Following a minor stroke at age 18, she gained a Sony publishing contract and penned hits for the likes of Chris Brown, Dutch X Factor winner Lisa Lois, and Miley Cyrus (the American number two hit "Party in the USA"). After building up an established online presence, she signed to Universal Records and began working with the likes of hitmaker Dr. Luke (Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson), Atlanta rapper B.o.B, and R&B producer Labrinth on her debut album, Who You Are. In 2010, her first single, "Do It Like a Dude," originally written for Rihanna, reached number 25 in the U.K. charts and, following in the footsteps of Adele, Florence + the Machine, and Ellie Goulding, she was announced as the winner of the Critics Choice Award at the 2011 Brits. That same year, an appearance on Saturday Night Live coincided with her album being reissued in the U.S.
Following a tour that took in the U.K., Ireland, Australia, Malaysia, and her first show in North America, Jessie J became the first U.K. female solo artist to achieve six Top Ten singles from a single studio album. The success of the sixth single, "LaserLight," featuring David Guetta, was aided in no small part by her appearance as judge on the U.K. edition of The Voice. The hit show gave the singer a chance to display her talent for musical coaching, while building a rapport with fans both old and new on prime-time television. Also involved were Tom Jones and will.i.am, with whom Jessie J performed at Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Concert in June 2012, before heading back to the studio to work on the follow-up to Who You Are.
After finishing her second and final season of coaching on The Voice in 2013, J returned with the singles "Wild" and "It's My Party," which preceded her second album, Alive, that September. With a planned U.S.-only version of Alive featuring collaborations with Pharrell Williams eventually put aside, J instead focused on recording new material for what would become her third studio album, Sweet Talker. Including the likes of Diplo, the-Dream, and the aforementioned Pharrell, the album also saw her join forces with De La Soul and 2 Chainz, while Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj both featured on the lead single, "Bang Bang," which debuted at number one in the U.K. and became a Top Ten hit in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Bulgaria. Sweet Talker arrived in October 2014, reaching the Top Ten in the U.S. and U.K. Taking a break from music, she joined the cast of judges on television singing competition The Voice Australia. She returned in 2017 with the singles "Real Deal" and "Queen," which later appeared on her fourth LP, R.O.S.E.
Catwalk
Jessie J Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't talk
Can't hide that I'm feeling bored
High heels make me really tall,
But I can't walk
But they still clap like they want more
Switch up to a tight fitted T
I wanna dance, I wanna dance,
I wanna, I wanna, I wanna d-d-d-d-d-dance
Switch up to some baggy jeans
And bright coloured boxers for all to see
I wanna dance, I wanna dance,
I wanna, I wanna, I wanna d-d-d-d-d-dance
Work it like a model
(Yeah, yeah, yeah!)
Naomi Campbell
(Yeah, yeah, yeah!)
You're on a catwalk
(Yeah, yeah, yeah!)
X 2
I'm going back down the runway
I wanna run away
But it feels like the fun way
I wanna stay, i wanna stay on stage
But it's the time to change,
I'm gonna d-d-d-d-d-do my thing
Switch up to a tight fitted T
And some high top kicks in pink black and green
I wanna dance, I wanna dance,
I wanna, I wanna, I wanna d-d-d-d-d-dance
Switch up to some baggy jeans
Dem bright coloured boxers for all to see
I wanna dance, I wanna dance,
I wanna, I wanna, I wanna d-d-d-d-d-dance
When you're like a model
(Yeah, yeah, yeah!)
Your Naomi Campbell
(Yeah, yeah, yeah!)
You're on the catwalk
(Yeah, yeah, yeah!)
X 2
For the beat that let me know
(1!)
Nod your head if you wanna let go
(2!)
Clap your hands if you're in the show
(3!)
Come on ladies do your thang!
X2
Rap:
I'm feelin what I'm rockin
Fly for a white chick
Lips cherry pink
Shockin!
Sweet shop baby some mad shopping
Swllowed down the wrong pipe
Got me c-c-c-coughing
Nudge Nudge Wink Wink
All strut ya'll
Cause' you crazy crook
My vocals are booke
Because you like the way i look - yeah!
YEAAHHHHHH! yeah yeah
When you're like a model
(Yeah, yeah, yeah!)
Your Naomi Campbell
(Yeah, yeah, yeah!)
On the catwalk
(Yeah, yeah, yeah!)
X 4
In the song "Catwalk" by Jessie J, the singer talks about her experience walking down a catwalk. She feels bored and unable to speak, but the audience still claps in admiration. While wearing high heels, she finds it difficult to walk but still manages to look good. Jessie J switches up her outfits, going from high heels to tight fitted T-shirts with high top kicks in pink, black, and green. She then switches to baggy jeans with brightly colored boxers that everyone can see. The singer expresses her desire to dance and, despite feeling bored and wanting to run away, decides to stay on stage because that's where she feels the most alive.
The main theme of the song is about self-expression and realizing that, despite feeling nervous or self-conscious, there's always a way to make yourself feel good and confident. Jessie J showcases different outfits to reflect the idea that she can be whoever she wants to be, no matter what she's wearing. In the end, the audience still loves her and appreciates her for who she is.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm walking down the catwalk,
Jessie J is strutting down the runway, showing off her clothing and look
I can't talk
She is not supposed to speak, as modeling is all about displaying the apparel visually
Can't hide that I'm feeling bored
Jessie J is finding the process dull and repetitive
High heels make me really tall,
By wearing high heels, she appears taller and more statuesque
But I can't walk
However, walking in high heels is quite challenging for her
But they still clap like they want more
Despite the difficulty she faces, the audience still cheers and craves more
Switch up to a tight fitted T
She changes her outfit to a tight T-shirt
And some high top kicks in pink black and green
She also wears colorful sneakers
I wanna dance, I wanna dance,
Jessie J wants to be able to move freely and express herself through dance
I wanna, I wanna, I wanna d-d-d-d-d-dance
She really wants to dance and is eager to do so
Switch up to some baggy jeans
She changes into baggy jeans
And bright coloured boxers for all to see
Jessie J wears vibrant underwear that shows up above her jeans
Work it like a model
She tells herself to work the runway like a fashion model
(Yeah, yeah, yeah!)
An expression of agreement or positivity
Naomi Campbell
She references Naomi Campbell, an iconic supermodel
You're on a catwalk
The song stresses the significance of the platform and the person on it
I'm going back down the runway
She is walking back down the runway
I wanna run away
As it's a little overwhelming, Jessie J wants to escape
But it feels like the fun way
Despite her trepidation, she enjoys being up there
I wanna stay, i wanna stay on stage
She wants to keep performing
But it's the time to change,
She knows it's time for a wardrobe change
I'm gonna d-d-d-d-d-do my thing
Jessie J is excited to complete her performance
For the beat that let me know
Her dancing is in response to the music's rhythm
(1!)
A countdown to the next line in the song
Nod your head if you wanna let go
Audience participation is encouraged in this part of the song
(2!)
Another countdown to the next line
Clap your hands if you're in the show
The singer engages the crowd to get them involved
(3!)
A final countdown before the audience is asked to participate
Come on ladies do your thang!
Jessie J urges the women in the audience to dance and enjoy themselves
I'm feelin what I'm rockin
Jessie J is confident in her attire and appearance
Fly for a white chick
She's proud of her style and her dancing
Lips cherry pink
She references the color of her lipstick
Shockin!'
An expression of excitement or admiration
Sweet shop baby some mad shopping
Jessie J loves fashion and shopping
Swllowed down the wrong pipe
She's having trouble breathing
Got me c-c-c-coughing
She addresses the situation humorously
Nudge Nudge Wink Wink
A colloquial way of saying 'You know what I mean'
All strut ya'll
Everyone should strut like a fashion model
Cause' you crazy crook
A playful way of showing excitement or encouragement to the audience
My vocals are booke
She references her busy schedule filled with performances
Because you like the way i look - yeah!
Her good looks are a part of her being a popular and relatable performer
Contributed by Gabriel T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.