This is Disruption

Miss Jessica Booty - From Stage Fright to Cabaret Spotlight

• This is Disruption • Season 1 • Episode 8

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Jessica Booty's artistic journey is a fascinating tale of overcoming personal fears and embracing the magic of performance. Growing up between the UK, Switzerland, and the US, Jessica's diverse background deeply influenced her creative expression. This episode uncovers her early battles with stage fright and the pivotal moments that allowed her to transform fear into passion, highlighting the importance of seizing life's fleeting moments.

Step into the glamorous world of cabaret as Jessica invites us behind the curtain of her multifaceted shimmering career. From her introduction to the world of cabaret and burlesque the grandeur of the Playboy Mansion to the intimate allure of cabaret stages, we explore how the aesthetics of old Hollywood and the creativity of the cabaret community ignited her love for this art form. Hear about her thrilling first performance and the dedication that goes into creating unforgettable shows, inspired by icons like Dita Von Teese.

Jessica's story is not just about performance; it's about the pursuit of unconventional passions and the power of supportive communities. As she gears up for the Karma Cabaret at the Karma Sanctum Soho Hotel, Jessica reflects on her artistic aspirations and the poignant lessons life has taught her. This conversation is a testament to the power of persistence, the value of living in the moment, and the impact of leaving a lasting artistic legacy.

Join us for an inspiring episode that celebrates creativity, resilience, and the vibrant world of cabaret.

Get your tickets for Karma Cabaret on Sept 28th here! x

Jessica's website

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Speaker 1:

Hello there. You are very welcome to. This is Disruption podcast, with me, your host Rua. This podcast brings you in-depth interviews with the fearless creatives in street art, graffiti, music, photography and beyond, who boldly challenge the status quo, break barriers for others and share their work unapologetically. Each episode is a deep dive into the lives of artistic risk-takers, exploring their motivations, their inspirations and their reasons for their willingness to disrupt societal norms. Some of these stories involve revolutionising their industries, while others are pushing the boundaries of legality with their art. Coming up on today's episode.

Speaker 2:

For a long time. That stopped me, deterred me from just going and doing it. You know, I did wake up at some point and think well gosh, I think about this every day, every waking moment, pretty much of my life, I'm immersed in it. I won't be happy if I don't go and do it. And there we are, had to go and do it. Art is kind of the only thing that makes me feel OK. You know, to me it's the answer to everything. Life is not promised, life can be short, life is short and the time is now really Such a big thing. The time is now and there's no dress rehearsal for life.

Speaker 1:

I am so excited to share today's episode with you. It is with Miss Jessica Booty. She is super talented in many different areas and this is a really great conversation. We talk about life and the fact that the time is now. I can't wait to share this with you. As always, sit back, relax or, even better, go and make something as you listen to this. This is Disruption. I couldn't be more excited to be here with Miss Jessica Booty today. She is a multi-hyphenate with so many broad interests and talents and I don't even know where to start. We've got so much to talk about. Jessica. You are a singer, songwriter, a producer, a musician, a cabaret host, a performer, and you you're also a trained ceramicist, which is super interesting. Your website says that you are bringing the art exhibition to the stage through music, cabaret and unexpected art forms. I have many, many questions, but first of all, how are you doing?

Speaker 2:

I'm doing very well, thank you. How are you doing, rua? I'm good. Thank you, brilliant. Thank you so much for coming down today. Thank you so much. What a gorgeous introduction, my goodness.

Speaker 1:

But it's all true. You do so many broad things and I've probably even left some things out. I don't think I can even keep track, to be quite honest with you, my gosh, yeah, so you have many, many interests. Let's talk about them all. Let's dig in, let's go. I found a good place to start. Is right at the beginning, so tell me about little jessica.

Speaker 2:

Oh, little jessica. Well, I was born in the uk but very early on in my life I actually moved to switzerland, geneva, switzerland, and I was there for four years. That was an experience. And then came back to the uk for a year and actually ended up going to amer, new York State for two years, then came back and did the rest of my schooling in the UK. But I'm sure that you know, affects a child Good and bad, but mostly good Definitely. Yeah, little Jessica.

Speaker 1:

That's a lot of movement. How was that for you?

Speaker 2:

Oh, definitely, I think as a child it was incredible, you know. I think looking back on it it's like, oh, you know, it might have made it hard for me to make friends, keep friends. I was very good at meeting people. Maybe I didn't feel like I was as brilliant kind of, as you got to the mid part of that friendship, if that makes sense. I feel like I'm good at keeping my long term girls around me. But that midpoint of a friendship, you know I do find that quite hard.

Speaker 1:

so, yeah, that's probably how it affected me what was the differences for you as a kid, between Switzerland, the US and the UK?

Speaker 2:

that's a really interesting question. I don't know if I can really think off the top of my head like differences. They were all just, you know, unique experience within themselves. I mean, I was kind of eight to ten years old when I was in the US. I mean, you know, schooling was incredibly different. I do remember see, here's the difference where you know, in the UK, obviously you've got your school uniforms. It's very, it's quite rigid in that sense. And then you know, to go to the US, everyone's in their own clothes, which is definitely so lovely. But I just find it really funny. Like I went to gym class and I remember all the the girls are like doing all the crazy things with their dangly earrings in and I was, oh my gosh, there's gonna be an accident. So that's the difference. Some British sensibility.

Speaker 2:

Yes, exactly, and I guess I'm quite used to that.

Speaker 1:

I would love to know more about all of the many creative things you do. Was that there, since you were a child?

Speaker 2:

Oh yeah, definitely. I think drawing and painting that sort of thing, just things with my hands, paper pens was my first love. Probably because that's what I could get my hands on At school is when I did start to sing although I always had like such awful stage fright, mainly as a child I had awful stage fright, so that was definitely a bit of a journey. Obviously I think my love for music and performance at some point outweighed that fright and I had to. You know you still got to deal with it, but I definitely can't come a long way since the little girl like freaking out with her first little solo at school with a piano and that kind of thing that really is quite a journey, because you went from having stage fright and being quite frightened to now being a performer boasting cabaret and burlesque shows.

Speaker 1:

That's quite the journey. Oh, it's quite the journey. How did this all happen? How did you beat that stage fright to get you to this stage?

Speaker 2:

That's. I think a lot of it is introspection in some ways. I'm 26 and so I'm into my 20s now. I think I've spent a hell of a lot of time in my late teens and 20s kind of in my room just deep thoughts. I'm clearly a deep person. I'm a songwriter Probably a lot of songwriters are like that. But, yeah, I think introspection. Yeah, do you still get stage fright? I have to be super present on the day that I know I'm performing Super present. If you obviously you've done your prep, everything's sorted in that sense. And so that day is just trying to keep yourself super grounded, super level-headed, super present. Oh, I'm drinking my tea, I'm taking a walk, I'm barefoot in the garden. Okay, now we're in the audience, or now we're backstage. This is nice. Now we're on stage, or now there's no time to even be frightened or have the nerves. You know, that's kind of what I'm testing out at the moment and it's doing. Okay, it's working for me.

Speaker 1:

Great. Well, clearly it's doing good because you're performing and you're doing these things live. Was there a turning point for you where you were like I just have to get over this and this is what I'm going to do to tackle it?

Speaker 2:

I don't think I ever let it stop me. I think I think it almost was a surprise to me when I got up on stage when I was that little girl. You know, like gosh, I'm trying to think how old would I have been probably 13 years old. I've gotten up on stage to sing for the first time. Obviously I've been comfortable to sing with my say like piano teacher at school. And then it was a surprise when I got up on stage and felt like I'd frozen. You know, I did get through it, it was okay.

Speaker 2:

But I think that was almost the turning point like, oh gosh, like I had no idea that I could kind of have anxiety take over my body like that. I've definitely had other times in life where I remember there was this game in a sick form that I went to for a year and the game was like to stack plastic cups on top of each other or something along those lines. And I went to stack the you know, the top plastic cup and my hand it was so shaky I couldn't do it. I had to put it down, let someone else do it. And I think you know that was another moment for me in my life where when I thought, you know, in my head I didn't think this anxiety was something that affects me, but clearly my body's telling me something else my gosh.

Speaker 1:

And it's so important to listen to your body.

Speaker 2:

Yes, it is. Yeah, definitely trying to be in touch with that more. I would say yeah.

Speaker 1:

Now I've briefly covered the many, many different areas that you work in.

Speaker 2:

I would love to hear the journey of how you developed all of those things. It sounds like music was your first love and art, yes, yeah, music and art were my first loves. I mean, in some ways, drawing was my first. Music came very soon after, although I think I was secretly singing in, you know, in little rooms in my house and at some point that became something that I did at school. Um, I was in the school choir. That was fun, that was a journey.

Speaker 2:

At some point I still think quite young, probably around the time that I started joining the choir I had a little rubbish keyboard and made some not brilliant songs. That was the start of my journey with songwriting, I think as well. At school English class, english literature obviously, as you get older it's like English literature was also a big love for me. Words were, yeah. So songwriting definitely became the focus throughout my teens, more so than performance. You know, I think I really sat with myself throughout my teens just love to songwrite. That was what I wanted to do. But when I got into my 20s, of course I wanted to perform and really try and, you know, bring a visual aspect to my artistry together. You know, at some point I realized, gosh, I just love this, I wanted to do this. How do I do this? Let's you know, get on the road to that. But I don't think I really was able to blossom as a performer until I found Cabaret, which only was in the last year. So I've been doing it for about a year and that really everything clicked at that point. And, of course, if I go back a little bit, I do work as a ceramicist, or I did. I've now paused that job, but that, funnily enough, was just something that I just loved so much and I felt that I wanted to bring all those things together, and I think cabaret is a vehicle for that. So what was your introduction to cabaret? Well, again, I'm clearly someone that does a lot of introspection and I was like, gosh, I'm kind of going. I go down definite rabbit holes of, like proper special interests that really just get me so immersed. So this is going to probably sound a little crazy, but this is how we got here In 2020, I got incredibly obsessed with Girls Next Door.

Speaker 2:

The Girls Next Door, which is actually the girls of the Playboy Mansion Holly Madison, bridget, kendra. Obviously Hef went down that rabbit hole and somehow, somehow, that brought me. I think there was an episode where Bridget jumps out of a cake which is so burlesque, so fabulous. I saw that and I was like, oh my gosh, like the the cake prop for a start, like hello, I even just like to have a cake prop or like build a cake whatever. So, obviously, saw that she had the fabulous lingerie and I was like God, what is this world? And I do feel like the Playboy franchise when Hef, you know, was building it. It's got an old Hollywood vibe to it, it's got almost a cabaret vibe to it. I was, I'm obsessed with Hugh he.

Speaker 2:

I kind of threw a bit of research from that, found Dita Von Teese who, oh my gosh, I mean talk about an icon and for me, just such an inspiration. Found her, found the world of burlesque, of course, but that's where I was led down, you know, the road to Cabaret, vaudeville, and where I felt that I fitted into that world visually, because I do feel that I'm such a visual person is I just want to be in a tuxedo all the time. To be honest with you, I'm the girl with the tuxedo, apparently. So that's who I feel I am and I really feel that those things that I've explained got me to there, feel that those things that I've explained got me to there. Of course, I found this incredible community that is performers doing all sorts of cabaret in London, in the UK, and that's when I thought, oh my gosh, wow, I seem to fit in here. This is, this is brilliant.

Speaker 1:

I love that you find it, and you just never know where these interests will take you. But if something sparks in you and it feels like I love this, I would really like to learn more about it. There's so many resources. What were the resources that you did? Use to get you actually on a stage. Do you sit down one day and say I want to be on the stage and how do I get there? And what did you do then?

Speaker 2:

Well, I had been performing as a musician for a long time before I started performing on, say, cabaret stages. You know that was brilliant, but I didn't have that visual aspect which, for me, gives me the confidence that I need to just be who I am really Finding the cabaret community was a big part of it, of it really just reaching out to people going to cabaret shows, showing your support for those people, being willing to be a part of that and being passionate about that is people will feel that they'll recognize that and eventually a little door might open for you. You might get on your first stage and when it comes to cabaret, yeah, yeah, definitely. That's how I did it. So social media really is an incredible resource and a way to connect with people.

Speaker 1:

And what was the door that?

Speaker 2:

opened for you. So there's an incredible performer and cabaret producer called Babs Babs Burlesque. On Instagram there's an incredible show called Bars, the big queer social, which he runs. I was just going as an audience member on that night and you know I definitely expressed some interest to want to perform with him that night. Unfortunately, someone was ill and I got to go on my first cabaret stage for the first time and that was just incredible. That was the audience. That night was so beautiful, like they had such great energy as well, which I really do remember that that was brilliant that's amazing.

Speaker 1:

So you went along as an audience member had the opportunity to go, I guess you weren't prepared.

Speaker 2:

So I knew the night before I believe it was that day or the night before something along those lines and I was like, well, not going as an audience member anymore, better pack my bags, congratulations thanks.

Speaker 1:

Do you have a routine planned?

Speaker 2:

Yes, definitely. I think with cabaret it's usually less improvised. Usually there's props, there's costumes that you think about prior, and they all come together and they create this world up on stage for that three minutes. And so, yes, I definitely had something prepared. It was the first act that I ever put together for Cabaret. It was why don't you do right? You know that song. I don't know if you know that song. Jessica Rabbit in a Roger Rabbit movie sings it. Obviously she's a cartoon, but she's gorgeous, she's bigger than life, you know the most beautiful cartoon character of all time.

Speaker 2:

I know she's just a gorgeous cartoon character, very sens, very sultry, and I just did my own version of that, but what I like to do is add these ceramic art pieces into my sets. So, within that performance, I have this gorgeous ashtray, which is my. You know, whatever my brain comes up with, I came up with this in 2020. She's this ashtray and you ash between her legs. I mean, it could be anyone's legs, their legs, you know, it really could be anyone. But yes, so I had risque Rita that's her name on stage with me. I had a sparkly cigarette and I was swirling around in my corset and my kind of like my tuxedo dress. Almost that was the look I was going for that night and I had a fabulous time.

Speaker 1:

Yeah so did you come off stage and say okay, that was my first time, but I'm hooked?

Speaker 2:

oh yeah, a hundred percent yeah. And I was hooked also just watching everyone else like, oh they so much inspiration, so much talent, yeah so in creativity.

Speaker 1:

As you mentioned rightfully, instagram is a fantastic resource to find your people and find your community and, but I only know the communities that I'm part of of course the cabaret burlesque performance art what's that community like?

Speaker 2:

full of life, so vibrant. I mean, those are the things that come to mind first. Everyone is incredibly unique, which I just love. You know I'm full quirks, so that really resonates with me and massively it is a queer community and I love that. I feel very much a part of that. It sounds beautiful.

Speaker 1:

It is definitely beautiful One of my favourite things about art is that it's the power to just fully be yourself, whatever that looks like, and how incredible that you get to go on stage and really be yourself and show other people who you are. Yeah, it's gorgeous.

Speaker 2:

I do feel so grateful that I found cabaret, because I think that's the thing that made me feel, oh my gosh, I can be myself now.

Speaker 1:

You know that was a big thing for me yeah, one of the things I'd love to know about is you've mentioned the costumes, and a lot of thought goes into preparing for a show, so what does that look like?

Speaker 2:

for you. When it comes to costumes, as you just mentioned, I feel like for me, it's incredibly important to have something that sticks in your mind. You know, eventually, once I repeat it a thousand times over something that sticks in a person's mind when they think of my name. And what I want that to be is like tuxedos or, as I kind of mentioned, some sort of tuxedo dress which is lots of different parts to it. It's actually a skirt and it's a corset and it's a shirt and it's a waistcoat. So for me, the costumes stay within that realm, because I feel like that's my branding.

Speaker 2:

Of course, the ceramic art is a massive part of it. I think in the past, when I've made these cabaret acts, I've heard a song. I heard a song called Island Blues. I, funnily enough, actually had a song called Island Baby as well that I had brought out at the time and I thought, oh my gosh. Well, obviously, naturally, I need to make a ceramic island, of course, but I think also where my inspiration comes from is sometimes it just comes from the ceramics themselves. I don't know why, but I have quite an infatuation with signs, so like the no smoking sign even, as well as signs emojis, funnily enough, which is where the inspiration really came from for the island ceramic art sculpture that I've created. So there's a hell of a lot of random things that all come together, but I feel like when they come together it's very much, you know, my sort of. It's me.

Speaker 1:

I love that. So after you come off that stage and you're saying, ok, I want to do more, how did you go about making it into a career? So I'll mention the details of where to find this at the end. But you are currently the host of Karma Cabaret. Yes, congratulations, thank you.

Speaker 2:

This at the end but you are currently the host of karma cabaret.

Speaker 1:

Yes, which is a congratulations, thank you. The karma sanctum soho hotel and you have a show coming up which we'll talk a little bit more about. But how did you move from having this dream? You've realized I want to do this all the way to where you are now to be in the host of a show well, I'd actually worked with someone before called the seb collective.

Speaker 2:

It's two people, sam Rochelle I'd worked with them before, just gone to a gig as an artist, before I found Cabaret. So I'd been following them since on social media and Sam of the Seb Collective approached me and said that there was an opportunity. You know, they could facilitate me a room at the Karma Sanctum and I could put on a Cabaret show. Of course, course, I was the producer. I am the producer, but it, you know, it's my job to make it all happen. You know, book the performers, find you, rua and talk about this, you know, and get all the branding out there, get spread the message, however I can, and find the identity of the show.

Speaker 2:

So that's how I came to find this opportunity and I do feel incredibly lucky because I am still incredibly early on in my cabaret journey. I might not be early on in my, you know, performance or artist journey. I've been doing that for god knows how long. I'm not great at maths so I won't be able to tell you right this second. But yeah, that's how that came about. Karma Cabaret and I do love that that's brilliant name I'm quite happy about that Felt quite obvious since it's at the Karma Sanctum.

Speaker 1:

Soho Hotel. So there's a show coming up and that's going to be on the 28th of September. Sure is, I will be there. I will be front row so exciting. And when I put this show out I'll add the ticket link for people to go and find tickets and to come and see you perform.

Speaker 2:

Oh, that's brilliant.

Speaker 1:

You have other performers as well.

Speaker 2:

Yes, I do so. We've got a brilliant lineup of all different types of cabaret performers. We've got Bunny Delacroix, who is a showgirl she's the showgirl of your nightmares. We've got Ramona Weapon, who is a fabulous drag queen. We've got Laura, who is a multi hula hooper. She does other things as well the seer will. I don't know if I can say that, pronounce that properly, so she is incredible. And we've also got Alexandria St Paine, who is a burlesque artist.

Speaker 1:

Amazing. So I will add the link and I will be there.

Speaker 1:

I can't wait to come and see. I cannot wait to have you in the audience and perform for you, rua. Yeah, it form for you, rua. Yeah, it's going to be great, so I'm really looking forward to that. Now there's so many things I'd love to talk about. I could talk to you for hours, because I have so many questions. I feel like I could as well. The way that I did find you you've just mentioned somebody in our radio community, for all the presenters had said that they knew you and you were available for interviews. And I went over and I had a look and I was like, oh my god, this is right up my street.

Speaker 1:

I would love to talk to this person you do art, you do music, you do performance. Those are all things I'm super interested in. I love burlesque, I love, I love the performance aspect of it all. It's quite a brave thing to be like I'm ready, I'm here, somebody come and interview me, so thank you for no, thank you, my goodness this show is called.

Speaker 1:

This is disruption. Yes, because I want to talk to theors, the people who do what society or the status quo says isn't normal or isn't acceptable or it's in some way. You're told you can't do it. So have you had anybody make you feel like you couldn't pursue this?

Speaker 2:

Yes, unfortunately, I do feel like it's actually come from people that are close to me, don't want to be specific, but say family, friends, that sort of thing, and I've definitely felt that and I think for a long time that stopped me, deterred me from just going and doing it. You know, I did wake up at some point and think well gosh, I think about this every day, every waking moment, pretty much of my life, I'm immersed in it. I won't be happy if I don't go and do it. And there we are had to go and do it brilliant.

Speaker 1:

I'm so glad you did. It's a brave. I'm glad, yeah, definitely well done for overcoming that and for being true to yourself and doing something that is different. Thank you, yes, thing to do. Do you have any advice for anybody else who might have faced that, who want to do something but are told they can't for whatever reason?

Speaker 2:

find the people that can give you the support that you need. You know, whether it's a friend, whether it's kind of a creative mentor, just someone that you look up to, that you feel that you could, you know, just get some. Whether it's advice, just anything that you feel that you need. Bring those people around you, build your life with those people in mind, I think as well. A massive part of it is community. For example, for me, the cabaret community. It's just more than anything I could dream of. That gave me a lot of confidence and, yeah, you know what I can do this. Let me go and do this fantastic.

Speaker 1:

Well, I love that. That's really great. That's really good advice.

Speaker 2:

So if the people around you aren't giving you the support you need, there are so many other people out there that will support you and who maybe have felt the same themselves it doesn't have to be like one person that gives you all the support you might get you know, emotional support from a lovely family member, but then you can get your artistic support etc from other people. So I think having a good, a few options, yeah.

Speaker 1:

I would love to hear about the other interests that you have. So it's broad. You do so many different things, like myself. I have many different things that I'm interested in. I have to work really, really hard to balance my time to give all of the things I want to do time. How do you manage your time?

Speaker 2:

that is a good question and, to be honest, I wouldn't say that I am the most brilliant at managing my time. I think when you're neurodivergent, that can be a struggle. For me, lists, lists are everything. They are the savior in my eyes and I think also you do need to sometimes be real with yourself.

Speaker 2:

I definitely have struggled with procrastination massively in the past and well, I think I will say something that really changed my perspective on life is I unfortunately was in a situation with someone that is now just such an incredibly close friend and they lost their family member and we tried to do CPR on that person and we tried to do CPR and it was just such an awful thing for her to go through.

Speaker 2:

And, of course, you know, to see someone in such pain and to also witness something incredibly harrowing really changed my perspective on life. That happened when I was 24. I'm 26 now. That is a part that is something that I carry. I know that it's something, of course, that she'll carry for the rest of her life. That's the thing that really opened my eyes as well and made me think like life is not promised. Life can be short, life is short and the time is now really, and that for me is such a big thing that the time is now and there's no dress rehearsal for life. It was horrific, but I just think about my friend that lost someone who was so dear to her. It was her mother.

Speaker 1:

I'm really sorry. You had that experience. I'm so sorry for her and what a difficult thing to go through. It's quite inspirational that you went through something that's pretty traumatic. Honestly, that's a pretty horrific thing to see, and what I'll say is it's quite beautiful that you have found the positive side of that that. Yes, life is is so short. I say this probably every episode. Yes, so short, and we have to do the things we want to do now, because tomorrow isn't promised.

Speaker 1:

You can have a big dream and you can prep and prep, and prep and if you never actually go and do it, then no one will ever see the passion that you have to share. So you really took a lovely lesson from that. I'm glad you did. I'm sorry that it did happen it's awful.

Speaker 1:

It's awful, but such is life that is unfortunately very unfortunately, yeah it's quite powerful to have that realization that life is short and I need to go and do the things I want to do now and I'm going to do whatever it is I need to do. There's something I'd love to talk about, and that is what's next for you yeah so what is next for you? What would you like to do next? So?

Speaker 2:

next for me is going deeper into cabaret. I have a jazz 1940s big band jazz project that I'm working on currently. I'm working with a brilliant string and horn composer and together we're going to make some magic and I really hope that that is the. You know, that's the perfect backdrop for my cabaret. That's the sonic world of my cabaret, of my artistry. That's what's next for me bringing my own songwriting into my cabaret performances.

Speaker 1:

I actually, in my research, I checked out some of your music.

Speaker 2:

Oh, did you.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and it was so good. Thank you so much. It was really really really good. I love that you're able to incorporate so many different elements into one thing thank you is there any other interests that you have that would surprise us that you can't bring to a stage? Do you love swimming, for example?

Speaker 2:

yeah.

Speaker 1:

I'm sure there's a way that you can get a fishbowl.

Speaker 2:

Yes, yeah, well, I would say that just quite a broad interest, I guess. But nature is such an interest for me like I last night was sat in a tree, for god's sake. I love finding out little facts about little creatures and I feel very close to the earth when I'm stood barefoot in the morning in the grass. So that's definitely an interest, for sure. But I think when you're also trying to look all glamorous and suited and booted in the tuxedo with the Hollywood waves, it's quite the contrast to being barefoot in the garden.

Speaker 1:

Maybe there's a way to bring those two things together.

Speaker 2:

Maybe one day, yeah.

Speaker 1:

Super unique performance An outdoor cabaret.

Speaker 2:

Oh yes, in the woods or something.

Speaker 1:

Wouldn't that be brilliant that would be really good. Oh yeah, do it ideas I'd love to see it we're brainstorming right now you've just heard an idea come to life. That sounds really cool. I think there's something really powerful in having connection to what's around you and being able to tap into that, so I'd love to see those things that'd be great. Time always goes so fast when I do this.

Speaker 1:

I know there's a couple of things I would love to ask, and one of them is it hasn't been in many of the episodes because they're older, but one of the things that I've done is I have shamelessly stolen a part of the diary CEO Stephen Bartlett's podcast, a podcast I really like. Oh yeah, and what he does is ask his guests a question that was written for them by a former guest. Oh yes, and you don't know who that is and they don't know who they're asking. Yeah, and I have a question from the last guest that I interviewed. The question is what is the ultimate dream?

Speaker 2:

the ultimate dream? Good question, whoever that was, I feel like I think about that every day. To be honest with you, what is the ultimate dream? I think for most artists, the ultimate dream is to be able to do that full time, to do that every day of your life.

Speaker 1:

You know, and I think that is my ultimate dream, so I'm gonna go with that that's a good answer yeah, I hope that your dreams come true and you get to do this as much as you can there's no dress. Rehearsal baby one of the things that I would love to talk to you about is you mentioned earlier your love of words. Yes, oh yeah, for sure anybody who listens to this show will hear me say in most episodes, I love a quote. Are there any particularly powerful quotes that you like, that you've written or you've read?

Speaker 2:

okay. So when it comes to a quote, I definitely think about my own lyrics for sure. I think that's natural for a lot of songwriters and I wrote a song that will be on the upcoming project and it's. I definitely feel that I've been quite existential for the last two years of my life and I think, to be honest, before that I was quite existential. I mean I was when I was nine years old. For some reason. That's when I found out about death and that really struck me and kind of feel like perhaps is did it strike me more than most people like in terms of I was a mess when I found that out.

Speaker 2:

So I think you know, my whole life I've been existential and I wrote a song that is from the perspective of someone putting on a physical record of mine when I'm no longer here and how perhaps that art might or will live on and have its own life and serve, serve its purpose within other people's lives, hopefully long after I'm gone. If that were to happen, if someone found something that they loved of mine, and so there's an opening line and it's just in 50 years the kids will hear my music, I'll be gone, but somehow living through it. Bit of a long quote, but I think for me art is kind of the only thing that makes me feel okay. You know, to me it's the answer to everything. I'm going to go with that quote.

Speaker 1:

That's so lovely.

Speaker 2:

Thank you.

Speaker 1:

I totally agree. There was this video that I saw a couple days ago on.

Speaker 1:

Instagram. I love spoken word, oh, yes, and I love, yeah, I love poetry. I love spoken word. I saw this video that was there's two perspectives to this. If you look at it with a negative perspective, it was very morbid, and if you look at it with a positive perspective, it's very encouraging. I will definitely misquote it, but it essentially says in 100 years from now in 2,124, all memory of you will be gone. Everybody that knows you right now won't be with us anymore. The purpose of that was talking about how we chase things, and in 100 years, the car that you are lusting after won't even exist anymore. Someone else will have it. But what I took from it was two things. Firstly, people who are scared of judgment. What's the point? Because nobody's going to be there to judge you in 100 years. You have to do it now because it makes you happy. And the other part was everything is fleeting, so if you can make something that will either last or have an impression.

Speaker 1:

You have to do that because that's your legacy.

Speaker 2:

Definitely. That's very poignant.

Speaker 1:

It's quite a depressing video if you have a negative attitude, but I have a very positive attitude.

Speaker 2:

Well, look at us.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, no, I love that. That's really.

Speaker 2:

It's very meaningful and I'm glad that your quote was one of your own lyrics. That's really cool as a songwriter, I think it was apt.

Speaker 1:

What I would love to hear, jessica, is do you prefer Jessica or Miss Jessica Booty?

Speaker 2:

Jessica's fine, yeah, thank you, I mean honestly, my whole life. As a child I was called Miss Boots because my name is Miss Jessica Booty, it's not a stage name sorry oh, my room's face right now is. She's so perplexed this was it's a shock in the stars.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's a shock to you. Of course, you were meant to be a cabaret performer. You were born to be on the stage performing cabaret with this name.

Speaker 2:

It's a ridiculous name and it's sparked a lot of conversation, good and bad, over the years, but I'm grateful for it. Well, it's great. Thanks, Dad.

Speaker 1:

Thanks, dad, you did me a solid here. Jessica, I would love to let everybody know where to find you and where to keep an eye out for your upcoming shows, so when this goes out on the radio, people will be able to find the link that I put in the description of the show Absolutely. And I will also tag you, but for anybody who's listening to this on, this Is Disruption. Can you please tell us where to find you on social so that people can go and see all the amazing things you're working on?

Speaker 2:

Yes, it's at Miss Jessica Booty, anywhere you go online at Miss Jessica Booty, anywhere you go online at Karma Cabaret, anywhere you go online, that's it.

Speaker 1:

Well, I cannot wait to see what is next for you, and thank you for such a lovely, inspiring conversation. It has been a pleasure.

Speaker 2:

Thank you so much for it. It's been incredible, great experience Yay.

Speaker 1:

There you have it. Thank you so much for tuning in to this episode of this Is Disruption. If you've enjoyed today's conversation, make sure to follow the podcast and never miss an episode. You can find us on all major podcast platforms Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc. Also on YouTube. Stay connected with us on social media. You can find the podcast at this Is Disruption pod on Instagram and TikTok and you will find updates and snippets of upcoming shows. Until next time, keep challenging the status quo, embracing your creative spirit and be brave. Go and create. Thank you, and see you in the next episode.