Biography
Emerging from western Canada during the mid-2010s, Los Angeles-based Tobias Jesso, Jr. established himself as a Grammy-winning songwriter and solo artist whose music draws deeply from the '70s singer/songwriter tradition. Early tracks earned public praise from Adele and secured his first national television slot ahead of the 2015 release of his debut album, Goon, a collection defined by its heavyhearted tone. Although the record drew favorable responses, Jesso later thrived in a behind-the-scenes capacity, crafting and producing material for John Legend, P!nk, Adele, and Harry Styles. In 2023 he claimed the first-ever Grammy for Songwriter of the Year on the strength of his contributions to projects by the latter two artists plus FKA twigs, Omar Apollo, and Orville Peck.
Tobias MacDonald Jesso, Jr. entered the world in North Vancouver on July 11, 1985. In the mid-2000s he served as bassist for the local indie-rock outfit the Sessions before relocating with several bandmates to Los Angeles, where they briefly supported the young pop vocalist Melissa Cavatti. Once that venture stalled and he remained unsure of his own vocal capabilities, Jesso committed to building a Los Angeles songwriting career for other performers. A series of setbacks struck in 2012: unsuccessful attempts to place material with other artists, the aftermath of a breakup, a car collision while bicycling that damaged his hand and cost him his bike, and the news the following day that his mother had received a cancer diagnosis. These events together prompted his return to Vancouver.
Because his recording gear remained stored in Los Angeles and he had begun to view songwriting as a pastime rather than a profession, Jesso turned to the family piano and composed “Just a Dream,” a father’s lullaby inspired by a vision of apocalypse and addressed to his newborn. He performed the track himself, shared it on social platforms, and watched as positive responses from friends and then strangers helped the song circulate. After learning that Girls, a band he admired, had disbanded, he contacted bassist and producer Chet “JR” White and forwarded links to his demos. The exchange led to sessions with White and a contract with True Panther. Additional production came from Patrick Carney of the Black Keys and the Rentals along with Ariel Rechtshaid, whose credits include Kylie Minogue, Usher, and Vampire Weekend. Singles issued in 2014 and 2015 ahead of the full-length album generated immediate attention; Adele shared the video for “How Could You Babe” with her more than twenty million Twitter followers, and Jesso received a booking on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon for his television debut prior to the album’s arrival. Entirely self-written and built around his voice and piano, the heartbreak-focused Goon appeared in March 2015. Later that year he settled in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, coinciding with the period when Adele’s 25 set the record, at the time, for fastest-selling album in history; Jesso had co-written one of its singles, “When We Were Young.”
Once his songwriting reputation was secured, Jesso quickly aligned with John Legend, Shawn Mendes, and Sia for 2016 releases. Credits from 2017 encompassed P!nk and Niall Horan, among others. The following year brought work for Florence + the Machine, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, and LANY, and by the close of 2020 his songs had surfaced on projects by King Princess, Ellie Goulding, and HAIM. He reunited with Adele for the track “To Be Loved” on 2021’s 30, then supplied material for Jake Bugg, Diplo, and Marcus Mumford while occasionally contributing production or piano. Early 2023 brought further collaborations with Lewis Capaldi and another with Florence + the Machine, after which Jesso received the inaugural Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical Grammy in February. The eligible body of work included songs recorded by Adele, Harry Styles, FKA twigs, Orville Peck, and Omar Apollo. During his acceptance speech he described the award as a victory for the entire songwriting community.
Tobias MacDonald Jesso, Jr. entered the world in North Vancouver on July 11, 1985. In the mid-2000s he served as bassist for the local indie-rock outfit the Sessions before relocating with several bandmates to Los Angeles, where they briefly supported the young pop vocalist Melissa Cavatti. Once that venture stalled and he remained unsure of his own vocal capabilities, Jesso committed to building a Los Angeles songwriting career for other performers. A series of setbacks struck in 2012: unsuccessful attempts to place material with other artists, the aftermath of a breakup, a car collision while bicycling that damaged his hand and cost him his bike, and the news the following day that his mother had received a cancer diagnosis. These events together prompted his return to Vancouver.
Because his recording gear remained stored in Los Angeles and he had begun to view songwriting as a pastime rather than a profession, Jesso turned to the family piano and composed “Just a Dream,” a father’s lullaby inspired by a vision of apocalypse and addressed to his newborn. He performed the track himself, shared it on social platforms, and watched as positive responses from friends and then strangers helped the song circulate. After learning that Girls, a band he admired, had disbanded, he contacted bassist and producer Chet “JR” White and forwarded links to his demos. The exchange led to sessions with White and a contract with True Panther. Additional production came from Patrick Carney of the Black Keys and the Rentals along with Ariel Rechtshaid, whose credits include Kylie Minogue, Usher, and Vampire Weekend. Singles issued in 2014 and 2015 ahead of the full-length album generated immediate attention; Adele shared the video for “How Could You Babe” with her more than twenty million Twitter followers, and Jesso received a booking on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon for his television debut prior to the album’s arrival. Entirely self-written and built around his voice and piano, the heartbreak-focused Goon appeared in March 2015. Later that year he settled in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, coinciding with the period when Adele’s 25 set the record, at the time, for fastest-selling album in history; Jesso had co-written one of its singles, “When We Were Young.”
Once his songwriting reputation was secured, Jesso quickly aligned with John Legend, Shawn Mendes, and Sia for 2016 releases. Credits from 2017 encompassed P!nk and Niall Horan, among others. The following year brought work for Florence + the Machine, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, and LANY, and by the close of 2020 his songs had surfaced on projects by King Princess, Ellie Goulding, and HAIM. He reunited with Adele for the track “To Be Loved” on 2021’s 30, then supplied material for Jake Bugg, Diplo, and Marcus Mumford while occasionally contributing production or piano. Early 2023 brought further collaborations with Lewis Capaldi and another with Florence + the Machine, after which Jesso received the inaugural Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical Grammy in February. The eligible body of work included songs recorded by Adele, Harry Styles, FKA twigs, Orville Peck, and Omar Apollo. During his acceptance speech he described the award as a victory for the entire songwriting community.
Albums
Singles
