JessB

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

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

Early life and netball career

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

Discography

Studio albums

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

Mixtapes

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

Extended plays

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

Singles

As lead artist

List of singles as lead artist, with year released and album shown
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
NZ
Hot
"Soul Free" 2017 — Non-album single
"Take It Down"
(featuring Rubi Du)		 2018 — Bloom
"Set It Off" —
"Bump Bump"
(featuring Church Leon)		 2019 — New Views
"Mood" 37
"So Low"
(featuring Paige)		 —
"Time Out"
(featuring Abdul Kay)		 —
"Pon It" 2020 — 3 Nights in Amsterdam
"Flying"
(with Abdul Kay, Blaze the Emperor, Mo Muse and Raiza Biza as BLKCITY)		 — TBA
"Shut Up!" — 3 Nights in Amsterdam
"From Tha Jump" 2021 — Non-album singles
"Can't Fake It" 2022 39
"Moment"
(featuring Kranium)		 2023 — Feels Like Home
"Ring Ring"
(featuring Gold Fang)		 —
"Hold Me Down" —
"Come Find Me" 2024 —
"Talk of the Town" —
"Commando" —
"Life Is Lifting" 2025 —
"Not Today" 2026 — Matters of the Heart
"See You There" —
"Can I" —
Title Year Album
"Expose This (Remix)"
(Yaw Faso featuring JessB)		 2018 Non-album singles
"Bloodlines"
(The Adults featuring Estére and JessB)
"Meditjin"
(Baker Boy featuring JessB)		 2019 Gela
"The One You Want (60s Song)"
(Stan Walker featuring JessB)		 2022 All In

Awards and nominations

APRA Awards

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

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

ARIA Music Awards

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
Best Video Nominated

Taite Music Prize

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

References

  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.