“We kind of wanted to stay away from making it too extravagant at first, because we didn’t want it to seem unapproachable… But at the end of the day we said screw it.”
When describing her high-fashion new single “Bougie,” Jessi Malay tells Stereotude of her first trip to New York Fashion Week, reporting on a Diane von Furstenberg event.
“I was switching purses,” she says. “I was literally switching over from a Michael Kors purse to a Louis Vuitton purse.”
The pure absurdity of the situation quickly became the butt of a joke with Malay's business partner. More importantly, the chorus line “From Kors to Louis, I always stay bougie” was born.
The “Bougie” music video arrived online this week and comes equipped with a runway and a room wallpapered with Chanel logos.
Also, there’s a panther… and it’s no coincidence that viewers might draw a comparison to Michael Jackson’s cat cameo in “Black or White.”
“Michael and Janet Jackson were my greatest inspirations growing up,” says Malay. “I think a lot of what I do artistically has been subconsciously modeled after them.”
So far her career as an independent artist has landed her collaborations with the likes of Trey Songz and Lil Scrappy. She describes the journey as a liberating experience.
While previously recording under Warner Bros. and Jive Records she had little to no control of her music's production.
"I spent so long not having a hand in anything I wa doing creatively that it's turning out exactly how I wanted it to be," Malay says. Now, she adds, "it’s turning out exactly how I wanted it to be.”
For her new album, Malay has only worked with one producer, Brian Watters, and a small team of co-writers and engineers. Except for “Bougie” and a remix of her previous single “Role Play” the release promises to debut all new material, including a dance floor track titled “Beg” and ballads like “The Edge.” Fans can also expect an EP in the fall, but she is reluctant to announce an official LP drop date.
“I really have enough music for two albums,” says Malay. “I’m a super perfectionist. … Everything else out so far is something I can be really proud of, so the album isn’t going to be an exception to that rule.”
Follow Jessi Malay on Twitter at @jessimalay.
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