Jesse Jo Stark Is Anything but DOOMED

Photo by Dana Trippe

Jesse Jo Stark clearly doesn’t believe in superstition. If she did there is no way she would have chosen to name her debut full-length album “DOOMED.” Whereas many other artists may think the ominous title could portend future disaster, Stark sees things quite differently.

“I think it’s really about owning who you are. Kind of like, damned if you do, damned if you don’t,” she says of both the album and its title. “I’m really influenced by dark nature and everything cool with horror, but ‘DOOMED’ is supposed to feel positive. It’s supposed to feel like you have control of the future and you don’t wanna limit yourself to all these different waves that you go through in life.”

Over the course of 11 tracks, the highly-anticipated “DOOMED” explores many facets of Stark’s creative interests. There are tracks that feel dark and noirish and there are country-influenced songs with a little bit of everything thrown in between. Stark steadfastly refused to have her creativity boxed in by something as nebulous as genre.

“Why are people not allowed to have different influences?” Stark grew up on “completely opposing tastes—country rock, metal, pop,” she recalls. “I like Britney Spears and I like Mötley Crüe.”

The creation of “DOOMED” was a lengthy process, exasperated by the pandemic as so many things have been, and Stark is so happy to be able to finally share the it with the world. Even more exciting for her is the chance to get back on stage with her band and perform.

“It’s crazy. Being back with my band—obviously we hadn’t spent this much time together since before COVID, and it’s this feeling I can’t explain,” she says. “It’s like being on a trip with your friends, but it lasts forever. You’re all sharing the same thing on stage and it’s this kind of otherworldly experience. I’m really grateful and I can’t wait to play more shows.”

Fans in NYC will have a chance to check out one of those shows on October 19 at Baby’s All Right, but there will surely be more dates in the future in other locales.

Look for our feature article with Jesse Jo Stark in the upcoming Holiday Issue, but until then you can stream “DOOMED” at all of the usual suspects.