Jessy Lanza talks destiny and creative control as she tackles our palm-reading quiz
To mark the realise of her new album Love Hallucination, the producer singer-songwriter turns to the power of palmistry
To mark the realise of her new album Love Hallucination, the producer singer-songwriter turns to the power of palmistry
Practised all over the world, palmistry analyses the major and minor lines on your hand to divine what they say about you: from how you love to how you live and, possibly, what lies ahead in your future. Inspired by this tradition, Palmistry is a series where we sit down with some of our favourite names in the worlds of music, fashion and entertainment for a unique quiz. Turning to their palms, we ask them questions relating to the properties of the five best-known lines in palm-reading.
One thing Jessy Lanza seemed to learn from the Covid years? That life's too short to not be your fullest, most authentic self. The Canadian producer, vocalist and song-writer is perhaps best known for her lilting, hypnotic vocals and ethereal lyrics - with a Polaris Music Prize-nominated sound that showed a more soulful side to Hyperdub, her long-time label and the home of acts like Burial and Dean Blunt. And while she's always been one to stand out from her peers, it's with new album Love Hallucination that she's crafting her sound completely on her own terms and without reservations.
Speaking over Zoom - with occasional interruptions from her sister's enthusiastic dog - she describes the switch from co-production towards solo producing some of the tracks on the new album, an empowering process which gave her further control over the final product. "It just felt good to not have somebody telling you how to finish something and trusting that you can just do it on your own and it'll be alright," Lanza explains.
This renewed trust in her creativity has allowed Lanza to push the project - which combines slick, dancefloor-ready bops with more introspective tracks lyrically exploring everything from the heady power of love to irrational fears and negative self-talk - into wholly new terrain as an artist. For example: “I’ve never written explicitly about orgasms or played saxophone on one of my records before, but these choices made sense on Love Hallucination”
In the spirit of this candid, self-searching record, woo sat down with Lanza to learn more about her via our palm-reading quiz.
Head Line
One of the three major lines in palmistry, the Head Line (also known as Wisdom Line) reflects your belief, self-will, intelligence, mentality and creativity. Beginning at the outer edges of the hand, under the index finger, it runs towards the middle of the palm.
What were you like at school?
I would go into the school office to volunteer to answer phones and shit. I was a little people pleaser, for sure. My parents trained me to be that way.
Are you still a people pleaser?
Yeah, to a fault, but I'm trying to please myself more. When it's ingrained in you from a young age, it's hard [to stop].
What's the biggest adventure you've been on?
Getting a US green card was an adventure.
Without saying anything that would endanger your green card, why was it an adventure?
It was such a rollercoaster. I couldn't see my family for two years, it was in the middle of Covid. My husband and I are both procrastinators and you really need to be on top of shit to get a green card in a timely fashion but we got it done eventually. I think mainly it was just that I couldn't see my family for a couple of years and that that was difficult for me. But yeah, we got married in Vegas to get the green card.
Heart Line
The Heart Line (aka the Love Line), is a representation of your outlook on love, passion, relationships and friendship. It's the horizontal line at the top of your palm.
Are you a romantic?
My parents had a shitty, kind of anti-romantic relationship and so I never had any good role models for romance. So definitely, I think I'm pretty sentimental about it and I romanticise romance for sure.
Do you text first?
No. I'm a phone caller. I do a cold call, I'm not afraid to admit it.
Fate Line
Your Fate Line (which some call the Money Line) runs vertically, from the wrist to your middle finger. It's said to be an indicator of the path you will take in life and how your future will pan out, across your career, finances and fortune.
Do you believe in destiny?
No, I believe in good odds.
Are you a planner or are you more spontaneous?
I'm a planner.
What's on your mood board for the future?
To be more spontaneous.
Sun Line
The Sun Line is a vertical line which can start anywhere on the palm as long as it is in line with the Mount of Moon (at the base of the palm, opposite the thumb) or the Mount of Apollo (the padded area under the ring finger) It also isn't found in every palm. This line is all about beauty and creativity as well as confidence and power.
What's the last book you read?
Excession by Ian M. Banks. I read the Culture series like, I don't know, within the last 10 years, but it's been a while and I just really wanted to read them again. And it's so much fun rereading all of his books.
Play hard or work hard?
I'm trying to be more authentic, so I'll be honest. It's work hard.
Life Line
One of the easiest lines to spot on your palm, the Life Line is the arc that curves around your thumb. It's usually considered to be a prediction of your vitality, health, ideology and experiences - as well as if you will befall major changes or accidents.
What's a major change you've had in your life?
I got married.
How does it feel to be married?
It feels good. It feels very good. My husband is the opposite of transactional. He's just very generous, he doesn't keep score and I'm used to keeping score. So that has been, a way to be a better person, for sure. Not to get too corny about it. But that that was a big change, like even realising I was transactional in the first place after getting married.
How many times have you moved city?
I've moved four times in the past five years but I think we're settled in Los Angeles now.
How much of an LA person would you say you are? Are you on the green juice?
I never thought that I would be a green juice person but it's a pretty charming way to live. I would say I'm not a very LA person but it just sneaks up on you.
What's one moment that changed your perspective on life?
My sister having a baby was huge for me. Seeing life through the eyes of a four-year-old girl is pretty magical. My niece and I share a birthday, we're both born on 3 September. She's just such a sweet kid and I think that changed things for me because I have so much love for her and I think I was able to have more empathy for myself. That changed me for sure in a positive way.
Jessy Lanza's latest album 'Love Hallucination' is released on 28 July via Hyperdub.
