Artist Profile: Jessy Lanza

Jessy Lanza is a singular voice in contemporary electronic music, known for blending ethereal vocals, intricate synth textures, and a deeply personal yet experimental approach to pop. Her sound is simultaneously accessible and musically adventurous, making her a standout artist who transforms vulnerability and complexity into shimmering, danceable art.

Growing up in Hamilton, Ontario, Lanza’s early musical foundation was shaped by classical piano and clarinet studies, followed by formal training in jazz performance at Concordia University in Montreal. This background in jazz and music theory deeply informs her songwriting and production style, giving her work a refined sophistication and a strong sense of melody layered with experimental sound design. Before fully pursuing her own music career, she worked as a music teacher, which speaks to her grounded relationship with music as both craft and communication.

Her musical evolution began in earnest with her debut album Pull My Hair Back (2013), co-produced with Jeremy Greenspan of Junior Boys and released on the UK’s influential Hyperdub label. The album was critically acclaimed, praised for its lush, futuristic R&B-inflected electronic sound and nominated for the Polaris Music Prize. Her subsequent albums Oh No (2016) and All the Time (2020) continued to explore the intersection of pop, R&B, and experimental electronica, with Oh No also earning a Polaris nomination. With each release, Lanza’s production grew more intricate and her lyrical themes more introspective and emotionally complex, addressing issues of isolation, identity, and resilience.

In 2023, she released Love Hallucination, an album that marks a significant chapter in her career as she relocated to Los Angeles. The record is a sonic homage to the city, blending lush electronic landscapes with her signature breathy vocals and nuanced songwriting. This move also brought new collaborations and an expanded artistic vision, emphasizing a more cinematic and expansive sound. Her work reflects a keen ability to marry experimental textures with pop sensibilities, making her a vital figure in contemporary electronic music who pushes boundaries without losing emotional accessibility.

Culturally, Jessy Lanza stands as a pioneering female producer and vocalist in a genre often dominated by male figures, contributing to a more diverse and inclusive electronic music landscape. Her music challenges traditional pop structures and embraces complexity, inspiring a new generation of artists and listeners who crave innovation paired with emotional honesty.

Looking ahead, Lanza continues to evolve artistically, with ongoing projects likely to further explore the blending of genres and multimedia collaborations. Her recent tours and creative partnerships signal a dynamic future, as she balances her roots in jazz and electronic music with a forward-looking vision that embraces both technological innovation and heartfelt storytelling. As she solidifies her place in the electronic music canon, Jessy Lanza remains an artist to watch for those interested in the cutting edge of pop and electronic artistry.