Jazzy interview on her first solo Top 10 hit Giving Me: "If you can't play it in the club, it's not Jazzy"

As the voice of one of last year's biggest summer smashes - Make Me Feel Good with Belters Only - vocalist Jazzy already had some experience on the Official Chart. 

But this year, she's taking it for herself.

Giving Me, the first single from Jazzy's solo project, has quickly become one of the biggest and fastest rising hits on the Official Singles Chart, moving with relative ease from the Top 40, to the Top 20 and to eventually the Top 10 (and a new peak is in sight for this week too). 

A slinky, groovy house cut, Giving Me is very easily a cousin to the vibrant dance Jazzy was involved in with Belters Only, but it also sets her smoky vocals front and centre. 

But how does it feel to have one of the hottest tracks in the UK right now? One that could, very easily we imagine, become one of the Songs of the Summer? We called Jazzy to find out. 

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Hi Jazzy! Giving Me, your first-ever solo single is now a UK Top 10 hit - not bad going!

It's honestly unreal. I can't believe it!

Obviously, this being the first song you put out on your own...it must be the best feeling in the world to have this kind of reaction instantly

It honestly is. This is what I've been saying to people too, like this is proper surreal. Obviously, I had massive success with the two songs I did with Belters Only [Make Me Feel Good and Don't Stop Just Yet], so just to have another one blowing up the way they did...ah, it just doesn't feel real.

When you were thinking about going solo - you do only have one chance to make an impression with your debut single, right? How was this song the song that made you think, yeah, I want to come out with this

Basically, I just wanted to keep it in the same vibe as the stuff I did with Belters, I love that style of music you know, it's my favourite thing to do. I guess we had a few choices, but this one really stood out to me.

It's such an interesting take on dance and house music. It's actually really chill

I 100% totally agree with you on that. I was like [when listening to Giving Me] thinking "people are gonna love this." But you have to love it yourself, too. And I was really feeling it.

You get a good feeling listening to the song and you went with your gut, but why do you think people are responding to it?

I honestly didn't think it was going to go as well as it has. It's already exceeded my expectations. But I honestly...I don't really know. I guess it's one of those earworm-y songs. People catch on to the lyrics and the vibe. 

So, take me back to when you first recorded...did you know it was going to be a hit?

I mean...I guess you don't actually know. You know what I mean? I've had a lot of luck, with Make Me Feel Good being a big hit, and this looks like it's going in the same direction too, but I feel when you're writing a song you never know if it's going to be a hit. I definitely didn't know with this one!

[I started writing Giving Me] around the same time I started working with Belters, it must have been one of my first sessions. It was in the bag for a little while, before we decided to push it. It felt like a Jazzy track. 

When you say a Jazzy track, what would you class that as? Are there specific things you look for?

I always want to keep it bright and upbeat. Good vibes. As clubby as possible. A Jazzy track is something you can definitely dance to. If you can't play it in the club, it's not Jazzy!

Love it. We also need to talk about the scene in Dublin right now, because it seems to be where all the best dance and house music is being made right now

I'm so proud of everyone in the dance scene in Ireland right now. They're killing it. There's just so many amazing DJs and singers there, it's actually insane. We're showing everyone what our little island can do, we're putting it on the map. The thing about people in Ireland, they support their own. They always get behind you.

It definitely felt like dance music had a massive comeback last year, and it was being pushed by mostly new artists - you and Belters, LF SYSTEM, Eliza Rose...

It really was a movement, and I'm honestly so flattered and honoured to be a part of that. All the people that were up in the Official Charts with us last year were all people I love and admire. Like, I love Eliza Rose. She's so inspiring, that was a big one for me. She's absolutely amazing, just to be even beside her name was amazing. 

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And now to go from that to see your song rising week to week...from the Top 40, to the Top 20, to the Top 10...

Listen, it's been a whole year but now I feel that I've jumped [in my career] than anyone else could have in a year. It's insane, to be honest. This time last year, I was working in Tesco. Life was completely different.

I used to work on the tills in Tesco, fun fact

Stop it! I worked in the bakery in the morning and then I'd do a bit of everything. I was one of them. 

All the hot, successful people used to work at Tesco

They must do!

Giving Me is out now via Universal.