"The record is called 'Departure' for a number of reasons,"
says Jesse McCartney, whose multi-platinum 2004 debut album 'Beautiful
Soul' launched his career as an international singing star. "There
have been departures in my career, in my personal life. I've learned
a lot since doing my first couple of records. I think I've landed
in the most comfortable place I've ever been musically as the style
of music, my vocals and the lyrical content of the songs on this album.
I co-wrote several songs on the new album, and learned a lot from
the producers I worked with. In the process of writing for my own
project, I wound up writing 'Bleeding Love' with Ryan Tedder for Leona
Lewis. Departure has a little more of mature sound than what my fans
previously heard from me but this is the road that I'm on right now
and it's the road that I believe they'll join with me!"
With star writers and hit making producers such as Sean Garrett (Usher,
Mary J. Blige, Beyonce, Gwen Stefani, Pussycat Dolls, Chris Brown),
Tricky & The-Dream (Rihanna, Mariah Carey), J.R. Rotem (Britney
Spears, Sean Kingston, 50 Cent, Rihanna) and The Clutch (Omarion,
Timbaland, Ciara, Bobby Valentino), 'Departure' has an edgier pop/urban
sound than 'Beautiful Soul' and Jesse's sophomore album, 2006's 'Right
Where You Want Me' reflecting Jesse's growth as a songwriter and young
man. "When it was time to do my third album, I wanted people
to see another side of me. I wanted the record to have a little retro
hint sonically but with my own contemporary feel - I listened to the
music of Michael Jackson, Madonna and Prince a lot before we started
the album. I knew I had to present myself in a fresh way so I was
open to other people's ideas and suggestions, especially since I was
working with such great writers and producers."
As the co-writer of many of the album's songs, Jesse chose to share
the experiences he's had since 'Beautiful Soul' made him a household
name throughout the U.S. and in a dozen or more countries, from Italy
to Japan. "I recorded my first solo album when I was 16. A lot
has happened since then and this new album reflects my experiences
growing up over the past couple of years and various stages of family
and personal relationships. I bought my first home. I've been fortunate
enough to tour all over the world which meant being away from my family
and friends for very lengthy times. I've experienced all the ups and
downs of relationships people my age go through. That's why I think
fans who've grown up with me will relate to the songs on Departure,
many of which do have an autobiographical feel."
A prime example, the standout cut 'It's Over' which Jesse says "represents
the reality when you know a relationship is not going to continue."
The edgy jam 'How Do You Sleep?' was inspired by a conversation Jesse
had with writer/producer Sean Garrett during sessions with the hitmaker
in Atlanta about "moving on from your first true love."
On a completely different tip, 'Into Ya' - another collaboration
with Garrett - is "a sexy, intimate, sensual, romantic kind of
song." In contrast, the hard and funky track 'Freaky' (produced
by Madd Scientist) shows Jesse in a whole other light, a dance-flavoured
uptempo cut that Jesse laughs is "about whatever you think it's
about!" 'Rock You' which features a performance by Sean Garrett,
a cut that Jesse says was "a stretch for me. I heard the track
and I was like, 'that's fire!' I can't wait to perform it live. I
hope when my fans see how much I embrace this different side of me
musically, their ears will adjust!"
The album's first single, the instantly memorable pop/R&B-flavoured
'Leavin' (produced by Tricky and The-Dream, the team behind Rihanna's
2008 Grammy award winning hit 'Umbrella') is one of the few songs
on 'Departure' that is not autobiographical, Jesse says, while 'My
Baby' (produced by J.R. Rotem) comes directly from one of Jesse's
relationships: "I wrote that about the 'puppy love' stage I went
through when I first got together with an ex-girlfriend. Wherever
we went, whatever we did, all eyes were on her - she was that girl!
It was cool, I didn't worry about it because I knew at the end of
the evening, she was mine. She knew how much I cared about her….we
were just super tight."
Produced by New York-producer Eric Hudson (who Jesse describes as
"a young Quincy Jones"), 'Told You So' is a mid-tempo cut
that Jesse says is "more about situations that my friends have
told me they've been in after a relationship is over. You know, when
I'm sitting around with the guys, we talk about things we've been
through. Same thing with 'Runnin', which is something guys go through
sometimes when a girl gets really intense and tries to push a relationship
to the next level. Guys get scared, you know! Our guard comes up…we're
scared of maybe getting our hearts broken."
With his third Hollywood Records album, upstate New York-born Jesse
McCartney is building on a foundation that began when he first started
performing at local community musicals at the age of seven, making
his Broadway debut in 'The King and I' when he was ten and later appearing
with The Who's Roger Daltrey in "A Christmas Carol." In
1997, Jesse joined kid group Sugar Beats as a vocalist, earning a
Grammy nomination for "Best Children's Album" for their
1998 release 'How Sweet It Is'. He then joined the band Dream Street
where, at the age of twelve, he was presented with his first platinum
album.
At sixteen, Jesse launched his solo career, creating songs for his
first record while performing on dozens of soundtracks. Released in
2004, Jesse's debut album 'Beautiful Soul' sold over 1.5 million copies,
while the first single of the same name burned up the U.S. charts
while topping the charts in Australia, Italy, the Phillippines and
Taiwan, making "Jesse Mac" a household name in the teen
world. Of his global appeal, Jesse notes, "It's been surreal,
going to countries where people know me, know my parents' names, even
know my pet's name! I've loved all the places I've been but one of
my favourites is Italy because it's a very romantic country. And Japan
is so futuristic. Travelling worldwide has definitely been a life
changing learning experience. It's interesting to learn about other
cultures and meet people from different places." Jesse performed
to sold out crowds in Europe in 2005.
Jesse also racked up a number of awards and nominations including
an American Music Award nomination for "Best New Artist,"
an MTV Award nomination for "Best Pop Video" and three Teen
Choice Awards, including "Choice Male Artist," "Breakout
Artist" and "Crossover Artist."
Being on the road for eight straight months gave Jesse the impetus
for his second album, 'Right Where You Want Me', released in 2006
which drew from Jesse's life-long love of R&B artists like Stevie
Wonder, Ray Charles and Lauryn Hill while expressing a more rock-flavoured
side of his musicality. It was, he says, "a step forward from
'Beautiful Soul', to show some growth and maturity" and working
with guitarist and musical director Dory Lobel, he co-wrote all but
one of the songs on the album.
Expanding his professional horizons, Jesse appeared on the hit television
show 'Summerland' and in the filmed his first feature, 'Keith'. In
2007, he was heard as the voice of Theodore in the box office smash,
'Alvin & The Chipmunks', an experience he says he thoroughly enjoyed.
While working in the studio for his new album 'Departure', Jesse wound
up writing songs for other artists: 'Bleeding Love', a powerhouse
ballad co-written with Ryan Tedder (of the group OneRepublic) was
picked by music industry veteran Clive Davis as a single for singer
Leona Lewis, winner of Britain's "X Factor", becoming one
of 2007's biggest hits in Britain. "It was very intense for me
as a songwriter to have Clive pick one of my songs and then to have
it be such a huge success. It has certainly encouraged me to write
more for other artists."
While establishing himself as a successful songwriter is certainly
in Jesse's future plans, his current focus is his latest album. "I
spent over a year on 'Departure' and I'm thrilled with how it turned
out," says Jesse, a self-confessed sports fan who enjoys football,
baseball, snow-skiing and water-skiing when he's not working. With
songs like the infectious 'Make Up' ("a song about natural beauty"),
produced by Kwame; the upbeat 'Relapse', the story of a man hooked
by a 'hard-to-get' woman (based, Jesse says with a smile, "on
a personal experience when I was young and naïve!"); and
the beautiful ballad, 'Not Your Enemy', a big production track that
demonstrates Jesse's vocal power and strength, Departure reveals Jesse
has arrived with new confidence and maturity.
Jesse reflects, "The last five years have been a whirlwind:
I feel like I've dealt with it well because I've had so much support,
especially from my family with whom I'm very close. I can never take
credit for all that's happened in my career because I couldn't have
done it on my own - my fans all over the world have been so loyal
over the years. 'Departure' represents a new start for me, a new sound
and this is a part of me the fans haven't been exposed to yet…
This music really is my passion and I'm ready to get out there and
share it!"
