Jessie Altman doesn’t just perform in a room, she captivates it. At a late-July show at The Bitter End in New York City’s Greenwich Village, she previewed songs off her upcoming sophomore album between bits of crowd banter that felt more like a friend catching you up on her life than a formal set. She joked her way into “For The Hell Of It,” told the story behind “Barcelona” (inspired by her now-husband and their “last first date”) and paused on “Mirror Mirror” to remind everyone, half-joking, half-serious, to stop talking to themselves so harshly.
Altman, whose mom is Wonder Woman icon Lynda Carter, has spent the past two years becoming one of pop’s most talked-about new names, landing on SPIN’s list of 2025’s top emerging artists. Her debut album, Aftermath, came out in 2024, and this September 25 brings its follow-up, Lovelight, led by the single “For The Hell Of It,” out now. Ahead, Altman talks new music, self-care and the one beauty product she can’t go onstage without.
What inspired you to trade law for music?
“I always wanted to be an artist, a singer-songwriter. Growing up, I just felt like it was a fool’s errand, and it was this silly little girl’s dream. I grew up in a family of lawyers, and I thought that being a lawyer would unlock the world to me. It would teach me the rules of the game, and so that’s the path that I took. I was good at school, so inertia took over, one decision after another, and I looked around and I realized how much I missed it. I love live music, but I was not wanting to go to see concerts because I would look up at people who were braver than I was and were doing the things I wanted to do, but I was just too scared to go for it. And that’s when I kind of realized that I had to take a chance and just go for it, whether I succeeded, whether I failed, whether I found out I didn’t like it. It was better to try than not to try at all.”
What would you tell your 20-year-old self?
“Have more confidence in yourself. You have good judgment. As best as you can, drown out the noise and listen to yourself about what you feel is right for you.”
Any artists you’re pulling inspiration from right now?
“I draw inspiration from a lot of artists. Before I write any kind of project, I think about how I want it to sound, the kind of feeling I want the music to have. I try to be really intentional about not trying to mimic or do something else an artist does. Historically, there’s such great music. I think right now there’s so much amazing music, particularly for women in pop. It’s kind of just bananas how good women in music are right now.”
Top five favorite songs, go.
“Dream” by the Cranberries, “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac, “Ironic” by Alanis Morissette, “Lady May” by Tyler Childers and “Cardiac Arrest” by Bad Suns, [though Altman notes the list is subject to change depending on the day and her mood].
How would you encourage people who are hesitant to do things ‘For the Hell of It’?
“Have it be your little mantra. Doing something ‘for the hell of it’ is not something that comes particularly naturally to me. I remember being in law school, and I had a girlfriend who would just randomly go out the night before an exam. She was like, ‘You know, I studied enough, it’s gonna be what it’s gonna be.’ And that was just not me. I was studying and nervous, trying to do all the things. Sometimes you just have to stop overthinking, trust yourself a little bit more, don’t be stupid and reckless, but do it for the hell of it. Have a little bit of fun. Sometimes things are not that serious and not that deep. So make it a little mantra to just add a little more excitement to your life.”
If your new album were the soundtrack to a movie, which would it be?
“I was thinking maybe a classic rom-com. Think When Harry Met Sally or Runaway Bride, or one of those amazing classic romantic comedies.”
What are your self-care non-negotiables?
“Sleep. A really good facial, where you get to get that really good therapy session. You gab a little bit, you chat and then you come out with your skin looking awesome. That’s always really fun. And then, before the show tonight, I got ready with a couple of my girlfriends at my apartment, and somehow your makeup looks better, you feel really good, the vibe is good.”
What’s the one beauty product you can’t go onstage without?
“Admittedly, I have gone onstage at a daytime concert with nothing but a lip and sunglasses. It was a long drive, no mirror in there and I was like, you know, ‘It’s sunny, I’m just going to throw on some shades and some lipstick.’ But I’m going to go with eyeliner, it’s fun! I have been using the Too Faced Eyeliner Pen ($27) since I was in high school, and I love it, it’s so good.”
How do you keep feeling your best while touring and performing late nights?
“A lot of the name of the game when you’re touring is doing everything that you can to make yourself feel as good as you can. Exercising, getting a good night’s rest, protecting my voice, like all the boring things that are not particularly fun or glamorous. People take the time to leave home, buy a ticket, pay for the travel to get here, their time to sit here instead of doing literally anything else. So, I feel like it’s my responsibility to make sure that I’m doing everything I can to make sure that it was for a good reason and I can put on the best show that I can. I did a Pilates class in the morning. I went and I saw my vocal teacher to do a vocal warmup. Anything that’s going to make me feel really good.”
