A sonic hug for troubled times.
The self-titled debut “Joan Bessie” (2018) featured top talent, including Juno Award winning Producer Ben Kaplan (Mother Mother, Corb Lund, Biffy Clyro), Drummer Ali Siadat (Mother Mother) and Bassist Darren Parris (Carley Ray Jepsen, Daniel Powter, Frazey Ford). Joan Bessie’s lead single “G.G.” was co-written with Composer/Producer Mary Ancheta, and spent 10 weeks on the CBC Music Top 20 chart, hitting #3 in Spring of 2019.
Joan Bessie’s Sophomore album “Girls I’ve Lost” (2023) generated instant praise for its songwriting, artistry and production.
"I Ride Alone" lands in the top 100 Canadian Indie Country Chart in 2023.
"Loose Pages" is licensed to indie feature film "A Brother's Bond" (2023).
The Latest single "In Your Mind" (2025) was produced by Ryan Dahle (Limblifter, Mounties, Age of Electric) and is a nod to classic Motown featuring Sophie Beach on Bass and Vocals.
Jessica and Sophie have toured as the “Joan Bessie Duo” throughout western Canada including feature sets at Khatsahlano Street Party (2025), Island Fancon (2025), Lights of Wonder NYE Victoria (2024), CCMA's Country Crawl, Edmonton (2024) and most recently won the Audience Choice for Best Music Show at the 2025 Victoria Fringe Festival.
CHARITABLE SUPPORT
Canucks Autism Foundation; World Autism Day
"Cates For the Cure" Concert Series
Vancouver Music Industry Gala, in support of the Sarah McLachlan Music Outreach Program
"Babes For Breasts" Concert Series
Engineers Without Borders
Juan de Fuca Performing Arts Centre Society
Bridges for Women Society
PRESS COVERAGE
ZDF TV Documentary - Featured Interview
Global TV BC Morning news - Feature interview
Cover story & feature article in Muzik Etc Magazine
The National Post
St John's Telegram
Toronto StarVancouver Sun
Vancouver Province
Calgary Herald
Ottawa Citizen
Saskatoon Star Phoenix
FESTIVAL SHOWCASES
Fringe Festival (Victoria)
Khatsahlano Street Festival (Vancouver)
CCMA Country Crawl (Edmonton)
Sonic Summer Nights Festival (Vancouver)
Mount Pleasant Business Association Street Party (East Vancouver)
Coquitlam Heritage Days (Coquitlam)
JunoFest (Vancouver)
Canada Music Week (Toronto)
New Music West (Vancouver)
Toronto Independent Music Awards (Toronto)
Reeperbahn Festival (Hamburg, Germany)
Western Canadian Music Awards (Vancouver)
Canada Music Week (Toronto)
Born Jessica Beach, she grew up in The Annex district of Toronto and started studying piano and ballet as a young child. She later began songwriting and her early demos gained the attention of Calgary radio station, Vibe 98.5. In 2004, she won Calgary's 'Unsigned Vibe' contest and recorded the album Sticky Hands. The lead single, Endless (unbound) got heavy airplay and the spins kept coming when the video for her follow up single, “Change” achieved national airplay on Much Music and MuchMore Music TV.
The success of Sticky Hands prompted national and international touring, including performances at The Reeperbahn festival, Canada Music Week, The Western Canadian Music Awards and JunoFest, and sharing the stage with artists including Simple Plan, Lily Frost and SilverSun Pickups. She also began working with dancer/choreographer, Leigh Torlage, putting her original music in live Cabaret shows in Vancouver.
Her songwriting and artistic efforts continued to be recognized with a nomination in the 2008 Independent Music Awards, a song placement with international pop stars, S.H.E., and her singles “Warning Signs”, “Unloaded”, “All the Way Home” and “Devil in the Back” all being selected as semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition (ISC).
The name Joan Bessie comes from her resting grandmother whose nickname was also behind the lead single, “G.G.”.
