Jessie Ware Is Raring To Go

“I’ve lost my voice already — I think it was Legoland that did me in at the weekend,” Jessie Ware whispers, welcoming me in to her front room, where her husband, Sam, is lighting a log fire. There’s a cat snoozing on the sofa, and one of her toddlers is boldly trying to get a tune out of the piano. “To be honest, the best thing would be to not speak and sleep, but I’ve got three kids and an album to promote... My mum’s bringing me chicken soup. Once I’ve had that, I’ll be sorted!” That’s the joy of Jessie Ware — and why so many of us have fallen for her music, her podcasts, and pretty much anything she touches — her power to instantly make you feel part of her world.

Five minutes in, cups of tea have been passed around, there are chocolate cookies on the table, and a Hoover hums in the background as the cleaner gets on with the rest of the house — a beautifully designed family home in south east London, full of art, soft furnishings, and evidence of life well-lived. We’re here, primarily, to chat about Ware’s new album That! Feels Good!, her fifth to date and definitely her most joyous so far.

“I wanted to make a dance record that felt celebratory and triumphant and more colourful than I’ve done before. I think it’s probably indicative of where I’m at in my life and my career — I’ve got nothing to complain about, and I’m having a really good time,” she says, summing up the record. “I think I’ve earned my place to be able to do that.”

While newer fans might assume she’s always had this confidence, she admits that the Jessie Ware gigging her debut album in Brixton more than 10 years ago wasn’t quite so self-assured. “I didn’t feel like I necessarily deserved the acclaim or the adoration at the time. It doesn’t take anything away from those early records, but as a performer, I was a totally different person,” she shares. What would she say to that girl now? “I would say, ‘Try to enjoy yourself a bit more; don’t be so apologetic and scared.’ Also, I’d say, ‘Don’t wear heels on stage’ — I was wearing massive heels back then, not anymore!”

Speaking of onstage costumes, fashion is very much a consideration for Ware now that dance and movement are a big part of the music. She needs clothes she can move in, she says; case in point: her video for the first release from the new album, “Pearls,” where there are feathers, lace, a sleeveless fuchsia gown by Roksanda and a rousing instruction to “shake it till the pearls fall off” that makes you want to get up and do exactly that. This vibrancy is somewhat inspired, she tells me, by her queer audience: “I feel very generously celebrated in the queer community and encouraged that more is more. They’ve driven me to push myself more creatively.”

She’s clear that it’s not all high glamour, though. “If I’m not performing or going to a red carpet, I’m not making a huge effort at home. There’s nothing better than putting on a pair of tracksuit bottoms. I like the occasion and the way fashion can transform a mood or even the way you stand — it is so powerful. But I’ve been on the other side where it can feel really unforgiving as well, and make you feel like sh*t, particularly if you don’t fit into things.”

The idea of fitting in, or not, is one that we talk about at length in the context of the various spaces that Ware finds herself in. One that’s particularly close to her heart is the Jewish community — so much so, that she did her bat mitzvah last year at the age of 38. “It felt like part of my identity that I was very proud of, I wore it with pride, but I didn’t really know that much about it. Whenever I was with Jewish people, it felt like home, but I also felt like a bit of an outsider still. So, I decided to do it; I decided to connect.”

“I did Hebrew lessons, which for me, were far more enjoyable than my English literature degree, studying texts for the stories and the interpretations. We did the bat mitzvah in my mum’s living room; all my loved ones were there, and it was led by three strong women that have always been present in my Jewish upbringing. It felt really powerful and beautiful and special.”

It’s clear that Ware is prepared to, and has, put the work in to carve out her space across the board. When it comes to music, she’s very happy with where she’s at now, she says — though the way the industry works is something she occasionally grapples with. “The thing that drives me mad is the need to be everything at the same time. I sound so old, but I find social media slightly relentless. Sometimes, I just think, ‘Is the album not enough?’ But I don’t think it is for any artist now.”

She is coming around to the idea though. “TikTok: I tried to fight it for ages because I didn’t know about it; it was complete ignorance. I now realise it is a fascinating platform that is driven by people’s creativity. The content on there is remarkable — if only I could be a wiz at Tiktok, and be a mum and everything else, but I just don’t have enough time.”

Where does she find time for all the different hats? “Sometimes there’s a bit of pulling here and there, but I love being able to do all of these things. It makes me feel more balanced. I must get better at putting my phone away when I’m in the house and being more present. But I think it’s made me a better performer, a better artist… I’m appreciative of it.”

Unsurprisingly, given the theme of Table Manners, it’s food that helps her to switch off. “Cooking is my favourite thing to do,” she says. We swap lists of favourite local restaurants, and as Instagram followers will know, she often asks for recommendations of where to eat whenever she’s on tour too. “Mexico City [in 2022] was one of the most memorable shows I’ve ever done. We sold it out so quickly, in like 10 minutes, even though we’d never been before. It was electrifying. And the food there was so good.”

“In the last run of that tour, supporting Harry Styles, I didn’t have my kids with me, and I had so much time, so I could be really thoughtful about how I was nourishing myself, how I was working out, how I was sleeping. It was like being in a spa for two and a half weeks, but also playing in an arena, it was amazing. I think I’m the healthiest when I’m on tour — Kylie told me that too; she said, ‘You’re never more fit than when you’re on tour!’”

The A-list name drops are testament to Ware’s own star status, despite her disarming warmth. So, after touring with the aforementioned Harry Styles, will we be getting him on Table Manners any time soon? “Everyone wants Harry Styles. We do too, that will happen I’m sure,” she promises. Lennie, however, is asking for fewer musicians. “Mum really wants Marcus Rashford, she just loves him. We’d like to open up to more sportspeople, but it’s hard because they’re under such strict schedules. Mum also wants more politicians — she’s really political. She loves debate, she thrives on it and she’s incredibly well-informed.”

Then there’s Ware’s slightly more under-the-radar podcast, made with the production company she set up with Table Manners producer Alice Williams, and with her motherhood hat firmly on. “Is It Normal? is something I’m so proud of. I’ve not pushed it; it was made without any agenda apart from as an offering for people, to help them feel empowered or informed. It’s become a real word of mouth thing, and that’s the biggest compliment. When I see a pregnant person walking past me and they smile, I think: ‘Are you listening to Is It Normal? And if so, go you!’ It’s really special.”

We’ve covered music, fashion, religion, celebrity, food, family, politics… and could easily continue for hours. But, as she takes another deep breath of her steam inhaler, it’s time to rest that voice. What else can you expect from Ware this year? A tour, yes. A musical, maybe — “with a group of absolutely brilliant women, so it will be phenomenal if we can make it happen.” A big band album? “I think my manager would say wait, but I’m raring to go. I just hope people really love this record.”

Jessie Ware’s new single, “Begin Again,” is out April 14, and her album, That! Feels Good!, is out via EMI records on April 28.