And the Hello and the Jerkeron songwriting episode 248 I'm Simon and I'm Brian and

joining us today is a Mercury and Brit Award nominated English singer, songwriter and

podcaster as well as boasting formidable vocal chops and scoring four top 10 albums to date,

she's collaborated with the varied likes of Ed Sheerran,

Kylie Minogue, Paul Buchanan, Nicki Manage, Haim, Bobby Womack, Ryan Tedda and Disclosure. As this episode dropped... M

Hheim, Bobby Womack, Ryan Tedda and Disclosure.

As this episode drops, she's just unleashed her fifth studio album,

the Stuart Price and James Ford produced That Feels Good.

We are chuff to welcome the lovely Jesse Were to the show.

Jesse was born in Hammersmith London in 1984 and raised in Clapham, the middle child of three.

She was the daughter of Lenny, short for Helena, a social worker, and John a BBC journalist, and raised

by her mum from the age of ten.

A keen singer from an early age, Jesse attended Allen School in Dulwich, South London,

where her fellow pupils included Florence Welsh, Jack Peñarte and Felix White of the Maccabees,

and she was often given the plumb roles in school productions.

Already a fan of R&B and hip-hop, and nearly teen she immersed herself in the capital's drum and based scene and was a regular attendee at Brixton Raves.

Despite her musical leanings and natural Yen for performing, she opted to study English literature at the University of Sussex,

following which she briefly worked as a journalist

and seriously considered a career in law, but kept up the singing and their mum's encouragement.

While touring as a backing vocalist with old school friend Jack Penñarte, Jesse was introduced to the dance artist

and producer Subtract, resulting in the 2010 single, Nervous. Subtract in turn introduced

Her to Samfa with whom she collaborated on the 2011 track, Valentine, which, along with other

...