Biography
Jupiter Rising took shape as a West Coast club outfit when Spencer Nezey joined forces with 8o Bug, who later stepped aside in 2007 for vocalist Jessie Payo. Gospel music formed the foundation of 8o Bug’s early experience; raised by missionary parents who roamed the South, she remained barred from secular sounds until she reached thirteen, yet the rigorous vocal discipline gained in church supplied an advantage few contemporaries could rival. Sacramento-born Spencer Nezey first picked up the saxophone in grade school and continued through successive jazz ensembles, later adding beat-boxing shaped by underground hip-hop and the eclectic palette of A Tribe Called Quest.
After leading a fleeting rock group, 8o Bug relocated to California and immersed herself in the region’s thriving dance community. A chance encounter brought her together with Nezey, already active on local stages via his hip-hop/reggae project the Beats and the funk-oriented Stereo Science. The pair quickly began shaping fresh material intended for the six-piece band 8o Bug had previously assembled, but Nezey’s contributions proved more durable than the existing repertoire, prompting the group’s dissolution and the decision to continue strictly as a duo. Their work soon drew the interest of Chime Records founder and producer Marc Tanner, who signed Jupiter Rising and ushered them into the studio.
Additional production from Jason Villaroman, known for his work with Black Eyed Peas and Macy Gray, helped finalize the self-titled debut issued in September 2006. The track “Go!” climbed to number 24 on the dance charts, expanded the act’s reach, and appeared in multiple films and advertisements, yet 8o Bug exited the following year, making room for Los Angeles native Jessie Payo. Payo had first honed her skills on the blues circuit as a teenager; European electronic acts such as the Knife and Daft Punk further colored her approach, allowing her to blend both strands within Jupiter Rising. The revised lineup surfaced on the 2007 album Electropop, whose restrained title track reached the Top 20 on dance charts. One year later the L.A. Girls/Tres Cool EP appeared, featuring two songs previously aired on MTV’s The Hills and offering early glimpses of the third album, The Quiet Hype, which followed in March 2009.
After leading a fleeting rock group, 8o Bug relocated to California and immersed herself in the region’s thriving dance community. A chance encounter brought her together with Nezey, already active on local stages via his hip-hop/reggae project the Beats and the funk-oriented Stereo Science. The pair quickly began shaping fresh material intended for the six-piece band 8o Bug had previously assembled, but Nezey’s contributions proved more durable than the existing repertoire, prompting the group’s dissolution and the decision to continue strictly as a duo. Their work soon drew the interest of Chime Records founder and producer Marc Tanner, who signed Jupiter Rising and ushered them into the studio.
Additional production from Jason Villaroman, known for his work with Black Eyed Peas and Macy Gray, helped finalize the self-titled debut issued in September 2006. The track “Go!” climbed to number 24 on the dance charts, expanded the act’s reach, and appeared in multiple films and advertisements, yet 8o Bug exited the following year, making room for Los Angeles native Jessie Payo. Payo had first honed her skills on the blues circuit as a teenager; European electronic acts such as the Knife and Daft Punk further colored her approach, allowing her to blend both strands within Jupiter Rising. The revised lineup surfaced on the 2007 album Electropop, whose restrained title track reached the Top 20 on dance charts. One year later the L.A. Girls/Tres Cool EP appeared, featuring two songs previously aired on MTV’s The Hills and offering early glimpses of the third album, The Quiet Hype, which followed in March 2009.
Albums
Falling Away (Trevor Simpson Remixes)
2009
The Quiet Hype
2009
Electropop Remix EP
2009
Wicked Remix EP
2009
ElectroPop
2007
Singles
