“They get behind their own, so I’m glad to have them behind me”
At number one in Ireland and number eight and climbing in the UK, Jazzy is reaching new heights with her music and nothing can stop her.
The 26-year-old is dominating the charts, and it seems that everyone in Ireland is listening to her hit single.
Fans will be queuing up in droves for the multiple festivals she is lined up for this year – and it’s only the start for this rising star.
Taking the time to chat with Her.ie, Jazzy arrived on set as if she wasn’t the most important woman in the room. Immediately, she was just like everyone else – as if reaching number one is something that could happen to anyone.
Chatting away, cracking jokes and hugging us all, she immediately felt like one of the Her team.
Jazzy has an aura about her, she’s exactly like her music – lively, bubbly and great craic.
As she sat in the makeup chair opposite me, serious business began and you could instantly feel the passion she has for music and her career.
With the entire country behind her, Jazzy said it is this level of support in recent months that spurs her on and is the reason she continues to produce more and more music.
She said: “It feels surreal and also amazing, because obviously that’s what the Irish people do. They get behind their own so I’m glad to have them behind me.”
If for some reason you missed the viral video, Jazzy headed to a pub donned in an Irish flag when her single went to the number one spot and bought each person a drink.
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While it was a nice gesture and made for a great video, there was a deeper meaning behind it and something very close to her heart – giving back to the people who got her to the top of the charts.
After buying a round of drinks for everyone in a local pub, Jazzy made a surprise appearance in a Dublin nightclub as a separate thank you to her fans.
She said: “When I came back to Ireland after the song went number one, I went into Tramline and did an impromptu performance just because. They were buzzing.”
Growing up
When Jazzy attended school at St Agnes’ Primary School on Armagh Road in Crumlin, she was given free violin lessons and she credits this as the reason she is a musician today.
She thanked the school initiative, The Music Project, as the sole reason she has been so successful. The initiative was established in 2006 by Sister Bernadette Sweeney, former principal at St Agnes’ Primary School, and Dr Joanna Crooks, former director of the National Youth Orchestra and aimed to give students at St Agnes’ and Scoil Colm the opportunity to have access to classical music.
Through this, the school raised funds to purchase 30 violins and led to the creation of the St Agnes’ and Scoil Colm School Orchestra. The project saw each class being given weekly violin lessons by volunteer music teachers.
The 26-year-old said: “It’s had such a big impact on me now that I’d say it’s very important, I feel like every school should have that opportunity for kids to do stuff like that because I honestly don’t know if I’d be doing music right now if it wasn’t for that.
“Because I had done so many years there I just had an ear for music and even though I went in to a different type of music, that would have helped me do what I’m doing now.”
If you’re hoping to catch Jazzy live over the coming months, you’re in luck because the songstress will be playing several festivals across the country.
When we spoke to Jazzy, she was gearing up to perform at Forbidden Fruit and jokingly, she revealed that there may be a violin involved, giving Lizzo and her flute a run for their money.
Following her performance at the festival, it was reported that there were massive crowds of people cheering Jazzy on from outside the tent she was playing in as it was at complete capacity – only showing the magnitude of her immediate success.
Behind the lyrics
Giving Me is a song all about taking the hurt from past relationship and moving on, thriving and becoming a better version of yourself.
With such a powerful message, it’s one Jazzy never wants people to forget and something she stands by in her own life.
She said: “I feel like that was just a story for me that happened to me but at the same time, a lot of girls have had that story and went through the same things. It’s definitely open to your own interpretation as well. When you’re singing it, it’s kind of like your own story.
“Look after yourself, you’re number one. Always good, happy vibes, I don’t want to bring anyone down.”
Love Island
With her EP due to be released by the end of the year, and as she is well on her way to stardom, there was one burning question I had left.
I had absolutely no evidence to back this up or reason to believe it was happening, but Jazzy being the superstar she is, completely rolled with it.
Each year on Love Island, there is a surprise music act and when I listened to Jazzy for the first time, I thought she would be a perfect choice.
I asked her if she’d ever do it – if given the opportunity – and Jazzy said: “Absolutely, 100%. I would, definitely. I’m not going to lie, it popped into my head when I saw the promo.”
If Jazzy steps out in the villa – remember you heard it here first.
