Jessica Gélinas: 'Stay true to who we are and create unapologetically.'
‘At the end of the day, your well-being matters most, and when you really take care of yourself, that’s when you’ll be able to create the work you’re truly most proud of.’
Montreal native Jessica Gelinas has cultivated a multi-faceted career as a singer, songwriter, and producer. With features on anime and video game soundtracks, including League of Legends and Jujutsu Kaisen, as well as her own R&B solo endeavours, Gelinas’ creativity is driven by an early passion for performance and supported by a diverse musical education.
‘My journey in music started when I was about five. I begged my mom to let me take piano lessons after I heard a family friend playing a classical piece,’ she recalls. ‘I thought the performance was so touching and beautiful, I had to learn how to do that. I guess from that moment I knew I wanted to pursue a path in music.’
As a child, Gelinas pursued a wide range of artistic endeavors. Her studies began with classical piano, quickly expanding to jazz vocals, playing bass clarinet in an orchestra, and even briefly taking cello lessons. ‘When I turned 16, I started my studies at Berklee College of Music in Boston,’ says Gelinas. ‘Starting anew in America, that’s where I met so many talented musicians whom I really look up to, and where I discovered many sounds I had never heard before.’
‘Being surrounded by such a strong creative community really helped shape my own sound and style, while I built foundational skills in production and engineering. In 2019, I released my first single, which was followed by seven independently released singles, culminating in my debut album, RSVP. After I graduated, I moved to New York for a year, where I interned at a studio for a couple of weeks. I was in awe of the artists recording there, but I also realized that the traditional studio path wasn’t for me.’
Driven to keep creating, she explored freelance work that allowed her to continue her own artist project. This led to her finding success writing and recording music for media, including film, TV shows, and commercials. A series of professional events eventually brought Gelinas to Los Angeles, and in her current environment, she continues to write and sing for media while focusing on content creation and songwriting for artists she loves.
This passion for music making hasn’t been in vain. One defining career moment that stands out in Gelinas’ mind was the release of her first single. ‘I remember being so afraid that it wasn’t good enough and feeling like I was really putting myself out there. But once I finally released it, it felt so good, almost like a sense of relief. I had worked so hard on that first song and put everything I had into the project.
After it came out, I started receiving messages from strangers saying they related to the song, or that it had made their difficult day a little better. That was the moment I realized that music can truly connect people. It made me understand that I’m not alone in what I feel, and that if my music can help even one person out there feel less alone, that’s something really special.’
Inspirations and influences
Gelinas cites a range of soul and R&B artists who have influenced her sound, including D’Angelo, H.E.R., Raye, Jorja Smith, Kali Uchis, Lily Allen, Musiq Soulchild, Daniel Caesar, Sabrina Claudio, and SZA. ‘I remember hearing D’Angelo’s Really Love for the first time and spending so much time studying his harmonies. They’re so uniquely his and make you feel something deep and personal. What I love about these artists is their authenticity and honesty in their music, and their lack of fear when it comes to being different.’
Over the years, Gelinas’ musical style has changed significantly, and she credits this to the new skills and tools she has acquired and incorporated into her songwriting process, including instruments like the Seaboard. ‘I’ve noticed a big difference in my production style. It unlocked a creative aspect I didn’t even know I could explore before. The versatility of the sound design in Equator2, combined with the MPE capabilities of the Seaboard, has given me more freedom of expression in my production, and that has definitely changed the sonic identity of my music.’
Speaking on her songwriting process, writing with a piano is essential. ‘I mostly start playing around on my upright piano. My boyfriend and I got this piano a few years ago for $150 on Craigslist; it’s a 1922 grand upright, and it’s my most prized possession. There’s something so special and nostalgic about playing acoustic. That piano sounds amazing and has been the start of all of my recent songs.’
After writing and capturing ideas with a voice memo at the piano, Gelinas takes the idea to the studio and starts building tracks with the Seaboard. ‘I love the possibilities the MPE allows, manipulating sound in real-time. I used to sing and record instrument track ideas, but now I like to find a sound first, and the Seaboard allows me to track an instrument that can bend like a voice. That’s definitely been a game-changer in the creative process for me.’
Gelinas’ songs are drawn from personal life experiences and the people around her. This inspiration is not necessarily lyrical but rooted in the feelings she wants to express and melodies that naturally come from within. ‘Sometimes it’s a specific feeling I want to express, but the lyrics can be an aftermath of the sonic experience,’ she explains. ‘I think I write/create instinctively, and subconsciously find inspiration in a lot of little things around me. So sometimes I will hear a whole song in my dream and wake up at 3 AM singing the idea into my voice memo so I don’t forget it.’
Somewhat echoing the Seaboard’s sonic flexibility, Gelinas’ voice has featured in soundtracks for anime like Jujutsu Kaisen and even appears in the gaming world through League of Legends, as well as releasing music that leans more towards the pop and R&B genres. We wanted to know more about how she first started working with more fantasy, animation, and gaming-oriented music, and how that influences her songwriting process.
‘When I was studying in college, I took a Remix class with an incredible musician, Yuki Kanesaka, and he gave me my first anime opportunity after graduation,’ she recalls. ‘He brought me on the Jujutsu Kaisen 0 project, and that was my first time singing on not only a project of that caliber but a movie. I remember hearing my voice in a cinema in New York, and I couldn’t believe it. It was such a magical experience, and I fell in love with session singing. The genres for these kinds of projects vary a lot, but I truly enjoy singing all kinds of music; it almost feels like acting. I’m a horrible actress, so this is my version of it! I have since that moment pursued more and more sync, film, and game projects.’
‘When I’m writing for my own artist project, I don’t write to a specific genre, so I do find myself inspired by the fantasy, animation, or game-oriented music I work on,’ Gelinas continues. ‘It might be as simple as incorporating long ethereal background vocals or ad-libs, but in a more R&B/Pop setting, it will create a different kind of ambience versus in a fantasy soundtrack. At the same time, I believe that this could also be an element that makes my track sound like me.’
The power of community in modern music-making
‘This year has been really transformative. I have seen many great women musicians finally be celebrated for their work, especially in roles like producers or engineers that were, and still are, predominantly male,’ says Gelinas. When she considers her position as a female songwriter, she’s keenly aware of the disparity in representation for female talent. ‘As a songwriter collaborating with many talented writers, I recently took part in all-female or female-led sessions, and it was incredibly empowering. This definitely needs to be highlighted so much more. These women are setting a powerful example, not only pursuing their own ambitions in their music careers but also uplifting their peers along the way. When women support each other, share opportunities, and create space for one another, it’s a win for everyone.’
Gelinas has always had a strong interest in music engineering and production, both of which are still very male-dominated roles in the industry. Despite the progress made for women in the music industry, challenges persist for those working as producers, songwriters, and performers. ‘As someone with a more timid personality, I’ve sometimes found myself in situations where people didn’t expect me to have certain technical knowledge or experience in those areas,’ Gelinas recalls. ‘At times, it felt like my presence in those roles came as a surprise, which can be kind of discouraging. I hope that over time, it becomes less unusual to see women in these positions, because there are so many incredibly talented women contributing both to the technical and creative sides of music.’
In the face of these challenges, Gelinas finds motivation in hoping that she can help pave the way for others like her and enact positive change. ‘If these challenges are addressed, they can set an example and create more opportunities for future women creators in the industry. Knowing that the work we do today might make things easier for the next generation is a really powerful motivation for me.’
‘I would love to see songwriters, producers, and audio engineers receive more consistent and fair compensation for the time and effort they invest in creating music,’ says Gelinas. ‘Writing sessions require a lot of creativity and collaboration, yet so many songwriters work long hours without any guarantee that their work will be released or compensated. Recognizing the value of that creative labor would make the industry more sustainable and allow more writers to build realistically long-lasting careers.’
Creating unapologetically: Essential advice and exciting new horizons
When asked what advice she would offer to aspiring songwriters in the industry today, the producer’s message is clear: authenticity and self-care are top priority. She emphasizes the importance of staying authentic to oneself and trying not to focus too much on how other people in the industry might perceive you. ‘At the end of the day, your well-being matters most, and when you really take care of yourself, that’s when you’ll be able to create the work you’re truly most proud of.’
Reflecting on her own journey, she wishes she had not spent so much time worrying about external perceptions, calling the feeling "a little silly" in retrospect. ‘We pursue a career in a field like this exactly because we have something to say and have a unique way of expressing it. That’s why it’s so important to stay true to who we are and create unapologetically!’
Our conversation then turned to upcoming releases and plans, revealing a packed schedule for the rest of the year. One of Gelinas’ New Year’s resolutions was to dedicate more time this year to her project and release a couple of singles later this year. Beyond her solo work, fans can look forward to new material in unexpected arenas. ‘There are also some projects in the anime and gaming space that will be released that I’m really excited about. I’m also dedicating a lot more time to collaborating with other artists, and I can’t wait to see what comes from those sessions. Stay tuned!’
Discover more from Jessica Gelinas on her Instagram.
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