Jess Moskaluke, the darling of Canadian country music, is ready to set the stage ablaze at the highly anticipated Boots & Hearts festival this Friday, August 9th. With her powerhouse vocals, soul-stirring lyrics, and magnetic stage presence, Jess is poised to leave an indelible mark on the hearts of fans at Burl’s Creek Event Grounds in Oro-Medonte, Ontario.
This year is a momentous one for Jess as she celebrates the 10th anniversary of her platinum-certified, fan-favorite track, “Cheap Wine and Cigarettes”. The song has been a constant companion on Jess’s journey, growing and evolving alongside her over the past decade. It’s a testament to her artistry and the deep connection she shares with her devoted fans, who have embraced the song as their own. To mark this special milestone, Jess has released captivating remixes of the song, showcasing its timeless appeal and her willingness to explore new creative avenues.
As Jess gears up for her electrifying performance at Boots & Hearts, she reflects on her artistic journey and the passion that fuels her music. With a renewed focus on writing and rediscovering her musical identity, Jess is brimming with excitement about the fresh material she’s been crafting. Fans can catch tantalizing glimpses of her upcoming songs on her TikTok, a sneak peek into the magic that awaits them. Jess’s infectious enthusiasm for collaborations and her admiration for fellow artists like Hardy hint at the thrilling possibilities that lie ahead in her ever-evolving career.
I thought we could take a quick trip to the past, as word on the street is you’re currently celebrating 10 years of your platinum certified fan-favourite track, Cheap Wine and Cigarettes.
Yeah. Isn’t that wild? I mean, maybe it’s not wild to anybody but me. In some ways 10 years seems so long ago, but also, in some ways, it feels like only yesterday.
Honestly Jess, the fact this song has been around for a decade made my brain explode for two reasons. On a personal note, it was the first single you and I ever talked about on the record, back when I was just fresh out of journalism school . . . and in addition, while it was hardly your debut single, it seems to be the first track that really got folks to sit up and take notice.
It really is nuts. Yeah, it’s crazy. It really feels like that song and I grew up together. Like you said, I’d released other songs before that, but nothing that had really hit the way that Cheap Wine and Cigarettes did. It really opened a lot of doors.
Do you remember what it felt like when the song first hit the airwaves? Was the reception something you expected?
Well, the weird thing about Cheap Wine and Cigarettes is that it didn’t feel as big at the time as it has in the last 10 years. It seems to be the kind of song that has a second, third and fourth life. It just keeps hanging on. You know, it’s funny because the fans really latched onto that it and claimed it as their own, even though it never went Top 10 at country radio. I’ve had a lot more tracks that have climber higher on the charts, but nothing else that’s gone platinum. And that’s all thanks to the fans.
When you look at the concept of a No. 1 or whatnot, most would believe that top spot is kind of the brass ring every artist strives for, and ultimately achieves. But if we really dig into some of the biggest, most beloved songs of the decade — tracks we assume would’ve easily sat on top of the charts for weeks and weeks — that’s not always the case.
You’re right. A lot of people assume that Cheap Wine and Cigarettes was my first No. 1, but it was far from it. I didn’t have my first No. 1 until 20 March of 2020 with Country Girls. But, if I’m being honest, the very fact that’s a common misconception kind of makes me feel good, because it means people feel like it should have been. It’s just like an assumption that it went No. 1 and it never, ever did. That said, if you gave me the option the next song I put out would go No. 1, or be certified platinum, I’d pick certified all day, every day because that’s a natural thing that happens and you just can’t plan for in any way and it’s an amazing surprise. Basically, it means a lot of people have loved that song enough to add it to their playlist. And even though those certifications come from the radio industry, it’s the fans streaming and buying and playing your music over and over again — and that’s an incredible and rewarding feeling,
How did you come up with the idea of putting out special remixes to celebrate?
We did two of them. We had done one quite some time ago that we were holding onto until the 10th anniversary that my friend Dan Swiminer made. It’s a lot darker sounding and vibier, and just more unique in that way — we call that one the Vice mix. After we noticed that one was doing really well, we thought let’s try one more just for fun. So, we had a gentleman from Calgary by the name of Jack Trades do his own version as kind of an EDM dance mix. So, they’re out there and it’s just kind of cool to hear the song reimagined. They’re not meant to replace the original, of course — they’re meant to be their own standalone things, so they’re super different. It was a really fun process to hear those songs back, especially since I really didn’t have a lot of input. We kind of just gave them the music and said to have some fun with it! What came back was something completely different and it’s really cool.
This weekend you’ll be headed to Boots & Hearts, a festival I’m sure you’re pretty familiar with at this point, having played so many times. Do you have any great Boots stories you’d like to share with our readers?
I don’t know how many times it’s been, maybe three, maybe more — I’m not 100 percent sure, but it definitely feels like home at this point. I don’t really know if I have a story. I’m sure the best stories come from the fans more than the artists because we’re the ones flying in and out and here and there all summer long. That said, the first time I played Boots & Heats had just come out, but the weather had gotten so bad that day right near the end of our set — we’re talking torrential downpour — there were literally ponds forming on the ground everywhere, and we weren’t going to be able to finish our set for safety reasons, and we were so disappointed. But, it wasn’t long before the crowd started chanting as we’re coming off the stage, “Cheap Wine and Cigarettes, Cheap Wine and Cigarettes.” I don’t ever remember hearing anything like that at that point in my career before, and so it was pretty cool, but it was devastating because we didn’t get to play the song. All of a sudden, the heavens just kind of opened, and the weather took yet another turn — for the better this time. The organizers came over and said OK, you’ve got time for one more song. So, we went back on and played. I think that Boots & Hearts was the first time that I really heard anyone sing my own songs back to me.
See? You started off by saying you didn’t have a story, and then you gave us this awesome story. And honestly, I’m still trying to compute you and Chris Stapleton playing the small stage.
I guess sometimes you just have to really dig for those memories. And ya, everyone starts somewhere, right? You don’t just wake up and be Chris Stapleton where he is today. That just shows you have to work a lot at it — and we all develop as artists one way or another.
What is it about a festival atmosphere that’s more exciting than just a regular show?
I do really, really love summer festivals. I think the weather here in Canada really creates a perfect summer environment, and everyone feels good. They’re getting out. They know that in a couple of months, everything is going to be covered in snow, and we need to soak up all the summer we can. Festivals are also kind of like listening to a mixtape; you show up and you don’t just see one artist on stage or two artists on stage. You see five or six in a day, and you know they might not be artists that you listen to all the time, but you usually learn to love them in that moment that they’re on stage and you hear them play live.
I know you said with such a busy summer season, you’re often running into a festival and running out again. Over your career, though, has there ever been someone that you were lucky enough to catch as a fan or have there been any new names that really stood out to you?
As performers, often we never get to take in a full show of anything. But, there have been a few really cool shows I’ve gotten to catch standing on side stage that I’ve really really loved. Sometimes that’s people I consider friends I just love watching, like Dallas Smith or Jane Eagleson, or Mackenzie Porter. Those are always great moments because these are people you talk to on a fairly regular basis, but you don’t always get to actually see what they’ve worked so hard on to make their show what it is. I’ve also had the pleasure of working with Miranda Lambert and watching her show, Chris Stapleton, Sam hunt . . . even if you just catch like 30 seconds of the concert, it’s a real treat.
Do you have anything new in the works? How can we tempt your fans?
Oh yes, we’re always working on stuff. This is the first year that I feel like I’ve really been able to just focus just on writing without trying to hit deadlines for certain things — so I’ve just been riding that momentum. It’s been a really enjoyable year. We do have some plans for some new music, but they’re super early, and I want to just hang on to that last little bit of just writing for the sake of writing and trying new things and rediscovering what I want my music to sound like in the next few years. I’m so excited about a lot of the stuff that I’ve been writing, and I’m so excited for people to hear it. I’ve been putting a lot of it up on Tiktok, just like chunks of songs. So, if they want to sneak peek at what may or may not be released in the future, they can check them out before I get back into the studio. So, you’ll have some new music, not immediately, soon, but soon enough.
So many country artists, especially in the States, are doing collaborations these days. Sometimes even across genres. Is there anyone you’d want to team up with?
There’s so many, and I have done probably more collaborations in my career than a lot of people, and I love them. I’ve always, always believed in them, and I’m so glad that country is really starting to do more of that, especially across genres. I’m a huge Hardy fan. I think that would be such a cool one. I love how he bends genres as well.
Thanks so much for taking the time, Jess. We can’t wait to catch you at Boots & Hearts this weekend at Burl’s Creek. Can we get a promise on record that you’ll play Cheap Wine and Cigarettes?
YES! I mean I hope so — because you never know when a torrential downpour is going to happen, obviously. But, as long as the music festival Gods allow, I will play that song.
