Jesse Roper steps away from second-guessing and leans fully into instinct with his new EP, Daisy Wake Up. Focusing on making the kind of songs that actually feel right to him, the EP delivers a bluesy, Americana space he’s become known for, whilst offering more freedom in how it moves, like he’s enjoying the process again rather than trying to shape it into something else.
“Green Eyed Lady” is a good example of that. It’s upbeat, loose, and full of character, even though it came from a place that wasn’t particularly light. That mix of humour and honesty comes up a lot across the EP, with stories pulled from wherever they happen to land, whether that’s a memory, a moment on the road, or something more unexpected entirely. There’s no sense of forcing a balance, it just comes out how it comes out.
Noctis Magazine spoke to Roper about that shift and what he’s taken from the years leading up to this point, from long solo drives to watching seasoned artists prepare and perform. It all contributes to where he’s at now and Daisy Wake Up is proving to be a clear step forward for the artist.
With the release of Daisy Wake Up, how would you say this project reflects where you’re at right now, both personally and musically?
I’d say I’m leaning into what I want to do as opposed to what others want me to do a little harder. I went through a stretch there where I was trying to emulate things I thought folks wanted to hear from me. I’ve ditched that approach. I think I did ok, but I feel more myself these days and I hear it in my tunes, it’s refreshing.
“Green Eyed Lady” has such a fun, loose energy to it, even though it came from a pretty emotional place. Is that contrast something you find yourself drawn to when writing?
I was just lonely and trying to cheer myself up with an old fun memory. It’s definitely an approach I use often. I want my interior lights to come on when I write and play music.
The story behind “Green Eyed Lady” is pretty unforgettable. Do songs often start from moments like that for you, or was this one a bit of an outlier?
I don’t often get songs from a sex dream but ya, I love a good story attached to a good song!
You wrote that track at a truck stop in Germany. How much does being on the road shape the songs you end up writing?
When I’m out on the road solo I find it easy to write music. There’s no distractions and I have the right environment to run through my own thoughts. When I’m out with the band, it’s hectic and I have way more going on. Sometimes that inspires a pearl though too.
Across this EP, there’s a mix of humour, heartbreak, and storytelling. Do you consciously try to balance those tones, or does it just come out naturally?
I never really know. Tunes float through my head and sometimes I catch them by the tail.
Do you have a favourite track off the EP, or one that you are most excited for people to hear?
I feel like my early favourite was ‘Daisy Wake Up’, but after everything got mixed, ‘Lady Luck’ is my frontrunner. That song rules!! My band and I just came up with a pretty epic 70’s guitar duel outro for it. It’s going to blast hair back live now.
You’ve shared stages with some big names across blues and Americana. Have any of those experiences changed how you approach your own sound or songwriting?
Absolutely. You watch the pros perform and prepare and you learn all kinds of things from them. They’re pros for a reason. It’s not just writing hits, it’s delivering them. Composure is something I’ve learned from watching folks I’ve opened for. I remember watching Beth Hart and her band do vocal warm ups at the Vogue in Vancouver. They weren’t messing around drinking and acting like kids, they were getting ready to be their best and they were when they hit the stage.
Looking at the full Daisy Wake Up EP, what do you hope people take away from it after listening front to back?
I hope they go straight to their computer and order tickets to my shows. All of them!
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Words: Alexander Williams