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JessB

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JessB
Jess Bourke (2021)
Jess Bourke (2021)
Background information
Born
Jess Bourke
GenreHip hop
OccupationsRapper and former professional netballer

Jess Bourke,[1] better known as JessB, is a rapper and former professional netballer from Auckland, New Zealand.[2][3][4] She has released two EPs (Bloom and New Views) and won Best New Zealand Act at the 2019 MTV Europe Music Awards.[5][6] JessB's debut studio album is scheduled for release in July 2024.[7]

Early life and netball career

[edit]

Bourke is of Kenyan descent and was adopted by New Zealand parents.[8] After high school, she joined Central Pulse of the ANZ Championship netball league.[8] She also played for the Northern Mystics.[9]

Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
List of studio album, with release date and label details shown
Title Detailsn
Feels Like Home
  • Released: 5 July 2024[7]
  • Label: SayLess, Warner
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
Matters of the Heart
  • Released: 11 September 2026
  • Label: Bullseye
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming

Mixtapes

[edit]
List of mixtapes, with release date and label details shown
Title Details
3 Nights in Amsterdam
  • Released: 28 August 2020[10]
  • Label: The Orchard
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming

Extended plays

[edit]
List of extended plays, with release date and label shown
Title Details
Bloom
New Views
  • Released: 9 August 2019[12]
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming

Singles

[edit]

As lead artist

[edit]
List of singles as lead artist, with year released and album shown
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
NZ
Hot

[13]
"Soul Free"[14] 2017 — Non-album single
"Take It Down"
(featuring Rubi Du)[15]
2018 — Bloom
"Set It Off"[16] —
"Bump Bump"
(featuring Church Leon)[17]
2019 — New Views
"Mood"[18] 37
"So Low"
(featuring Paige)[19]
—
"Time Out"
(featuring Abdul Kay)[20]
—
"Pon It"[21] 2020 — 3 Nights in Amsterdam
"Flying"
(with Abdul Kay, Blaze the Emperor, Mo Muse and Raiza Biza as BLKCITY)[22]
— TBA
"Shut Up!"[23] — 3 Nights in Amsterdam
"From Tha Jump"[24] 2021 — Non-album singles
"Can't Fake It"[25] 2022 39
"Moment"
(featuring Kranium)[26]
2023 — Feels Like Home
"Ring Ring"
(featuring Gold Fang)
—
"Hold Me Down"[27] —
"Come Find Me"[28] 2024 —
"Talk of the Town"[7] —
"Commando"[29] —
"Life Is Lifting"[30] 2025 —
"Not Today" 2026 — Matters of the Heart
"See You There" —
"Can I" —
[edit]
Title Year Album
"Expose This (Remix)"
(Yaw Faso featuring JessB)[31]
2018 Non-album singles
"Bloodlines"
(The Adults featuring Estére and JessB)[32]
"Meditjin"
(Baker Boy featuring JessB)
2019 Gela
"The One You Want (60s Song)"[33]
(Stan Walker featuring JessB)
2022 All In

Awards and nominations

[edit]

APRA Awards

[edit]

The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters". They commenced in 1982.[34]

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2021 "Meditjin" (Danzal Baker, Jess Bourke, Dion Brownfield, Jerome Farah, Dallas Woods) Song of the Year Shortlisted [35]

ARIA Music Awards

[edit]

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual award ceremony event celebrating the Australian music industry. They commenced in 1987.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2020 "Meditjin" (with Baker Boy) Best Hip Hop Release Nominated [36][37]
Best Video Nominated

Taite Music Prize

[edit]

At the 2020 Taite Music Prize, New Views was one of ten finalists.[38]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Fuamoli, Sosefina (7 October 2018). "JessB is going to be an in demand hip-hop name, get acquainted". Tone Deaf. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  2. ↑ Parker, Mitch (14 November 2019). "7 things you need to know about kiwi rapper JessB". i-D. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  3. ↑ "Rising NZ rapper JessB reveals how she's finding her place in the world". Stuff. 15 September 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  4. ↑ Magazine, Viva (15 October 2019). "How Rising Rapper JessB Is Breaking Down The Patriarchy, One Track At A Time – Viva". www.viva.co.nz. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  5. ↑ Yahr, Emily (4 November 2019). "MTV EMAs: Kiwi rapper Jess B wins big + everything else you missed". New Zealand Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  6. ↑ Yates, Siena (7 August 2019). "Album review: JessB, New Views". New Zealand Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 "Music News – Aotearoa's JessB Releases New Track 'Talk Of The Town' Alongside Debut Album Announce". Muzic. 19 April 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  8. 1 2 Toledo, Mariana (18 June 2019). "Auckland rapper JessB is in full bloom". Remix Magazine. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  9. ↑ Ahwa, Dan (16 October 2019). "How Rising Rapper JessB Is Breaking Down The Patriarchy, One Track At A Time". NZ Herald. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  10. ↑ "JessB drops 3 Nights in Amsterdam mixtape". Digital and Radio Facts. 28 August 2020. Archived from the original on 28 September 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  11. ↑ "Bloom by JessB on Apple Music". Apple Music NZ. 16 March 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  12. ↑ Medcalf, Caitlin (July 2019). "JessB is in full 'Bloom'". Purple Sneakers. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  13. ↑ Peaks on the NZ Hot Singles Chart:
  14. ↑ "Soul Free – Single by JessB on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  15. ↑ "Take It Down (feat. Rubi Du) – Single by JessB on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  16. ↑ "JessB – Set It Off". 17 May 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2020 – via YouTube.
  17. ↑ "Bump Bump (feat. Church Leon) – Single by JessB on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  18. ↑ "JessB is a mood on 'Mood' single and video". The Partae. 5 July 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  19. ↑ "JessB – So Low ft. Paige". 8 August 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2020 – via YouTube.
  20. ↑ "JessB – Time Out (feat. Abdul Kay)". 2 October 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2020 – via YouTube.
  21. ↑ Rose, Anna (1 May 2020). "JessB releases new single 'Pon It' from forthcoming mixtape". NME Australia. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  22. ↑ "Flying – Single by BLKCITY, Abdul Kay, RAIZA BIZA, Mo Muse, Blaze the Emperor & JessB on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  23. ↑ Triscari, Caleb (14 July 2020). "JessB drops new track 'Shut Up!', shares title of upcoming mixtape". NME Australia. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  24. ↑ Rose, Anna (28 October 2021). "JessB drops hard-hitting new single, "From Tha Jump"". NME Australia. Retrieved 1 November 2021.
  25. ↑ FUAMOLI, Sosefina (22 September 2022). "Listen To JessB's Fresh New Single, 'Can't Fake It'". Music Feeds. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  26. ↑ "JessB Talks Inspiration And Influences Amid The Release Of Her New Single 'Moment'". Purple Sneakers. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  27. ↑ "Single Of The Week: JessB's "Hold Me Down" an effortless summer anthem". Happy Mag. 30 November 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
  28. ↑ "JessB Empowers on Breezy New Anthem 'Come Find Me'". Rolling Stone. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  29. ↑ "'Commando' arrives the latest single from JessB's upcoming debut album, 'Feels Like Home'". Broken8Records. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  30. ↑ "JessB Sets Her Own Pace with New Single 'life is lifing". Rolling Stone Australia. 13 March 2025. Retrieved 17 March 2025.
  31. ↑ "Expose This (Remix) [feat. JessB] – Single by Yaw Faso on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  32. ↑ "Bloodlines (feat. Estére & JessB) – Single by The Adults on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  33. ↑ "Stan Walker Releases New Album 'All In'". NZ Music. 19 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  34. ↑ "APRA History". Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) | Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS). Archived from the original on 20 September 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  35. ↑ "One of these songs will be the Peer-Voted APRA Song of the Year!". APRA AMCOS. 3 February 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  36. ↑ "ARIA Awards 2020 Nominees". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  37. ↑ "And the 2020 ARIA Awards Go To…". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 November 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  38. ↑ "Finalists announced for 11th Taite Music Prize". New Zealand Herald. 12 March 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2026.