the release of her latest single ‘Just For One Night’ LOCK Magazine caught up with New York Pop-Rock artist Jess Yaffa to discuss her captivating music style, inspirations and future plans.
Hi Jess, welcome to LOCK. Could you please tell us a little about yourself for our readers?
Hi, happy to be here! I’m a 23 year old singer and songwriter from New York and I’ve been writing and performing for as long as I can remember. As a teenager, I taught myself how to play guitar and piano and started writing songs. Over the past five years, I’ve created my first album and I’m so excited to release it. I love iced coffee and a good New York bagel along with my three dogs.
Can you tell us more about the night that inspired Just For One Night?
It wasn’t necessarily based on a specific night but more of presenting a hypothetical. Songwriters have to romanticize their life too, ok? I was in college and trying to just let loose and have a good time and this idea of “hey maybe if we just had one night – no strings attached, then I could just know how I feel about you.” I also tend to dramatize my writing as a form of catharsis, so this song keeps an energy that everyone can relate to.
The song is about seizing fleeting moments and living in the now. Why do you think this theme resonates so strongly with listeners?
I think that everyone goes through moments where having fun is the only option. The song is a bit of an internal monologue and projection of someone that I wanted to be at the time. Regardless of it coming from my own thoughts, I feel like everyone has moments of throwing caution to the wind and just having a good time for the sake of it.
What was it like working with Grammy-winning producer Scott Jacoby?
Scott has been a mentor of mine since I was 16 years old. He’s helped me to not only discover my sound but to become a better artist and songwriter. I wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am today without him. I remember the first time that I sat down in his studio, I immediately knew that this would be a special relationship in my life.
You’ve carved a space in the pop/rock and indie genres. How would you describe your sound to someone who hasn’t heard your music yet?
My music has something for everyone. My sound is rooted in a mainstream pop feel but layered with influences of rock, indie, and R&B, creating a sound that’s familiar yet refreshingly unique. Whether you’re 15 or 55, there’s a melody or lyric that you can connect with—it’s music that transcends age and speaks to raw and authentic emotion. People tell me I have a rich new sound that’s hard to define because it feels alive. You’ll see even more of that in my album, where each track brings something unexpected yet deeply resonant.
How has your time studying abroad in London influenced your music and perspective as an artist?
London took me into another dimension of my artistry and songwriting. I moved to the city absolutely alone when I was 20, living with four guy roommates. I knew I would need an escape from that, so I bought myself a guitar the first day I got there. I would write and play in my room every day, leading to songs like Just For One Night and another one you’ll hear on my album. I constantly forced myself outside of my comfort zone in life that led to beautiful risk-taking in my music. The whole experience became a marker of my independence, growth, and understanding of myself that I am so grateful for.
Your lyrics are known for their relatability and depth. What’s your process for crafting lyrics that connect so deeply with listeners?
My writing is a mix of personal experiences and imagined experiences. This upcoming project in particular highlights growth throughout very pivotal life moments, such as navigating the college experience and transitioning into adulthood.. In order to create my songs, I start with word vomiting in my notes app or in a notebook so that I can always come back to any thoughts that I think could resonate with everyone. I then get myself in a musical headspace to build from there by playing through chord progression that could fit.. My goal is to be honest while also being real that sometimes I can be a little delusional…
You mentioned this track is one of the foundations of your upcoming album. Can you share more about what fans can expect from the album?
My upcoming album has been a project that I’ve been working on for the past five years . It’s a journey of growth through the end of my teenage/high school years into my college years and now in my early adult life (not necessarily in that order). You’ll see the mix of musical influence and the growth in my songwriting – there’s really a song for everyone.
What’s one message you’d like fans to take away from Just For One Night?
Live in the moment- it’s ok to let your guard down and do something unexpected.
Do you have any advice for independent artists hoping to explore complex, genre-blending sounds like those in Just For One Night?
Every time I go into an interview or a big meeting, my parents would always tell me to just be myself and it’ll all work out. So, that’s really the best advice I can give to independent artists. Remain authentic. there’s no better person or artist that you can be than your own. Keep working hard and stay confident in your vision.