New Zealand singer-songwriter Jessica Leigh has delivered one of our favourite songs of the year so far. Dream Girl marks the second single from the artist's forthcoming EP, I WANNA BE A STAR, coming June. Co-written and produced by Leigh alongside Jacob Brown (Muroki, ratbag), and mixed by Noema Te Hau III, Dream Girl is our perfect pop rock track, with her relatable storytelling, guitar-driven production and epic chorus. We caught up with Jessica to discuss the track and what's next:

We love Dream Girl. Tell us a little bit about yourself and who you are?

Hi! Thank you :') I am a songwriter and producer from New Zealand now splitting my time between Auckland, New York City and Sydney! I love making indie pop/rock music and telling visceral stories through songs.

What was your intention with Dream Girl? What was inspiring you?

The main inspo for Dream Girl came, literally, in the form of a dream. I'd been romantically involved with someone who ended up ghosting me (for reasons I do not know to this day) and she visited me in a dream one night, explaining and apologising for everything. It was this really surreal and beautiful closure, but once I woke up, I felt heartbroken all over again. I guess the song was my way of processing the dissolution of that relationship and trying to move on with my life.

Is environment important to you? Where do you feel most comfortable when writing?

Definitely! I find New York to be the most inspiring place ever. My best friend Nai'a and I spend our nights out together and then write about them on his living room floor the next day. I would say that is 100% where I feel most comfortable, otherwise alone in my room or studio :)

Who did you work with on this track - or do you produce everything yourself?

I worked with Jacob Brown and Noema Te Hau III on this track, but I have begun doing a lot of solo production over the last year and have found that really empowering.

What’s your writing process like? What usually comes first for you?

I usually start with a phrase or sometimes even single word, and build around that. I'm not religious at all, but sometimes songwriting really does feel like being possessed by some creative spirit and having it work through you. Sometimes, I'll write a song so quickly and have no idea where most of it came from retrospectively. Other times though, it's a real battle, and sometimes that magic is just nowhere to be found.

Who are some songwriters that you admire?

I LOVE Samia, Dora Jar, Kacey Musgraves, Paul Simon, HAIM, Jensen McCrae and Lizzy McAlpine‍

Which other rising artists are you excited about?

Eli, Audrey Hobert and Emerson!

We also love your visuals and style. What inspires you in the world of fashion and visuals and imagery?

Thank you! :') I am really inspired by how visuals help build identity and the "world" around an artist's music. I think for me, I really enjoy building out the "Jessica Leigh-sphere" with quite evocative, sensual, bold and confident imagery/fashion. I feel like the identity that's portrayed in my music is meant to be the most confident version of myself, and so it's really fun to communicate that visually.

What’s something important to you, aside from music, that you’d like to use your growing platform to talk about?

WOMEN IN CREATIVE INDUSTRIES. I think stepping into production as a female has really opened my eyes to just how much misogyny is prevalent in the back end of creative practices, and how important it is to celebrate those who are pushing through the boundaries enforced by that misogyny. Wherever I can, I try to work with gals as much as possible - whether that's videographers, photographers, mastering engineers etc etc etc. I think it's so crucial to shine a light on these incredibly talented people not only to lift them up, but also to inspire more young women to choose career paths in creative fields.

What’s next?

I have two EPs coming out this year - the first one is coming in June and the second in November. I've done the majority of the production work on both, so they are very near and dear to me! I can't wait to have them both out in the world and to play the songs live at shows.

Listen to Dream Girl HERE.

@j.essicaleigh