Currently building a devoted fanbase in the US, alternative rocker Jesse Clegg is a full-fledged star in his home country of South Africa.
As the son of iconic Afro-pop musician Johnny Clegg, he was primed to live the life of a career musician, and has already toured much of the world.
After the widespread acclaim of his first album, 2008’s When I Wake Up, his music caught the attention of three-time Grammy-winning producer David Bottrill (Muse, Tool, Placebo).
Clegg moved to Toronto for four months to work with Bottrill who produced his second album, Life on Mars. The album embodies a substantial musical leap forward for Clegg and showcases some of the more experimental moments of his songwriting.
His as-yet-untitled third album is in the works and expected to be released later this year.
We had the opportunity to sit down with Clegg before his show in Berkeley, CA to discuss his songs, influences, songwriting, gear and more.
You can watch two exclusive performances of the songs Clegg mentions in the interview – “Clarity” and “Today” – by clicking here.
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Acoustic Nation is written by Laura B. Whitmore, a music industry marketing veteran, music journalist and editor, who has contributed to Parade.com, Guitar World, and others. She has interviewed hundreds of musicians and hosts the She Rocks Podcast. As the founder of the Women’s International Music Network, she advocates for women in the music industry and produces the annual She Rocks Awards. She is the Senior Vice President of Marketing for Positive Grid, making the world safe for guitar exploration everywhere! A guitarist and singer/songwriter, Laura is currently co-writing an album of pop songs that empower and energize girls.
