Eleven years have passed since sibling duo Jesse & Joy exploded onto the Latin American music scene. The Mexican pair may have only peaked at #17 in the Mexican album charts with their debut album Esta Es Mi Vida, but the slow burn success story saw the album eventually reach platinum sales. The following year they were awarded with the Latin Grammy Award for Best New Artist, with the album in the running for Best Pop Album by a Duo or Group with Vocals. It would mark the start of what has been a phenomenal multi-award winning recording career. Now a decade in the duo have clear ambitions of breaking out of the Latin American scene and onto the international stage and are aware of the limitations of not singing in English, hence their debut English language album Jesse & Joy.
Having debuted their intentions with the truly awesome, Radio 2 playlisted single Echoes of Love, the pairs debut international release thankfully does not abandon their linguistic roots entirely. While British audiences, or more notably British radio, is reluctant to play non-English language songs, the album balances songs delivered in their mother tongue with some rather wonderful English cuts directed at radio exposure.
While Echoes of Love is the most obvious UK radio hit, Joy’s spine-tingling vocal prowess hits you at your very core on the magical Run and you can’t help but sing-along to the very cutesy Little Drops Of Love.
However it is when they sing in Spanish that the magic really happens. Album closer ¡Corre! is the original Spanish rendition of Run, which is lifted from their 2011 release ¿Con Quién Se Queda El Perro? and packs an even greater emotional punch than the abbreviated English rendition. The Alejandro Sanz featuring No Soy Una de Esas, from their 2015 release Un Besito Más brings to the fore a dancefloor dominating edge to their sound that warrants further exploration.
Harking back to their debut album, 2006’s Esta Es Mi Vida, the romp that is Espacio Sideral proves that a strong song is timeless. The pure pop ditty has an air of Shakira and will prove as unforgettable to its new audience as its original.
Jesse & Joy have found a perfect balance for their debut international release. Leaving a listening craving an exploration of their back catalogue, while wanting more new material and a weekly gig around the corner to shimmy and shake to!