I love live music. All it takes is a splash of tequila and I’m letting my hair down on the dance floor. Nothing hypes me up like a good performance of Amy Winehouse. It really gets the girls going. Suddenly we’ve all got ginger hair and we’re refusing to go to rehab. ‘Back to black’ starts playing and we morph into a group of abandoned lovers mourning our man’s infidelity. Long-term committed partners are left watching on the side lines, uncertain whether they should be impressed or concerned.
Jessica Lloyd has been praised as a ‘first class performer’, and ‘one of the finest female entertainers on the planet’. She commands the stage with her outstanding vocals, bringing them to life with her charismatic personality. She has appeared in television commercials for p&o Cruises, Downton Abbey and BBC 1’s ‘Song’s of Praise’. After filling dance floors on cruise ships across the globe, Jessica chose to settle down and reside on our beautiful island Jersey. Here she continues to sing for corporate events, concerts, hotels and weddings.
So why did Jessica decide to trade maritime adventure for grounded stability? The answer lies in every girl’s greatest weakness – the charms of a French man. Pierre was the bridge officer, Jessica embarked the ship, and the rest is history. After five months they decided to get married and have children, but knew there would be no stability if he was at sea. Just a stone’s throw away from Pierre’s homeland, Jersey seemed the perfect place to start a new family. As such, they settled down, and waited for the chaos to begin.
I’m only 22, and am more in my Taylor Swift era than my motherhood one. I almost get morning sickness just thinking about it. For Jessica, it was always something that she deeply wanted, so she dove headfirst into the hardest thing she has ever done. For the first six months she didn’t think she’d ever be able to sing or perform again. Her eldest son toured with her before he started school, and for international shows her whole family accompanied her. She noted that her work is now mostly on-island to put her family’s stability, happiness and education first. Plus, she adds, “the best gigs are in Jersey…”
Jessica has added so much to the island by being here. She juggles multiple philanthropic projects alongside being a performer and a mother. When the Jersey Pain Charity approached her asking if she’d lead a choir, she was more than happy to accept. She knew all about the positive effects of music on physical and mental wellbeing. Bouncing off from this experience, she’s working on a project with the prisoners in Jersey. It is her dream to form a choir at La Moye consisting of inmates, their families and the officers. This has been on her heart for a long time, stemming from her past work with Edinburgh prison between touring. She comments that “from what we know, this has never been done globally, so it’s exciting for all involved”. It sounds like a great way to keep inmates connected with the outside world, and working to reduce the rate of reoffending.
Jessica’s pioneering spirit has leaked into her career, keeping her at the forefront of the industry. She worked with local legend Brian White to put together The Jessica Lloyd Band back in 2018. They are an energetic, exciting and entertaining group, which aims to provide variety and quality to the band scene in Jersey. When I asked her the story behind the group’s formation, Jessica replied that “Jersey needed better bands”. This led the duo to “put together like-minded musicians who wanted to have fun, no dramas, and create some amazing music”. They perform to the highest standard, and the musicians are the best she’s ever worked with. Not only can they play whatever she sets her heart on, but there has never been a crossed word between them. “No egos, just proper talent!”, she exclaims.
If you need live music to walk down the aisle too (or a break-up tune to scream in your best friend’s face) Jessica Lloyd is the woman for you. Head to her website or socials below to get a greater idea of what she can provide. They do reception drinks, party bands, DJs and more. If you’ve not got an event in the works, you can go and see the band down at the Sunset Concert this year, where they are headlining for the third time coming. She reminds us “it’s a wonderful fundraising evening – don’t miss out”. I’ll see you on Saturday, 15th of June.
