Jessie Ware on her return to Ireland for her All Together Now performance: "It’s about time."

Rising to prominence with the release of her debut album Devotion back in 2012, Jessie Ware is an iconic master of electronic, disco, and soul music.

Since 2012, she's dropped 2014's Tough Love, the 2017 album Glasshouse, and in 2020, she brought to life the acclaimed What's Your Pleasure? A herald of its own storm, Ware's fourth studio album was described by Hot Press to be "a beguiling collection of thumping disco-punk and catchy electro-pop."

Eager fans know what's coming next.

In February, the UK singer-songwriter announced her fifth album, That! Feels Good!  Set to drop this month on April 28th via PMR/Interscope, it's a follow-up to What's Your Pleasure? and is guaranteed to invigorate a lust for life and the urge to conquer the dance floor.

The album itself comes out before Ware's summer tour, complete with a performance at Waterford's All Together Now festival.

Ware's return to Ireland is certainly, as she puts it, "about time." After all, the time she could last recall playing in Ireland was when she played The Sugar Club in Dublin.

"The Sugar Club was really good," she recalls. "It was years ago. It was rocker."

"It really annoys me that I’m very aware that Ireland hasn’t had a show for What’s Your Pleasure? And I don’t think they got a show for Glasshouse, so it’s time I came back. I want it. That’s why I’m doing this festival in the summer."

Ireland did indeed not get a show for either What's Your Pleasure? or Glasshouse - the Sugar Club performance was a part of the UK artist's tour for her debut alum Devotion back in 2012. Still, she's been eager to return to Ireland and meet the "really rockers and warm" crowd she remembers from before.

Ware's show at All Together Now should be a satisfying opportunity for those that missed out on the tour for What's Your Pleasure? The albums are intrinsically connected inspirationally, and as the UK songstress reveals, meant to work well when played live together.

"They carry on from one another. It's a continuation. It was inspired by the last track on the last album,'Remember You Are,' and I knew I wanted to do something that felt warm and groovy and live."

Rest assured, however, Jessie made sure that a simple continuation of her fourth album That! Feels Good! is not.

"I wanted them to make sense together. I think they do work hand-in-hand but I didn't want to make What's Your Pleasure? 2.0 because I thought that would be really boring."

"It is more commanding than What's Your Pleasure? It was such an 'This is me' kind of thing in the driving seat."

It's easy to see what she means when it comes to the 2023 album's already-released tracks. Ware's songs don't just drip confidence, they once again grip the greater disco scene in an enrapturing vice that must be danced to. Her work is packed-full with encouragement, self-determination, and upbeat actualisation.

First ever picture disc and it’s a beaut. So pleased with this, and it’s limited edition. Don’t sleep, if you snooze you lose! (Valentine love heart is all I’m saying!!) https://t.co/BuEFMNQoSj pic.twitter.com/XgZEWOFFj5

— Jessie Ware (@JessieWare) April 1, 2023

Of them is the Stuart Price-produced track 'Free Yourself,' released just last year as a teaser into Ware's new era of music. She even performed at Glastonbury 2022 in England.

For those who don't know, Price is a Grammy-winning producer and  has worked with Madonna, Dua Lipa, The Killers, and Take That. He also co-produced another single from Ware's forthcoming album with Sarah Hudson and Coffee, the already released, stunning single 'Pearls.' It dropped in February alongside the announcement of That! Feels Good!, introducing a sensual, spirited fire.

I'm so 9-to-5 / I'm a lady, I'm a lover / I'm a freak and a mother

More recently, on April 13th we saw the final prelude to her fifth album with the release of her single 'Begin Again.'

It was the first track of That! Feels Good! that Jessie and her team wrote, the British singer-songwriter and podcast host reveals. A product of the compounding need to touch and interact with others during the height of COVID, the serenade brought to life a fantasy by demanding that life be lived exuberantly to the fullest extent possible.

And despite fighting a enduring sense of frustration, Jessie Ware crafted her best collection of music through determination and love for her craft, evident in the reverent imagine relief of fulfilling the deep desire to start anew, forging new connections.

Why do my realities take over all my dreams? / Why does all the purest love get filtered through machines?

 

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Breaking down the entirety of That! Feels Good! into only three words, Jessie Ware details the album as the musical epitome of "joy, flirtation, and fun."

Some tracks like 'Freak Me Now,' a "very fun, naughty song," are more like traditional club tracks. Others, like the perfect first dance single 'Hello Love,' possess a sweet style to them. All of them, however, are meant to be enjoyed. Ware expresses hope that she and her catalogue can withstand the test of time and be listened to for years to come.

When asked about how she chose the name of the album, Jessie explained that it was important to her that the titular song opened the collection and why That! Feels Good! took its name from the powerful single.

"I wanted people to be transported into this world of pleasure and joy. The title track had lots of different voices on there from friends and I wanted people to feel quite cinematic in how you launch into this world. That confident, 'That feels good, do it again,' thing that you hear."

Ware also disclosed that while finishing up What's Your Pleasure?, she had thought for a bit she may be approaching the end of her career. Instead, with the final track of her fourth album she hit a new stride, crafting new music from a place of untapped potential.

Jessie Ware - Photo Credit: Kathrin Baumbach

Commenting on it, Ware invoked the idea of a "mad resurrection" born from her years of wisdom, experience, and patience forged while establishing herself as a part of the music scene. After all, it's the era of Róisín Murphy, Robyn, Lana Del Rey, and Beyonce - all women still in the prime of their musical careers.

"It was starting as a means to go on, like showing people I had arrived in a sense. I feel like I'm making my best music and I feel so confident. I'm celebrating that space that I've created."

With that in mind, as hard as it may be to name a piece of music from a whole transformative collection you put your heart and soul into, Jessie was able to pick one or two she could call her favourites.

"I really liked 'Hello Love.' I think it will stand the test of time. 'Shake The Bottle' is going to be really fun live that people are going to really, really enjoy."

Jessie also shared that her mother, who she produces the Table Manners podcast with, has her own favourite: the final track of the album, 'These Lips.'

The entirety of Jessie Ware's fifth studio album comes out April 28th via PMR Records and EMI Records. It can be pre-ordered online

Check out the tracklist for That! Feels Good! below:

01 “That! Feels Good!”
02 “Free Yourself”
03 “Pearls”
04 “Hello Love”
05 “Begin Again”
06 “Beautiful People”
07 “Freak Me Now”
08 “Shake The Bottle”
09 “Lightning”
10 “These Lips”

Pre-order Jessie Ware's upcoming album here: