Artist Spotlight – Jess Moskaluke
We had the chance to catch up with Canadian Country Music Singer/Songwriter Jess Moskaluke this winter on the heels of the release of her new single ‘Life For Me’ which came out January 24th, 2025.
Known for her powerful voice and pop infused hooks, ‘Life For Me’ offers a taste of her new music which is described as ‘elevated, personal, joyful, and full of spirited authenticity.’
The release of ‘Life With Me’ showcases just how versatile Moskaluke is as an artist. Known for country favourites ‘Cheap Wine and Cigarettes’, ‘Take Me Home’, ‘Kiss Me Quiet’, ‘Knock Off’ and her first number one ‘Country Girls’, Jess Moskaluke is a Country Force with multiple awards under her belt; 2017 JUNO Award winner for Country Album of the Year, multiple CCMA Awards – including Album of the Year (2018) and Female Artist of the Year (3X consecutive). Also a 2017 SOCAN Award winner, the 2020 WCM Award winner for Country Artist of the Year, and a 2024 Women In Music Canada Honours nominee for Artist of the Year – and she’s not slowing down!
I asked Jess to describe the vibe and sound of her new single in her own words and she said, ‘It definitely is a little bit of a fresh new sound for me. I know that your readers may not be familiar with my music yet, but a song that I’ve released in the past is one that I’m really proud of – it’s all about small town living – and I’ve been affectionately referring to ‘Life For Me’ as kind of a new version of ‘Map Dot’. Like if ‘Map Dot’ had like a cooler older sister that, you know, likes to party. It’s definitely a fun sound and, you know, I’ve been releasing music for a really long time, so it makes sense that these sounds would over the years kind of evolve and grow.’
When asked what song she might pick to introduce people to her sound, something that represents her as an artist, Jess answered ‘Well, I think that there would be a lot of different songs for a lot of different reasons. ‘Cheep Wine and Cigarettes’ is a song that has really introduced me to the world and has given me a really wide audience. I think that ‘Life For Me’, although I know it sounds cliché – because that’s the song that we’re here to talk about – is a really good representation of who I am, both of the person and as an artist, and I think that sonically it captures really well what I want to do and, you know, it kind of captures what it might feel like to be at a concert of mine, too.’
With her award winning success, I asked Moskaluke if she had, in her wildest dreams, dreamt of the success she has experienced. With a little chuckle Jess replied, ‘Not really! I feel like, you know, it’s such a weird thing, because I just love to do it, and that’s really what has changed my life. It was just something that I did until I had no time for anything else.
The places that music has taken me are so much bigger than what I ever could have even imagined! So, no, I really didn’t think it was possible.’
Jess says she came into her love for music around the age of 14/15; music for her started as any other hobby. Growing up in a small town in Saskatchewan, Canada, Jess says she took every opportunity that came her way to play her music – eventually these opportunities just kept getting bigger and bigger, until music was all she had time for.
When asked what she would be listening to on a long drive, she admits ‘Well, to answer that question truthfully, if we were on a long drive, we’d be listening to a lot of podcasts.
I as someone who does music for a living, maybe it’s seems a little counterintuitive, but sometimes I need a break from it because it’s all I do all day.’
I asked Jess if she thought being a Canadian has defined any part of her career, and whether she feels different being a Canadian in country music vs. an American artist – her reply, ‘That’s nuanced. It’s certainly for me affected my career because I’ve chosen to keep Canada my home. There’s not very many Canadian country artists that actually live in Canada. A lot live in Nashville, and I love creating and writing music there, I find it really inspiring, but I like to remove myself from it once in a while because I feel like there’s nothing to write about if all I’m ever doing and talking about and immersing myself in is music and work, you know, there’s life outside of that. I think that it’s important for me personally to explore and enjoy that life outside of music. It can be really hard to do because the music industry is not just music. It’s very much all encompassing of an artists life and story. So yeah, I would say that being Canadian has definitely affected and played a massive role in who I am and what I do.’
During Covid Moskaluke saw so many of her favourite Canadian boutique businesses struggling to make sales, and so she created her own gift box. Filled with Canadian brands and products all handpicked by her – and available on her website – Jess used her platform to give small business a leg up and chance of surviving the pandemic. Called ‘Handpicked By Jess’ the gift box was packed with surprises. When asked if she will bring back this fun collection, she said it may not happen in 2025, but that she has plans to continue this curated selection of Canadian favourites, so to keep an eye on her website.
For tour info and updates visit:
www.jessmoskaluke.com
