Q&A: JESS BALL IS BLENDING VULNERABILITY WITH DANCE FLOOR ENERGY ON NEW SINGLES “OVER YOU” AND “NIGHTMARE”
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY DANY MIRELES ☆
Photo By Charlie Barton
“I FEEL LIKE MY SOUND IS BECOMING MORE AUTHENTHIC TO ME” — With “Over You” and “Nightmare,” Jess Ball is redefining what it means to fuse emotional storytelling with dance-driven production. The rising artist’s latest single showcases evolution, combining drum and bass elements with dance-pop energy, all while staying rooted to heartfelt lyricism.
Since signing with Project Melody, Jess Ball has found new creative freedom, exploring the intersection of high-energy music with rawness. In an interview with The Luna Collective, we dive deep into the inspiration behind these tracks and how her new EP will continue to push boundaries in the industry.
Photo By Charlie Barton
LUNA: How has signing with a London-based label influenced your career and sound?
BALL: Signing with Project Melody has allowed me to tap into my love for music genres such as hip-hop and dance-pop. I have always loved UK Rap and R&B, so signing with a UK label has allowed me to work with like-minded people who share the same interests.
LUNA: “Over You” has a dance-pop feel with drum and bass elements. What inspired this direction?
BALL: I feel like there is a divide when it comes to whether someone likes drum and bass or not, but I have personally always loved it. Incorporating drum and bass elements into a dance-pop track emphasizes the beauty of drum and bass and is better received by those who don't tend to appreciate the genre.
LUNA: How did you approach balancing emotional vulnerability with a dancefloor-ready sound?
BALL: I think it is important to be emotionally vulnerable when writing songs because it is where the best songs stem from! To me, emotional vulnerability is something to be celebrated, and the dance floor-ready sound emphasizes the beauty in opening up and letting the world know how you feel. Although “Over You” is an emotional song, it’s also about growth and moving on from something that no longer serves you, which I think is perfectly represented by the pop sound of the track.
LUNA: Between “Nightmare” and “Over You,” your sound is evolving—how do you feel you’ve grown as an artist?
BALL: Working on my new EP has been an enriching experience for me as an artist. With each song, I feel like my sound is becoming more authentic to me and it feels like it’s growing more natural and organic. I don't focus on a sound or genre I want to create or fit the mold of; instead, it is starting to flow out and take its shape. I am loving what we have been creating!
LUNA: What was the creative process like in the studio for both of these songs?
BALL: I wrote both songs on acoustic guitar and then took voice recordings of them to my extremely talented producer, Richy Sebastian. We are always keeping up to date with the sounds and songs we've been loving lately and like to incorporate elements of what we've been listening to in the tracks. Usually, Richy will lay down a rough idea for the production, and I will record in the booth in its early stages. We then build the track around what we've laid down and add things as we go.
LUNA: Can you walk us through the songwriting process for “Nightmare?” Did the melody or lyrics come first?
BALL: I prefer to figure out the melody of my songs before the lyrics because I think that the melody of a song is extremely important to set the scene for what lyrics will fit into it. From my experience, I have found that lyrics do not translate as well if they've been written without the context of their melody. So, for “Nightmare” I figured out the chords I wanted to use, and then the melody started to take shape, followed by the lyrics.
LUNA: This will be your first EP—what can you tell us about it?
BALL: I am extremely excited to release my EP! It reflects my musical interests while maintaining a pop undertone. You'll hear influences from indie rock through to dance-pop, creating a refreshing sound I hope you will love just as much as I do!
LUNA: Can we expect more dance-driven production on the EP, or will it explore different sounds?
BALL: The EP is an insight into the new musical direction I am taking. Stepping away from electronic dance music and into a more indie-pop sound. I have experimented with lots of different styles of music to create my unique sound. There is not one genre that I would label the EP as, but rather a combination of multiple.
LUNA: How do you want your fans to feel when they listen to your music?
BALL: I want my fans to feel like they can relate to my music. I think the songs that stick with me most are the ones I can sympathize with. There are certain songs that I listen to that don't even have lyrics, but they make me feel something when I listen to them. I want to have this connection with my fans and to let them know that there are other people out there going through and feeling the same things they do every single day.
LUNA: Has your sound evolved since your debut in 2020? Is there any genre you’d love to experiment with in the future?
BALL: My sound has definitely evolved as I have edged away from the dance music scene in that I have become a little more experimental with melodies and lyrics. I would love to experiment more with rock in the future and see what kind of indie-pop hybrid we would be capable of creating!
LUNA: What message do you have for your fans as you enter this new chapter?
BALL: I would say to expect a lot more experimentation in the future and see this exploration of different sounds as something that will define my unique sound.
LUNA: What’s next for you? Any touring or live performances we can expect from you?
BALL: There’s a lot more to come! I can’t wait to release my EP and continue creating, experimenting, and working with my team on upcoming surprises. Stay tuned, and thanks for listening.
