top of page
Search

Music Review: Lifting You Up by Jessy

Writer's picture: Melissa Julianne SevernMelissa Julianne Severn

REVIEW: Lifting You Up by Jessy



“Whoever you are, wherever you are, come just as you are.” These are the embracing words of Jessy, a contemporary Christian artist from Birmingham, encouraging her listeners to join her in forgiveness and acceptance.

This attitude of affirmation shines through the spiritual lyrics of her new single Lifting You Up. Jessy is musically outspoken about her faith, demonstrated in her previous singles Higher, Miracles and I Believe In Love. Her new track is written from the perspective of God, urging His believer to accept themself as He does. Inspired by the struggle of Jessy’s friend, Lifting You Up is inspired by how their faith aided them through the difficult time.


Jessy’s windchime-pure vocals whisper to the listener in the first bars of the track: “I’m lifting you up… I’m taking you higher…”, a sensitive, elegant touch to the beginning of a religious pop journey. The lyrical motif “I’m lifting you up” recurs in the first verse, its reverb adding an ethereal and angelic element to tastefully represent God’s voice. As the track progresses, Jessy’s assured vocals begin to soar, indicative of the listener’s spirits as they feel empowered by the lyrics: “Pour out your heart, tell me your pain. I’ll meet you on your knees and I’ll lift you up again.

At the beginning of the second verse, low in the tenderly textured mix, strings emerge to enhance Jessy’s “signature piano”, serving the lilting yet strong vocal melody gracefully. The touching lyric “you are already forgiven” signals the entrance of a soul-pounding, cavernous throb of percussion guiding the listener through the chorus alongside God leading His believer to deliverance.


Jessy’s refined vocal harmonies warmly thicken the second chorus of Lifting You Up, reminiscent of Gabrielle Aplin, except with a sweeter, resounding clarity of diction and passion. A choir, chanting serenely beneath the loosened, ardent melody of the last chorus, brings the track to a breathtaking end; the listener feels relieved to have heard Jessy’s uplifting message and inspired to press replay.

Lifting You Up emphasises Jessy’s reverent Christian brand perfectly. On her Adobe Spark platform, Jessy describes music as her way to “connect with God”. Jessy’s calling and dream is to sing and write songs whilst helping people to “see truth”. Lifting You Up consoles and emancipates the listener, whoever they are, whatever they are suffering with; Jessy is already fulfilling her Daigle-esque aspirations.


An early influencer of Jessy’s songwriting, Keith Green, verbalises how Christianity can galvanise salvation in his 1977 song Your Love Broke Through, addressed to God: “I’ve been lost in a fantasy that blinded me… until your love broke through.” Jessy’s unflinching religious confidence seeps through Lifting You Up as Green’s does in Your Love Broke Through; Jessy’s track, divine in its subject matter and musicality, has sealed its fate as a future classic in the Christian music canon.


© Melissa Julianne Severn 2021


Listen to Lifting You Up:



Jessy’s Facebook: Jessy - Home

Jessy’s Instagram: Jessy (@songwriterjessy)

Jessy’s Adobe Spark: Jessy Official Page




23 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page