“FOR the first six years of my life, I was in tour buses, airports and hotel rooms all over the world,” rocker Jesse Clegg tells me as we chat over the telephone. As the son of Johnny Clegg, one can only expect this of Jesse’s childhood. But the constant moving and exposure to this type of environment has shaped his career as a musician and made him who is today.
“Yeah, I grew up on tour with my dad so I had to take it all in and go to live concerts, listening to it and dancing and internalising everything that I love today. It was also a difficult upbringing in a way because often my family was separated for a while and there was a lot of unpredictability and it can take a toll on a family unit just because of its constant uncertainty and movement.”
As part of his national tour, Clegg is heading to our sunny shores at the end of the month for an intimate performance at the Southern Sun Maharani’s Sky venue. Here, audiences can enjoy sounds from his two albums, When I Wake Up and Life on Mars.
“We’re gonna be playing an acoustic set and it’s exciting because it allows us to talk to the audience and share with them stuff about how the songs were written.
“It’s an intimate show with a lot of jamming as well as new songs. We’ll be playing one or two covers so it’s a varied show and it’s been reinterpreted to work in an acoustic format, in a new light,” he adds.
On his latest single, Sinking, Clegg says it’s about going through experiences of doubt: “And having to challenge their own world beliefs. Everyone goes through something that they believe in so strongly and it’s suddenly challenged.
“It doesn’t have to be a negative experience. Having that challenge makes you grow and it’s a choice you make, whether to accept the truth or not. So the song is about that doubt and challenge.”
A few years back Clegg seemed to be the name on everyone’s lips and kind of laid low until now. I ask him what he’s been up to in the interim.
“Well, the last 18 months I spent a huge amount of time overseas. I was in the States, in New York, for the last six months last year and I also just got back from my UK tour. Also, I produced my album in Toronto so I spent a lot of time overseas, working on my profile there at the same time. It’s always difficult trying to juggle it both there and here in SA.
“But SA is my home and I’m looking forward to playing in Durban. For me, music is an outlet and a form of expression. It’s an amazing way to communicate words and ideas and connect people and it’s also been a huge part of my life and upbringing.”
At the moment, the 26-year-old musician says he is working on the production side of things and lots of new material.
“We’re looking at releasing the new album next year. I’m also looking forward to a national tour – like, 40 shows lined up across the country. So just constantly writing and performing and keep the fires burning,” he laughs.
• Don’t miss Jesse Clegg at the Southern Sun Maharani, Sky Venue on October 31 at 7pm. Tickets are R350 at Computicket and includes a welcome drink.