Artist
Jess Glynne
Why we feature this artist A strong voice with a rhythm to meet Jess Glynne’s voice has the kind of grain that can give a polished dance record a person to recognise. The notes are firmly placed, but the delivery keeps some roughness inside its brightness. Tha…
- From
- United Kingdom
- Sound
- Pop, R&B, dance, soul
- Active
- 2013–present
Start with the music
Tracks to explore
The artist, in context
The story of Jess Glynne
Why we feature this artist
A strong voice with a rhythm to meet
Jess Glynne’s voice has the kind of grain that can give a polished dance record a person to recognise. The notes are firmly placed, but the delivery keeps some roughness inside its brightness. That quality made her early featured appearances unusually memorable and gave the later solo songs a clear point of continuity.
The collaborations before the album
Clean Bandit’s “Rather Be” and Route 94’s “My Love” brought Glynne to a broad audience in 2014. The productions have different textures, yet the voice performs a similar useful task in each: it gives the rhythm a melodic centre with enough character to survive a busy arrangement.
The solo single “Right Here” belongs to the same first chapter. It makes the singing easier to follow as the main subject of the track, while retaining the physical pull of a dance-oriented backing. The rhythm remains important even when the artist’s own name takes the headline.
The solo songs find a larger frame
I Cry When I Laugh appeared in 2015, with “Hold My Hand” and “Don’t Be So Hard on Yourself” offering particularly immediate introductions. The songs place direct, reassuring sentiments inside arrangements that give the vocal plenty of lift. The rough edge in the tone helps keep the emotion from becoming too smooth.
Always in Between followed in 2018, extending the solo catalogue through songs including “I’ll Be There” and “Thursday”. The musical through-line is the balance between a recognisable voice and a rhythm that gives the melody somewhere to travel. Glynne’s best moments do not depend on holding the largest note for the longest time. A short phrase, firmly placed against the groove, can establish the character of the whole record.
Essential releases
Right Here
The early solo single keeps the dance-floor connection in focus.
I Cry When I Laugh
The full solo introduction, with several of the defining early songs.
Always in Between
A broader continuation of the melodic and vocal approach.