Tay - 00:00 When we're both on stage, it's just we're, you know, so excited and bubbly, and it's just. It's a comfort place for me when I'm on stage. I don't think about everything. I just perform. Speaker 2 - 00:14 Yeah. And I think we defnitely really balance each other out in that way because, like, our banter is, like, really back and forth, and obviously it helps that we are best friends as well. And I defnitely say we have grown a lot because I did watch our Boots and hearts video, like, a while. Tay - 00:29 Back, and I was like, wow. Speaker 2 - 00:30 Like, if you really take a step back and watch it, you're like, holy cow. Like, we've grown so much. Like, just, like, the way we're comfortable now and the way we move around and the way we talk, and it's defnitely a complete change, but that's exactly what you get when you put so much hard work into it. So, yeah, I'm really proud of how far we've come. Like, we've come a really long way. Tay - 00:51 Yeah. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 00:54 From Georgian hood Media, this is the talent next door, a show about singers, songwriters, producers, and the stories behind the music they create. Hi, I'm Ife Mikey Fata. And on the show today, when fate brings together two gifted singer songwriters at the bachelor of music program at Humber College. A student, only a matter of time before they form a duo and put all of that talent into creating some pretty incredible music. Beyond their incredible voices, refreshing harmonies, endearing stage presence, Canadian singer, songwriter duo Jessie Bauer and Taylor Adam, also known as Jess and Tay, carry with them a rare quality. There is an authenticity about their journey into music that is inspiring. There is a sincerity about their desire to create music that seems to extend beyond themselves, beyond the here and now. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 01:53 And that sincerity is what is rare and deeply admirable about them. My conversation with the duo traces both their musical beginnings, the fateful encounter that brought them together, the decision to become a singing duo, major career milestones, and what they hope the future brings. We hope you enjoy the show. Jess and Tay, thank you very much for coming on. Speaker 2 - 02:15 Of course. Thanks for having us. Tay - 02:16 Thank you so much for having us. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 02:17 Awesome. Awesome. So there's so much to talk about, but I'm very interested, as I do with all artists, to fnd out how it all began. Tay - 02:28 Yeah. Speaker 2 - 02:29 Tae, do you wanna go frst or. Yeah. I mean, did you want us to, like, do separately how our journeys began or, like, together? Efe Mike-Ifeta - 02:36 I think we will come to a point where it converges. Right. But if you. Okay, let's do it this way. So, Jess, tell me how you got into music, and then Tay does the same, and then we'll fnd out where you guys both meth, and then we'll take it from there. Speaker 2 - 02:50 Okay, sure. Okay. Tay - 02:53 Well, I started singing when I was really young. I used to copy everything my older cousin did, as, you know, young kids do, and she started taking singing lessons. So I was like, that's what I'm gonna do. And then when I was nine years old, I actually lost my best friend, and that's when I got into songwriting. So, yeah, ever since then, it's just been my outlet and became my passion along the way. And then started doing competitions and, you know, shows when I was in high school, and then, you know, got into the bachelor of music program at Humber, and that's where I met Taylor. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 03:36 Awesome. Awesome. So, Taylor, how did it all get started for you? Speaker 2 - 03:40 Yeah, kind of similar to Jesse. I started at a young age. I went to Montessori, so kind of, like, kindergarten, and I would, like, sing around the class, and one of the teachers came to my parents, and they were like, oh, your daughter's kind of good at singing. Like, maybe you should look into getting her singing lessons. So it kind of just, like, stemmed from there ever since then. I did classical for nine years, and then in elementary school and high school, I did musicals and that kind of fun stuff. And once I started playing the guitar, that's kind of when songwriting came into my life. And then I kind of found, like, my actual voice. And then I really was a huge fan of country music, so that's how that all started. Speaker 2 - 04:17 And then, yeah, like, once Jesse and I ended up meeting at a weekend course for our program at Humber College. So we met there. Yeah. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 04:27 Okay. When you say weekend course, though, what does that mean? Speaker 2 - 04:32 So for our program, they have a weekend course that you go to before the audition. So it's kind of like it gets you prepared for the whole thing. It gets you ready for your audition. You get to perform your songs for one of the teachers. Actually, that is one of the vocal teachers there. So it's a really good course to go to pre audition. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 04:51 Okay. Speaker 2 - 04:52 Yeah, so we met there. I asked Jesse for a pencil, and. Tay - 04:55 Then, you know, the whole thing is history. Speaker 2 - 04:58 We kind of just, like, meshed that weekend, and then we made a pact, and were like, if we both get into the program, let's be roommates. And then. Yeah, okay. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 05:07 Okay. Okay. Jesse, you remember that event very clearly, I see. Tay - 05:12 Oh, yeah. I just remember, you know, were in the auditorium And I was nervous because I didn't know anyone. And I walked in and I saw Taylor. I was like, well, she kind of looks like me, so, like, maybe we'll get along. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 05:28 But that's so beautiful. I think just having that opportunity to meet each other, it almost feels like fate or destiny kind of. Right? Speaker 2 - 05:39 Yeah, for sure. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 05:40 I should ask this question at the end, though, but I'm just gonna ask it at this point. But if. If that did nothing, if you guys did not meet at that very point, how do you think making music would have been individually? Tay - 05:53 I mean, I think it would have defnitely been different. Like, I know that both of us, no matter what, would make music even if we hadn't met each other. Like, we still write on our own as. As much as we write together. But I think that, you know, it just be. It'd just be different. Like, it would be a different experience. I wouldn't know the feeling of, you know, getting to share a career and get to perform alongside your best friend and have someone that you share that with. So as much as, you know, I guess if I was in that position, I wouldn't know the difference, but I'm grateful that I'm in the position that I am. Speaker 2 - 06:35 Yeah, that. Tay - 06:35 So I do. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 06:37 That's beautiful. Because what you fnd most of the time, or at least that I have seen on television, I'm just going by what I've seen, like, television. Like, people are put into groups just because of the moment, Right. You need. You need somebody else to fll a spot, and then you. You make a group on all of these music shows. But to have something organic like you girl have, I think is beautiful. Speaker 2 - 06:59 Tay, for sure. And I think, as you said, like, it was really organic the way everything happened. Like, we didn't go into it. Like, went into it as best friends. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 07:08 Yes. Speaker 2 - 07:09 Met and were friends frst. So I think the whole thing kind of just fell into place. We just started writing together, and then we started singing together, and then people, like, we got good feedback, and were like, hey, like, let's just give this a shot. Like, why not? Like, let's post YouTube videos and just, like, have fun with it. And then, like, it turned into a career, which is the most amazing part about it. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 07:27 Absolutely. Absolutely. So right from the get go, you girls knew you wanted to be Canadian country artists. Did you girls know that? Tay - 07:36 Right from the get go, I think for me, like, I didn't. I never really classifed myself as a country artist, really, until I started singing with Tay. Like, I always loved country music, I. I loved singing it, I loved playing it, I loved writing it, but I didn't really, you know, classify myself as a country artist. I was kind of more like indie singer, songwriter. And then. And then when me and Tay started writing together, that's just the path that. That came for us. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 08:10 Okay. And Yutay. Speaker 2 - 08:12 Yeah, I think I really did love country music going into school. So when me and Jesse met, that was kind of like what I really like to sing. And I kind of grew up on country. I listened to the Dixie Chicks and Shania Twain, so I guess it kind of stemmed from that. I also sang a lot of pop, too, so it was like, kind of pop country at the time. But, yeah, I think, like, that was kind of where I classifed myself at the time. And then, like, we just kind of, like, fell into that kind of genre together. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 08:43 I see. I ask because I'm just about getting to 2016 when you guys emerge as fnalists in the Boots and Hearts Emerging Artists Showcase. So how did that come about? How did you guys enter for that? And what did it feel like getting, you know, place in as fnalists? Speaker 2 - 09:00 Yeah, that was honestly probably. Sorry. That was one of the craziest experiences, I think, for us, like, ever. Like, even to this day, really, because this is. That was really, like, the game changer for us. We kind of posted our frst ever YouTube video of our frst original song together, Shotgun Rider. We just posted it on YouTube, and then I think someone sent us the link to the Boots Emerging Artist Showcase. And then we kind of were just like, why not, like, let's take a risk. It's our frst video. So at the end of the day, if we don't get picked or if we don't get chosen, it's no hard feelings, but, like, we might as well try. So we submitted this video, and months later, we never thought anything of it. Speaker 2 - 09:43 And Jessie was going to one of her exams in the morning, and I just checked my phone, and she was just about to walk out the door, and I just, like. Was like, jess, like, you need to come here right now. And she comes into my room, and she's like, what? Like, I have to go for my exam. And I'm like, no, like, you need to hear this. Like, we just made, like, the Boots and Hearts Emerging Artists fnalists. We were, like, in eight people out of everyone that applied, and we just, like, were just in awe. We were like, wow, this is such an amazing experience. And it ended up being the frst big performance we'd ever had together on a stage. Tay - 10:17 Yeah. Other than that performance, we had really only played at small bars and done little singer songwriter things here and there. And so when we found out, we didn't even know to begin with, that the showcase was actually at the festival. We thought that whoever won got to play there. And then went for an interview, a pre interview, and they told us, no, you guys are playing at the festival. Like, all six of you are playing. And were freaking out. It was really cool, you know, because, like, at the time, we're like 18 years old and we're like, oh, my gosh, like, we get to play at this huge Canadian country music festival. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 11:00 No, that's. That. That's just super exciting to have that type of validation very early on in your career. I bet it must have been thrilling. Speaker 2 - 11:10 Yeah, it defnitely, like you said, like, the validation, it defnitely launched our career, like I would say, in a way, because I don't, like, who knows where we would have been if we didn't get like that? That was a huge push for us, especially, like, just starting out to have something like that happen for us. It was so amazing that we just kind of like, ran with it and were like, yeah, like, we can totally do this. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 11:31 For sure. Tay - 11:32 Yeah. I think it gave us a sense of confdence too, because, you know, like you said with the word validation, like, as much as, you know, you believe in yourself and your craft, like, having that validation really does help to build your confdence and make you even all the more motivated. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 11:51 Absolutely, absolutely. And like I said the other time, there was just so much energy when you. When you both were performing and I made mention of this, I remember when you girls with Don, and we're talking at the end of the show, that you do enjoy performing, correct? Speaker 2 - 12:10 Oh, yeah, 100%. Tay - 12:11 Yeah, absolutely. Even right now, like, I. I even sent out a tweet and I was like, I will never take performing live for granted again because I miss it so much. Speaker 2 - 12:24 Yeah, because as much as it's. Because sometimes, like, I mean, so we do, like, we do the bar scene and we do like summer festivals and everything like that. And as hard as it can get, playing those, like those. Those tireless gigs that are 3, 4, 45 minute sets until like 2 in the morning, and then you have to drive like an hour and a half, two hours home. As hard as that is, sometimes it's now with everything, like the world stopped. It's just you take a second and you step back and you're kind of like, wow, like, I will. I will never take that for granted again, something we truly do love to do. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 12:59 Absolutely. Absolutely. And did you grow into that performer kind of demeanor and personality? Like, did you just have it from the get go? Because I know I've seen artists who are, you know, just amazing vocally, but when it comes to stage presence, they're not able to deliver. But it seems like you girls are able to balance both. So was that something you had, like, from the get go? Tay - 13:27 I think that, like, the experience over the past four years, like, has defnitely made us a lot more confdent on stage. Like, for me, I kind of had a lot of performance background. I did a lot of performing when I was in high school. But, like, for example, like, Taylor and I are. Our personalities are, like, polar opposite. She's, like, super, like, ready to talk to everyone and extroverted. And I'm kind of a little bit more, you know, in person, I'm a little more introverted. But, like, when we're both on stage, it's just. We're, you know, so excited and bubbly, and it's just. It's a comfort place for me when I'm on stage. I don't think about everything. I just perform. Speaker 2 - 14:12 Yeah. And I think we defnitely really balance each other out in that way because. Because our banter is really back and forth, and obviously it helps that we are best friends as well. And I defnitely say we have grown a lot because I did watch our Boots and hearts video a while back, and I was like, wow, if you really take a step back and watch it, you're like, holy cow. We've grown so much. Just the way we're comfortable now and the way we move around and the way we talk, it's defnitely a complete change. But that's exactly what you get when you put so much hard work into it. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 14:46 Yeah, for sure. Speaker 2 - 14:47 I'm really proud of how far we've come. Like, we've come a really long way. Tay - 14:49 Yeah. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 14:50 Yeah. That's what. That's what you want as artists, right? To grow? Speaker 2 - 14:53 Exactly. Tay - 14:54 Yeah. Speaker 2 - 14:55 Lots of growth. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 14:56 Okay, that's. That's great. You were gonna say something, Jesse? Tay - 14:59 Oh, no, I was just agreeing with Taylor. Like, I think that, you know, it's. It's funny to watch those videos, but it's also, like, as, like, cringey as they are because were so young. Like, it's amazing to see. Like, you know, were. We were doing that when were so young, and, like, although we do it a little bit better now, like, it was still good. And I think it's Exciting to watch where we came from. Yeah. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 15:26 And if you're just joining us, we have been talking to Canadian singer, songwriter duo Jess Ante. Okay, so now the question becomes, what does music mean to you? Tay - 15:41 I think for me, like, music is just, well, writing specifcally. It's an outlet for me. It's the way that I express myself, whether that be an experience that I've gone through, something that a friend has gone through, or just an overall feeling that I have. And I think what's important is, you know, making your music feel universal so, you know, everyone can relate to it in some way, shape, or form. And to me, the most gratifying feeling is when someone, you know, tells you, like, you know, that song really hit me. I really felt what you were trying to say. And for me, it's just, you know, having people say that is like, wow. So. So what I'm doing here, what I'm saying, like, actually means something to someone. So that's kind of what music is for me. And outlet. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 16:35 Awesome. And Tay. Speaker 2 - 16:37 Yeah, I totally would just go off what Jesse said. Like, I mean, it's an outlet. And I've always been the type of person that really listens to lyrics, and, like, that's always been the thing that stepped out to me. I mean, obviously, as a songwriter, it makes sense, but even when I was younger, so there's so many songs that you just, like, can go back to in your head that either have helped you through a really hard time, or they're the kind of songs you just want to listen to with the windows down, and it just makes you feel good. And I know as a musician, sometimes it's a little different, like when you're connecting with songs. But I know just for, like, anyone, music is universal. It has messages, whether it's country, rap, R and B, pop. Like, it just. Speaker 2 - 17:17 It can just be. It can just be so uplifting, or it can just make, like, a sad moment just feel even more right. So I think the same thing as Jesse was saying, like, for our music especially, like, it's just like, the message you want to portray. Like, you just, like, even if it's one person that comes up to you and says, like, oh, I really love this song, like, it really helped me through this time, or it made me feel really good. It just. I connected to it. Like, that's all you really want as a musician, as a songwriter, is to just to get through to one person. Right. It just makes you feel so good. And that's really what we want for our music to Portray to other people is. Speaker 2 - 17:52 It doesn't matter if it hits millions or if it hits one person. It's just at the end of the day, to have people appreciate a song that you've wrote that is something you've gone through, and then you can connect to someone and they've gone through the same thing or something similar. That's just the way that music is. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 18:11 Absolutely. And for the most part, I fnd that when people step into the role that you have both stepped into, you fnd that whether you intend for it or not, people start looking up to you. Have you experienced that kind of infuence that you've had on people? And how does that make you feel that people want to do or rather become musicians because of you? If you have at all experienced that? Speaker 2 - 18:41 Yeah. Tay - 18:41 I mean, we've defnitely got messages from aspiring artists who say, you know, like, I love what you're doing. You know, I'm an aspiring artist, and a lot of the time we get questions like, how. What do you think I can improve on? Or what do you think the steps are that I need to take? And it's really. It's really nice to hear that, because were at that point one time, you know, there was a time where I still will message artists and say, hey, like, what do you think about this? What do you think I can improve? Or, you know, just any constructive criticism. And I think that it's really important for artists, whatever level you're at, to support other artists. Tay - 19:25 If someone asks you for help, and you should, you don't need to be on a high horse and say, like, you're not worth my time. Like, we're all here to help each other. We're all here to thrive and grow. So it's like, it's really nice. I love when people come to us for advice or even just to say, hey, I love what you're doing. Can you listen to my stuff or support me? Like, yeah, absolutely. It's one of the best things, the connections between artists. Speaker 2 - 19:51 Yeah. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 19:52 Okay, go ahead, Tay. I was just going to add, but go ahead. Speaker 2 - 19:55 Yeah, I just think, like, the same thing. It's like, growth is such a huge thing, and I think it comes from your personal experiences and then also experiences with other artists as well. Just having people reach out to us and just say, like, just little things like that. I mean, one time a few months ago, someone said to us that they wanted us to play somewhere, and then. But it was for an emerging artist showcase. And then they said, like, even though they don't, like, they know that they might not think that we're emerging artists anymore, but we're always going to be emerging artists because you're always growing. I just don't. I don't think I'd ever see us as not emerging because you can always reach new audiences. Speaker 2 - 20:34 You can always help other people with your music or connect to other people with your music. Right. Like, there's so much growing to do within the music industry that I just always see people as like, emerging and growing. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 20:45 Absolutely, absolutely. So I was going to ask about the Canadian music scene itself. How have you found, you know, just jumping off from. From the conversation we just had about, you know, people looking up to you and you reaching out to all the artists and try to. How have you found the Canadian music scene to be. And more specifcally your genre of country music? How. How have they been? How's the reception been so far? Speaker 2 - 21:13 Sorry. Tay - 21:13 Yeah, go ahead. Speaker 2 - 21:15 I just wanted to say, like, quick. I just think, like, we're very lucky because I've only really been in the Canadian country music scene, but everyone is so nice and it's so tight knit. Especially in Ontario, it's so tight knit that you kind of feel like you know everyone or you do know everyone. Like in a way you're connected through one person. Whether it's, you know, the person they write with or, you know, someone in their band, it's just like so tight knit. And everyone is there to help. Speaker 2 - 21:46 And everyone is there to either write with you or connect with you or just give you advice or even just like hang out, you know, it's such a tight knit community and I think we're so very lucky to be a part of such a great musical community within the Ontario country because it's just, it's been so, like, heartwarming to have people reach out to us. And just, even when we frst started out, we just. We didn't really know a lot of people and we met a lot of people through those in our band and they were just so nice to just introduce us and, you know, like, tell people like, that they thought were really good and that they should meet us. And then it was just like, it kind of stemmed from there. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 22:30 Yeah, Jesse? Tay - 22:32 Yeah. Like, I mean, I've been like in a couple different scenes, like before I met Taylor, and sometimes in music and with anything, sports, art, whatever you're doing, a lot of the time there's pettiness and there's people wanting to one up each other. But I fnd that just like Tay said in the Canadian country music scene. Like, I never feel like someone is trying to, like, break me down or vice versa. Like, I don't ever see someone doing well, and I'm like, oh, like, damn. Like, I. You know, like, I'm just happy for them, and I know that they would be happy for me. And like Taylor said, like, when we met our band at school, you know, were fortunate that, you know, they had connections and they were willing to share those connections with us. Tay - 23:21 And now I just feel like the community is so supportive and so close. And honestly, I'm really grateful that we're. Speaker 2 - 23:30 A part of it. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 23:31 Is there anyone in the industry you would love to collaborate with? Tay - 23:36 We've kind of, like, always said when we've got this question, we. We love Lady Antebellum. They're. They're probably one of our, like, biggest infuencers. But we've always said it'd be really cool to collab with Dan and Shay because they're like a male duo. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 23:54 Okay. Tay - 23:54 So I think it would be kind of cool to do, like, a female duo. Male duo kind of collab. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 23:59 Look at that. That's really cool. So tell us about your. Just your body of work and what you've worked on so far. And I know you have an EP coming out soon. Am I correct, Seita? Speaker 2 - 24:13 Yeah. So right now we have three singles out, so we have Into Tomorrow, that's When I Drank, and our newest single, two Alone, out on Spotify. And we have one more single that we're going to release soon, hopefully, just God willing, right now, just because everything that's going on, it's been kind of hard. We still have to record vocals, but once that fnal single is released, then that will be our frst ep. And then also moving forward, we are going to start recording for our second one. We have all the songs written as of now. Speaker 2 - 24:46 It's been kind of a blessing and a curse being inside so much and being able to just, like, do music more than we could have before, because now we have an EP done, which before we didn't really know when that was going to happen, but now all of a sudden, it's just kind of fell into our laps. We're gonna get into the studio and hopefully start recording that very soon so that we can have that out to you guys sooner rather than later. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 25:13 Awesome. And is there a name for your EP already? Tay - 25:17 So the current one is actually the fnal track title. It's called Bad luck if you don't. So we've kind of called that the ep and Then we haven't chosen a name for the second EP yet. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 25:31 Okay. Okay. If you look how far your girls have come, you've been doing this for some, what, professionally now for fve, six years, I should say. What would you tell younger versions of yourself about this journey of music? Tay - 25:47 I would just say, like. Like, breathe it all in. Like, I feel like sometimes, like, when were younger, were kind of just like, go, go, go. Like. Like, we need to grow, which is. Which is amazing. Like, were. We were motivated, but, you know, just appreciating the little things, like. Like being in college, like, doing a career with your best friend and. Yeah. You know, just keep going. Keep. Keep motivating yourself. Keep motivating each other and. And keep doing what you do, because what you do is good. Speaker 2 - 26:17 Yeah, I agree. I think, like. Like Jesse said, like, just to. To keep moving forward, but also, like, take in those moments, because I feel like we're always, like. Because when you're in a career that's kind of, like, always moving, you're just, like, always looking forward to the next thing, but just kind of, like, in the moment. And another thing is, like, any victory is a small victory. So I think, like, sometimes we get really discouraged, and I know it goes for the both of us. Like, we. Right before we got asked to play Boots and Hearts this year, we actually sat down and we had a conversation of just about, like, how discouraged were both feeling. And we kind of, like, it kind of just came up out of nowhere, but, like, we didn't know how each other were feeling. Speaker 2 - 26:57 And then we just sat down and were like, yeah, we're just like. Like, oh, I'm kind of discouraged. Oh, so am I. And so, like, it was kind of a good conversation to have just to be open with each other. And then, like, literally two, three hours later, we got an email asking us to play that festival. So it's just kind of like you can always feel really down, but, like, good things, they're coming. Like, they'll always come. People will see your hard work. They'll recognize you one day. So it's just. You got to keep moving forward. Tay - 27:24 Yeah. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 27:25 No, but that's just a beautiful way to say because I was just gonna ask if there was, you know, just like you said, there's. There's. There's always a certain level of pressure. So I was gonna ask if there was any. Any pressure, but I guess you answered that question already. Question of pressure, of putting out stuff, of having a certain impact and all of that. Do you. Do you tend to feel that most of the time, and have you found better ways to deal with that now that you're much older? Tay - 27:55 Yeah, I think that, you know, especially in this industry, it's super easy to get discouraged. You know, you put out a single and it's not doing as well as you want it, or, you know, you're not getting as much engagement as you wanted, or your show isn't full enough or whatever it may be. But I think that, like Tae said, it's just important to look for the positive. Like, hey, maybe I'm not getting the results I want, you know, but I'm working. I'm working hard. And, you know, as long as you work hard and you grind and you. And you motivate yourself and you stay, you know, keep that momentum. You don't have to be hard on yourself. You know, you're doing the best you can. Tay - 28:46 And I think that having each other, like, for us at least, is good, because, you know, sometimes it might take a while for us to come out and say, hey, like, you know, I'm just feeling super down. Sometimes I feel like this career, like, just hasn't moved anywhere in a while. And. But, you know, having you know each other to say, like, but we're working hard, we're good, we're gonna be okay no matter what. So, yeah, I mean, obviously in anything, you got discouraged, but it's just important to keep moving, keep. Keep your head up. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 29:20 That's. That's a very thoughtful answer. Again, I think what I'm getting and the trend of this conversation really, is just how both of you mean to each other and how that affects your music and the quality of the music and how that just carries through in your lives. Would I be right to say that? Speaker 2 - 29:43 Yeah, 100%. I think at the end of the day, it's just like, Jesse and I are so blessed to have each other, especially in this career, because I think, like, even when were in school, and it kind of goes the same way when you're in school and something gets really hard or you're. Whatever it is, a career, school, a job, it's kind of just like, if something gets really hard, sometimes you feel really alone. But I think the thing about Jess and I is, like, we always have each other, so it's just really nice. Speaker 2 - 30:15 Like, at the end of the day, if we're feeling really down or, like, at the end of a show, like, we have each other to go to, so we're really lucky in that way that we always have each other to go to, especially about music, especially about our career. It's the most important thing. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 30:29 Yeah, that's, again, that's just beautiful. So I just love that sense of camaraderie and just friendship and relationship. I think it's beautiful. What? What? Again, this question almost sounds like very grandiose, and, you know, we can hardly see into the future, but if everything was to work out as you have envisioned, where do you see this all going? Like, what do you want this to be in some fve, 10 years and all of that? Tay - 31:02 I think for us, like, our goal is just to, you know, in a couple of years, to have, like, a consistent following, you know, be able to live off of our music. Like, right now, we both have, you know, side jobs and day jobs, so we can support ourselves, get into the studio and do what we do because it's an expensive career to have and to maintain. So I think that just, you know, getting to the point where, you know, we're able to do music full time is really our goal and just to feel that security with. With the career that we've chosen. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 31:43 Okay. I've asked this question. I can't count how many times I've asked it, but that answer is just one of the realest answer I've gotten. You know, being able to do it full time as a goal. I think a lot of artists, not just musicians and all of that, but a lot of artists are trying to get there, and it's just beautiful the way you've answered it, you know, to give some kind of realness to that part of this whole endeavor. Tay - 32:13 Yeah, Yeah. I mean, I think that, you know, of course we'll always be passionate about music. That will never change, but at the end of the day, it is a career, and to really be able to do it the way we want to do it, you know, we have to have that. That kind of lifestyle for sure. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 32:36 No, it's beautiful. It's beautiful. Could you. Could you tell us where we can. We can fnd your stuff? Just before I let you girls go, just tell us where we can fnd your stuff, what's coming up next and what we should be looking forward to. Speaker 2 - 32:50 Yeah, of course. So you guys can fnd us on Instagram. It's essentayofcial. We post a lot on there. Everything we post on there goes to our Facebook, which is essentay Music. We also have a website. It's just jessantay.com. Yeah, we'll be releasing another single soon, hopefully later this summer. If Everything works out, and then we'll have a new EP coming out later this year. So, yeah, just look out for that. We're just really excited to keep the ball rolling, put out new music for you guys. We have a lot of songs that we're looking to work on, and we're just so excited to share our music. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 33:27 You never thought you'd perform this much online until the virus hit, but how has that informed music as an art form? And what do you think about everybody going online and the platform right now? Tay - 33:40 I think that it is. It's really amazing what everyone's doing. I think everyone is really just stepping up to the challenge. You know, when you do a live show, you know how it's going to sound. You can put the EQ on your. Your microphone, you know what your guitar is going to sound like. You know, you make it sound pretty when you play through a computer or a webcam microphone, and you don't know what it's going to sound like. And it's raw and it's real. And I think that everyone's really stepping up to the plate. And it's been hard for us because we don't live together, so we've been able to do a couple together, social distancing. But, yeah, I think it's really cool. And I think it's just. Everyone is. Speaker 2 - 34:28 Just. Tay - 34:29 I guess they're just going with the circumstance. I mean, everyone is just doing the best that they can during this time. And I think it's great to see it. Speaker 2 - 34:37 I think it's really also nice just for music in general to kind of just step back and, like, have the lights and the fog and, you know, like, everything that you do on stage and just kind of like, strip it down and, like, have people realize, like, what it actually takes and what goes into a song. Because I guess when you listen to music on Spotify and you listen to music when you're out at a bar or you go to a concert, it's just like so many fashing lights and cameras and all that kind of stuff. And it just kind of like, sometimes takes away from the authenticity of the songs themselves. Right. And of just what the music means. Speaker 2 - 35:18 So I think right now is just like a really good time for music just to take a step back and have people that might not have really appreciated or took the time to listen to just kind of like, recognize the hard work and recognize the beauty behind lyrics and behind just musicality. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 35:41 No, that's an interesting way to put it. And with the lockdown and everything that's happened so far, personally. Now this is question to both of you. What have you learned about yourself? It's been a really difcult time for the world in general, but personal level, you know, the community at large has learned a whole lot of things. But what have you learned about yourself, either creatively or personally? Tay - 36:09 I think that I've just learned, you know, during this quarantine, I've been trying to, you know, make a healthier lifestyle. Whether that just be waking up earlier in the morning, having a whole day. I mean, I do go to work nine to fve every day, but, you know, making an effort to just, you know, have a more energetic lifestyle, write more and just appreciate that I have a gift, appreciate that I have, you know, music because sometimes when you're in the swing of it, you know, I don't take the time to sit down for a few hours and, you know, really write a song. But during this time I've been able to sit down and just play on my guitar and not have any expectation, which has been really amazing. Tay - 36:54 So I think just, you know, going back to appreciating this God given ability that I have and taking advantage of it while I can. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 37:06 Awesome. Tay? Speaker 2 - 37:07 Yeah, I totally agree with what Jesse said. I think part of what I'm kind of trying to do is just like not being so hard on myself. I think a lot of us, like right now is a good time to just take a step back and realize, like, even if you're not being productive or even if you're not doing something every second of every day, like it's okay to just kind of like deal with your own, like mental health or just anything like that. I think it's kind of been a nice time to take a step back right now. And like Jesse said about music, like, it's also good to just like do it on our own. Like, I feel like sometimes before when we're kind of in the swing of things, we're just doing it because we have to sometimes. Speaker 2 - 37:46 And then it just gets into that mode and then sometimes you're not as creative or like Jesse and I said earlier, like, sometimes we're kind of hard on ourselves and we feel super down. But I think that's also because we don't take that time to just realize like we have a gift and we're trying to share it with people and we don't have to force ourselves to create or to do something all the time. Like if we want to do it, we'll do it. If we have an idea, like, just let it fow kind of thing. And I think sometimes when we're just in the swing of it with work and with music all at the same time, it just, like, gets a lot. Speaker 2 - 38:19 So I think this has been a really good time for us both just to take a step back and realize, like, what our priorities are and where we feel most comfortable just kind of letting things happen. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 38:30 Absolutely. Absolutely. It's been a. It's been a tough time for, you know, very few people know when. When we're gonna get really back into the swing of things. But I am thankful for technology. I'm thankful for people and artists like yourself who are, you know, giving themselves and performing and doing what they can during this time. Jess and Tay, it's been a pleasure to have you here. The reason I asked you girls here, because I'm a true fan of your music, and I will continue to be so until I see you perform in person. I would love to. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 39:08 Like I said when we frst got together on the open mic, I'd really love to come out to your gig when this is all over and pass us, but it's just been a fantastic time to chat with you to know more, a little bit more about your story. And I just look forward to see where all of this is going. I'm gonna be picked out a good series, and I'm going to be watching you girls go. Go even higher, of course. Tay - 39:35 Thank you so much. Speaker 2 - 39:36 Yeah. Thank you so much. It truly means a lot to hear those words because even now, it's really hard to just, like, kind of think that people are still listening or still, like, appreciating. So thank you so much for having us. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 39:48 Really appreciate it any, anytime. Thank you so much. We'll keep talking, but for now, I'm going to let your girls go. Thank you so much for coming on the show. We are fans of your music and we'll keep supporting you. Tay - 40:02 Thank you so much. Have an amazing rest of your week and weekend. And thank you again for having us on. Speaker 2 - 40:10 Thank you so much. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 40:11 All right now. Take care now. Bye bye. Speaker 2 - 40:14 You too. Tay - 40:14 You too. Bye bye. Efe Mike-Ifeta - 40:16 And that's our show today. We are working hard to bring you brand new shows now if you love today's show episode, kindly share with a friend or better yet, search for us the talent next door on all major streaming platforms like and then subscribe. It will help us be seen and heard by a lot more people. Until our next show, it's bye for now.