Jessie Reyez to Host Virtual Performance on St. Patrick’s Day 

Jessie Reyez is going virtual…

The 29-year-old Colombian-Canadian Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter is joining forces with Jameson Irish Whiskey to host a fun, St. Patrick’s Day virtual performance on Wednesday, March 17.

Jessie Reyez

“Honestly, it just seemed natural because whiskey’s just been my drink of choice for a long time, since my bartending days and I also innately miss performing,” Reyez told Billboard of her upcoming gig. “So, given the opportunity to do it in a different way, even if its long-distance with a virtual audience, I’m still down for it.”

The immersive show will see the Toronto native perform a “solid mix” of songs from her 2020 debut album Before Love Came to Kill Us, her 2018 EP Being Human in Public and her 2017 EP Kiddo.

Joining Reyez to rep the Six are Junia-T and Savannah Ré, her longtime pals.

“I think Savannah’s dope, I think Juns is dope and I’m really happy to include them,” Reyez said. “I’m happy Jameson gave me the opportunity to actually bring up friends.”

To celebrate Toronto, the event will bring fans through the city’s streets and taken inside The Great Hall – a local venue that has been empty since its doors shut at the beginning of the pandemic. That’s where the trio will perform.

The virtual performance will also celebrate emerging talent over in Dublin, Ireland. Kojaque and Denise Chaila will both perform from there.

While this year’s St. Paddy’s celebrations look a lot different than in years past, Reyez shared some tips for having fun at home. “I feel like drinking alone during the pandemic isn’t the best way to do it,” she said with a laugh. “If you can link up with a homie and put them on FaceTime or put them on Zoom, and you guys can reminisce and have a bottle and put some music on, put some Bob Marley on and vibe, put a green t-shirt on and green beads and do what you can.”

“You can look at the cup half full, even in situations like this, and it’s an opportunity to go outside of your comfort zone,” she added.

And since the show is in partnership with Jameson, and the “Imported” singer is a whiskey fan, we at Billboard needed to know how she drinks her whiskey. “I love it neat or with an ice cube,” she shared. “I love how it gets it done, I love that it’s smooth, I love that it don’t give me no hangovers. It’s the one drink where I was like, this is great, I have a good time and a nice, mellow vibe. You don’t get a hangover. I’m lit, I’m good.”

Tickets to the show are free, but participants have the opportunity to donate to Al Otro Lado, an organization that provides holistic legal and humanitarian support to refugees, deportees and other immigrants in the United States and Tijuana.

The cause is close to Reyez’s heart, as she’s a child of immigrants herself.

“I was born in Canada, my family is from Colombia but my parents originally moved to Canada because it was easier to get papers and they were trying to offer me a bit of life,” she explained. “My dad originally had the plan of going to the States, but he decided to apply for the papers for Canada. We were waiting in Canada to get approved. We waited 16 years to get legally approved, and then we moved to the States.”

“The reason why that hits me is because there’s a lot of talk about immigration, illegal immigration — people have the stereotypical attributions toward Latinos and just this negative air about it,” she continued. “I think that it’s crazy because if you would stop for a second and think, ‘Listen, if you’re in a messed up situation or running away from persecution or you’re looking for refugee status, or you’re looking to give your kid a better life because your current situation is not that, are you going to have the patience to wait 16 years?’ A lot can happen in 16 years, and it’s so easy for people of privilege to say, ‘You could just do the right way.’ The ‘right way’ isn’t set out to help the regular man, so I think if people could empathize more and be easier – I could have easily been born into a different life, and I could have been born into that situation and know that I’d be appreciative if other Latinos were reaching out and helping me.”

Sign-up for the event, which will air globally on Wednesday, March 17 at 8:00 pm ET/PT/GMT/MYT and 9:00 pm CET, is available here.

To cheers Reyez with a glass of whiskey, order some Jameson with one-hour delivery via Drizly here.

Jessie Reyez Releases Music Video for “Before Love Came to Kill Us”

Jessie Reyez has released a killervideo… 

The 29-year-oldColombian Candaian singer and songwriter has released the music video for the title track of her debut album Before Love Came to Kill Us.

Jessie Reyez Before Love Came to Kill Us

The Claire Edmondson-directed audio-visual takes Reyez through the streets of her Toronto hometown, a collage of images ushered by the sui generis tenor of her hoarse voice with a barrage of questions and contemplations about love, hope, chances and longing, all with a chiding note and palpable genuineness: 

We’re not supposed to/ but I can’t learn my lesson/ I miss when you were my best friend/ before love came to kill us…/ So under the mask of the moon/ could we dance in the past before love… before love came to kill us. 

Reyez’s officialdebutalbum, Before Love Came to Kill Us, was released on March 27, 2020. It has made the short listfor this year’s Polaris Music Prize.

Jessie Reyez’s “Before Love Came to Kill Us” Makes Polaris Music Prize Short List

Jessie Reyez is on the short list…

The 2020 Polaris Music Prize short list has been announced, with the 29-year-old Colombian-Canadian singer/songwriter’s latest studio effort among the artists nominated for the award celebrating the best Canadian album.

Jessie Reyez

Reyez’s debut album Before Love Came to Kill Uswhich was released this past March, is among the 10 finalists.

This is the second year in a row Reyez has made the short list.

Jessie Reyez Before Love Came to Kill Us

Last year, her EP Being Human in Public lost out to Haviah Mighty’s debut album 13th Floor for the Polaris Music Prize. 

But Reyez isn’t the only Latina in the running this year…

Lido Pimienta’s Miss Colombia has earned a spot on the short list.

The 34-year-old Afro-Colombian singer’s previous album La Papessa won the Polaris prize in 2017.

In addition to Reyez and Pimienta’s albums, others making the short list include DJ/Producer Kaytranada (Bubba), Caribou (Suddenly), rapper Backxwash (God Has Nothing to do With This Leave Him Out of It), Toronto rapper Junia-T (Studio Monk), bands nêhiyawak (nipiy), Pantayo (Pantayo), Witch Prophet (DNA Activation) and three-time Polaris short-listers U.S. Girls (Heavy Light).

The Polaris Music Prize awards $50,000 to the artist who creates the Canadian Album of the Year, which is judged on artistic merit, without consideration of genre or sales. 

The nine other nominated acts on the short list get $3,000. Eligible albums were released between May 1, 2019 and May 31, 2020.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual show will not be held in person, but the winner will be announced during a “cinematic tribute” on October 19.

Jessie Reyez’s New Album Makes the Long List for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize

Jessie Reyezis making the list… And, it’s a prestigious one at that!

The 40-album list for the 2020 Polaris Music Prize— an annual award that celebrates the best Canadian albums released over the past year – has been released, with 29-year-old Colombian singer-songwriter earning a place.

Jessie Reyez

Reyez was recognized for her acclaimed debut Before Love Came To Kill Us, which was released in March. It debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard 200.

Reyez’s album includes collaborations with Eminem and 6LACK, with the deluxe edition including additional features from Rico NastyMelii, JID, and A Boogie Wit da Hoodie

But Reyez isn’t the only Latina honoree…

Lido Pimienta has made the list for her album Miss Colombia, which was released earlier this year.

The 34-year-old Colombian singer rose to prominence after her 2016 album, La Papessa, won the Polaris Music Prize in 2017.

To qualify for this year’s honor, albums must have been released between June 1, 2019, and May 31, 2020. A total of 223 albums were considered for the 2020 long list, as determined by a 201-member jury comprised of music journalists, broadcasters and bloggers.

The long list will eventually be culled down to a short list of 10 albums, set to be announced July 15 during a CBC Music radio special. Eleven members of the jury will then be selected to serve on a grand jury that will choose this year’s winner.

Due to the ongoing pandemic, the 2020 Polaris winner — normally revealed during a splashy awards ceremony — will be announced live on the CBC Gem streaming service and via the CBC Music website during a “special cinematic event” this fall. Like every year, the winner will receive $50,000 CAD, while shortlisted artists will receive $3,000 CAD each courtesy of Slaight Music.

The Polaris Music Prize is considered one of Canada’s most prestigious music awards; in addition to the cash prize, winners receive a level of attention and renown that is highly coveted in the Canadian music industry.

The 2020 Polaris Music Prize long list is: 
Allie X – Cape God Anachnid – Dreamweaver
Aquakultre – Legacy
Marie-Pierre Arthur – Des feux pour voir
Backxwash – God Has Nothing To Do With This Leave Him Out Of It
Badge Époque Ensemble – Badge Époque Ensemble
Begonia – Fear
Chocolat – Jazz engagé
Louis-Jean Cormier – Quand la nuit tombe
Corridor – Junior
dvsn – A Muse In Her Feelings
Jacques Greene – Dawn Chorus
Sarah Harmer – Are You Gone
Ice Cream – FED UP
Junia-T – Studio Monk
Kaytranada – Bubba
Flore Laurentienne – Volume 1
Cindy Lee – What’s Tonight To Eternity?
Men I Trust – Oncle Jazz
nêhiyawak – nipiy
OBUXUM – Re-Birth
Owen Pallett – Island
Pantayo – Pantayo
Lido Pimienta – Miss Colombia
Joel Plaskett – 44
William Prince – Reliever
Jessie Reyez – BEFORE LOVE CAME TO KILL US
Andy Shauf – The Neon Skyline
Riit – ataataga
Super Duty Tough Work – Studies in Grey
U.S. Girls – Heavy Light
Leif Vollebekk – New Ways
Wares – Survival
The Weeknd – After Hours
WHOOP-Szo – Warrior Down
Witch Prophet – DNA ActivationZen Bamboo – GLU

Jessie Reyez to Launch Before Love Came to Kill Us Tour in May

Jessie Reyezis hittin’ the road…

The 28-year-old Colombian singer will embark on her Before Love Came to Kill Us tour this spring.

Jessie Reyez

Reyez will kick off the North American leg on May 23rd, following her debut performance at Coachella.

The tour will be in support of Reyez’ upcoming debut album of the same name, due out March 27th via Fmlyand Island Records.

The 25-date run will take Reyez through Atlanta, Miami, Denver, Toronto, and more before a final show at Terminal 5 in New York on July 7th.

Reyez’s 2018 EP, Being Human in Public,earned her a first-ever Grammynomination, in the Best Urban Contemporary Albumcategory.

So far, she’s shared two singles from the upcoming album, the uplifting “Love in the Dark”and the harrowing “Far Away,”the latter of which is about her experiences as a migrant and the fear of separation from her family. She’s explored the topic a number of times in her music, collaborating with the rapper 6LACKon the immigrant anthem “Imported.”

Before Love Came to Kill UsTour Dates
May 23 — Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
May 24 — El Paso, TX @ Neon Desert
May 26 — Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
May 28 — Houston, TX @ House of Blues
May 30 — Austin, TX @ Empire Control Room
June 1 — New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
June 2 — Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade-Heaven
June 4 — Orlando, FL @ Plaza Live
June 5 — Miami, FL @ Fieldhouse Watsco Center
June 7 — Charlotte, NC @ Underground @ Filmore
June 8 — Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
June 11 — Denver, CO @ Summit
June 12 — Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
June 19 — Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
June 20 — Vancouver, BC @ Orpheum
June 22 — Seattle, WA @ Showbox
June 25 — Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
June 27 — Milwaukee, WI @ SummerFest
June 28 — Detroit, MI @ Cathedral Theatre @ Masonic Temple
June 29 — Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
July 1 — Washington, DC @ The Fillmore
July 2 — Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of The Living Arts
July 4 — Toronto, ON @ Echo Beach
July 6 — Boston, MA @ Royale
July 7 — New York, NY @ Terminal 5