Jessie Ware

Jessica Lois Ware was born on October 15, 1984, in Hammersmith, London, and grew up in Clapham. She attended Alleyn’s School, where she was a schoolmate of Florence Welch and Jack Peñate. After high school, she pursued her education at the University of Sussex, earning a degree in English literature. Her early career involved various roles, including working as a journalist for The Jewish Chronicle and The Daily Mirror, and behind the scenes at Love Productions. These experiences provided a foundation before her entry into the music industry.

Ware’s musical journey began by providing backing vocals for artists such as Jack Peñate and Man Like Me. Her collaboration with SBTRKT on ‘Nervous’ in 2010 marked an early milestone, followed by ‘Valentine’ with Sampha in 2011, released on special-edition vinyl. These collaborations helped her secure a record deal with PMR Records. Her debut solo single, ‘Strangest Feeling,’ was released in limited form in October 2011. This period of foundational work and collaborations established her presence in the music scene and set the stage for her solo career.

Her debut album, ‘Devotion,’ released on August 20, 2012, was a significant turning point, peaking at number five on the UK Albums Chart and earning a Mercury Prize nomination. Subsequent albums, ‘Tough Love’ (2014) and ‘Glasshouse’ (2017), also achieved top ten positions in the UK. In 2018, Ware diversified her career by launching the ‘Table Manners’ podcast with her mother, which gained considerable popularity. Her fourth album, ‘What’s Your Pleasure?’ (2020), received critical acclaim and reached number three in the UK. Her fifth album, ‘That! Feels Good!’ (2023), debuted at number three in the UK and sixteen on the US Top Album Sales chart, further cementing her status as a commercially and critically successful artist. Ware has also actively engaged in philanthropy, serving as a UNICEF UK ambassador and participating in charity initiatives like Band Aid 30 and Artists for Grenfell.