Tough Love

Jessie first entered our consciousness as a breath of fresh air amidst the then current climate of female pop back in 2012 with the release of her delicately soulful debut album Devotion which became one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the year, lauded by everyone from Pitchfork to Heat Magazine and nominated for the Mercury Prize. As a solo artist she was also nominated for two Brits in 2013 - Breakthrough and British Female. Ware also dazzled Kiwi audience when she appeared at Auckland's annual St Jerome's Laneway Festival in 2013.

The new album's executive producers are BenZel (a new production duo made up of PMR labelmate Two Inch Punch and super-producer Benny Blanco) and you can hear the leaps in production and songwriting that come with experiences post her debut and an expanded team. While the record still draws on the suave, svelte palette of synths and bass heard on Devotion, they're combined with more confident choruses and lush arrangements. Jessie's stunning vocal is brought to the fore.

"Tough Love" marks the beginning of Jessie Ware - not the backing singer or the club-track vocalist or the girl done good - but the star. "I can't keep going round going 'oh my god, this is happening.' I feel more confident and I think that shows on the record, even the way I deliver the vocals is more upfront. Being a singer is a fucking wicked job, but it's definitely my job now."