“Hell is right around the corner, but heaven is here with you.” Jessica Morale sings on her June 5th release of ‘Everything But You;’ an earthy, ethereal, topsy-turvy, appetent record that captures the essence of finding solace and love in the midst of emotional unrest and a rejection of the tumultuous and passionate eye of the human experience. This song, heralded by something darker than ourselves, symbolizes that while life may be full of challenges and difficulties, there are also moments of joy, peace, and happiness that can be found in the here and now. It serves as a reminder to cherish the here and now and hold onto hope tightly, even when everything else seems to be fortoken in affliction; unraveling in confusion of a six-hundred, threescore and six, sick scheme of an American dystopian nightmare. Lost souls sacrificing their sanity at the altar of the darker never-world.
With a wild and reckless advent, teen-pop slayer, Jessica Morale has outfits as almost as the devil has many names. For as stylish and incandescent as Morale is, has converted from her signature triple layered chain, punk padlock necklace and a dominatrix waist belt that is laced up in leather and spikes — blooms into a looming, optimistic flower girl, draped in all bohemian white; a little south of heaven but still a riling rebel at heart from her west of hell.
Fueled by an insatiable hunger and a brooding blood thirst for adventure, Jessica Morale bid farewell to her flip-flops for Dr. Martens, as she swapped the palm trees and sandy beach parties of Fort Lauderdale, Florida for the concrete, palm-lined jungle of gritty, glamorous Los Angeles, California. Microphone swinging, belting out songs with raw passion, Morale took the stage at the legendary Viper Room in L.A. The crowd erupted in cheers, hanging on her every word, and amidst all the madness, she couldn’t help but notice the tag still dangling from her bohemian groove fur coat; a small reminder of her journey to the heart of rock & roll. But despite the minor wardrobe malfunction, Morale’s killer performance was nothing short of electrifying. She owned the stage, commanding attention with every note and every move. It was clear that this was more than just a show — it was a statement, a declaration of her arrival as she finished her set to thunderous applause.
Material, it seems, is the heavy cross that every musical genius must bear. Jessica Morale had been sitting on this burden for a time. It’s a pain-popping withdrawal from her usual turnt, grisly sound, leaning more towards the bubbly, mainstream pop scene. But withal, it’s a raw and real release, straight from the depths of the pit of her stomachache. Everything But You is a love letter to those days when all she wanted was to escape. To disappear to a state of rapturous euphoria, with that one person who truly sees her for who she is. It’s a cry for understanding, a plea for connection in a world that often feels cold and indifferent. This record is Jessica Morale at her most vulnerable, baring it all for the world to see.
And in this song, these lyrics, they speak to the heart of a generation lost in a sea of chaos and confusion. The words drip with longing, with desire to escape from the madness that surrounds us. “Wanna stay in forever,” it cries out, a plea for respite from the harsh realities of life. First then comes the cigarette-style solutions that “Hell is right around the corner,” a reminder that no matter how hard we try to hide away, the inner darkness will always find us. And yet, there is hope in the form of another person, someone who brings Heaven into our lives. “But Heaven is here with you,” it proclaims, a declaration of love and salvation. The imagery of being “high up in the clouds” evokes a sense of freedom — like a flying sparrow from a birdcage tattooed on her left thigh; an empowering reminder to be fearless and untamed, ready to break free from the cages that society confines us in.
Jessica Morale’s look in this moment of time is a testament to her resilience and adaptability, a reminder that even a songstress rabble-rouser who has no respect for the status quo can find light in unexpected places. Her voice, raw and unapologetic, cuts through the noise like a knife. The way she carries herself, with a smitten swagger and a hint of mischief in her eyes, is like ill-lit watching a phoenix burnout only to be reborn from the ashes with a devilish grin.
And as she lies down, singing in her flowing white dress, “Hide in my sheets/Take my clothes off,” surrounded by the field of daisies, chaos and gaslight beauty of those who judge cause you sin differently than they do, it’s clear that she may have changed her outward appearance, but deep down Morale is still the same profanic, bad girl, running free and untamed in a world that could never truly contain her. Life is clouded by the overwhelming grief of losing a loved one, being stuck in an unhealthy relationship, facing a job loss, and battling a drug or alcohol related addiction with a habitual social media overload scroll. Despite these desolate times, love is the only thing that holds everything together. Jessica Morale hates everything else.
Add comment
Comments