About Jessica Cotten

Musical Aesthetic in Five Words: Emotional. Spacious. Lyrical. Unexpected. Angry.

Title of Memoir: Spy At Heart: the Musician, Author, Herbalist, Teacher, and Project Manager Who Fooled Us All or Unclassifiable: Life Outside of Labels, or Zig Zag: Doing What You Love and Not Fitting Into Expected Patterns. PICK ONE.

Silliest Secret Behavior: When I was a kid, I regularly sang into my hairbrush in front of the mirror to Mariah Carey and Celine Dion. But I’m not sure that’s classified as anything but totally normal? As an adult, my silliest secret behavior is probably breaking into opera on random phrases. Operatizing, you might say?

Most likely to: Sniff out the bullshit from a mile away.

Favorite place to buy music: I’m completely digital, so Tidal because they pay artists better than any of the other platforms. Never Spotify, which feels treacherous to say as someone who has faithful listeners on Spotify. It’s a tough tension to hold – how Spotify as a company robs from artists (here is one example) but how they also provide a place for people to find independent artists like me. Where I’m landing now is I’m grateful to the people who find me there, and I’m not going to tell people what to do, but I’m personally not giving my money to Spotify; I’m instead giving it to the places where more of it goes to the actual artist. Bandcamp, the artist’s own website, and Tidal are good options for me.

Music that shaped you: In my teens: The Cranberries, Pearl Jam, U2, Tori Amos, Tom Petty, and Sting. Later it was Coldplay, Imogen Heap. Lately, some artists that have been shaping me are Emily King, Ane Brun, Laura Mvula, and Ionna Lee.

Books that shaped you: When I was a kid, I devoured the Babysitters Club and Nancy Drew series. I didn’t think about it back then, but now as an adult I realize that each of those series shaped me by portraying strong, independent, smart, entrepreneurial females who were trying to make things better for themselves and their friends. They solved problems, made mistakes, and learned from their mistakes.

Instrumental music or music with vocals: Can I say both? If I’m listening to music while I work, it’s instrumental. If I’m working out or driving around, it’s with vocals.

Print, ebook, or audiobook? Ebook.

Blog, vlog, or podcast? Podcasts!

Favorite podcasts, then? Currently, there are a few: The Other 22 Hours, Sodajerker on Songwriting, Unlocking Us, Wiser Than Me, and Dish.