Reyez started singing at a young age. Inspired by her father's talent for playing acoustic guitar, and singing Colombian boleros, Jessie was destined to be a creative herself. It came naturally to Jessie, as she began writing lyrics and adopting her father's talents for the guitar. But before Reyez became serious about music, she was a committed student, and studied hip-hop dance from junior high into high school. However, after a traumatic breakup with her first serious boyfriend when she was 17, Jessie poured her heartache back into music. Reyez was then introduced to Chicago-based hip-hop artist King Louie. Soon, Reyez was approached to share her songwriting and vocal talents with such notables as Calvin Harris, Babyface, Chance the Rapper. Reyez was focused on building an audience for her own work however, and in April 2017, she released a seven-song EP, 'Kiddo', which includes tracks "Figures" and "Gatekeeper". Reyez followed EP with standalone "Phone Calls" and "Cotton Candy".
In March 2018, Reyez released a reprised version of "Figures" which was performed live alongside fellow Toronto-based artist Daniel Caesar at the Juno Awards. She recieved Breakthrough Artist of the Year, dedicating the win to Canadian artists.
Reyez, currently touring with singer-songwriter Halsey in North America, commemorated her recent success with a new single: "Apple Juice".
Body Count
Jessie Reyez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You don't gotta tell me 'bout your body count
I don't gotta know your ex's name
'Cause if it just so happens that you turn around and ask me
I think you might feel some type of way
I dodge dick on the daily, yeah
I know it's funny, but it's true
Got the papers to prove
We don't need no one, yo', tryna take our freedom, yo'
Time won't let you stay young
So, we don't care what they say
We gon' love who we wanna love
Oh, yo', oh, yo', oh
We gon' love who we wanna love
Oh, yo', oh, yo', oh
We don't care what they say
We gon' love who we wanna love
You don't gotta tell me 'bout your body count (no, no, no)
Baby, I ain't gonna post you on my page (haha)
'Cause odds are that goodbyes are coming soon
So, maybe you should put a rubber on your heart
Before it breaks
'Cause all your friends want my baby (yup)
I know it's funny, but it's true (yeah)
But some nights I would rather make love to myself
Singing to my own damn tune
We don't need no one tryna take our freedom
Time won't let you stay young
So, we don't care what they say
We gon' love who we wanna love
Oh, yo', oh, yo', oh
We gon' love who we wanna love
Oh, yo', oh, yo', oh
We don't care what they say
We gon' love who we wanna love
I saw my ex and then I swerved, sue me
Miss me with that bullshit for the birds, sue me
Know they did me dirty while I still had the title
But I don't hold any anger, I just swerve
Hallelujah
Yeah, yeah
Hallelujah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I swear I said throw it on ya
In Jessie Reyez's song Body Count, the artist challenges societal norms and expectations surrounding relationships and sexual partners. She begins the song by saying that her partner doesn't have to disclose their "body count" (the number of people they have had sex with) or even reveal their ex-partners' names. She makes it clear that even if her partner does ask her about her own experiences, it shouldn't affect their relationship. Jessie then goes on to reveal that she chooses to abstain from sex for her own reasons, making a tongue-in-cheek joke about "dodging dick on the daily." She shows pride in her independence and self-sufficiency by mentioning how she bought a Mercedes all by herself, and emphasizes the importance of freedom and choice in love - that they don't need anyone else's approval. The song concludes with lyrics about not letting past relationships bring down one's spirit or moods, and finally ends with the artist stating that she wants to "throw it" (presumably meaning to have sex) and questioning the world's ideas about sexual expression and relationships.
Overall, Body Count is a song that encourages listeners to embrace their true selves and not feel ashamed or constrained by societal norms or other people's opinions. Jessie Reyez's confronts issues such as slut-shaming, sex positivity, and being true to one's self in her song.
Line by Line Meaning
You don't gotta tell me 'bout your body count
I don't need to know how many people you've been with.
I don't gotta know your ex's name
I don't need to know about your past relationships.
'Cause if it just so happens that you turn around and ask me
I think you might feel some type of way
If you do ask me about my body count, you might get jealous.
I dodge dick on the daily, yeah
I know it's funny, but it's true
I choose not to sleep around with men and it may sound funny, but it's true.
And I bought this Mercedes all by myself
Got the papers to prove
I worked hard to buy my own car, and I have proof of ownership.
We don't need no one, yo', tryna take our freedom, yo'
Time won't let you stay young
So, we don't care what they say
We gon' love who we wanna love
We don't want anyone trying to control us or dictate who we should love because time is fleeting, so we'll love whoever we wish to love.
You don't gotta tell me 'bout your body count (no, no, no)
Baby, I ain't gonna post you on my page (haha)
'Cause odds are that goodbyes are coming soon
So, maybe you should put a rubber on your heart
Before it breaks
I don't want to know how many people you've been with because chances are we might break up soon, so protect your heart.
'Cause all your friends want my baby (yup)
I know it's funny, but it's true (yeah)
But some nights I would rather make love to myself
Singing to my own damn tune
I know your friends are interested in me, but sometimes I'd rather take care of my own sexual desires and enjoy my own company.
We don't need no one tryna take our freedom
Time won't let you stay young
So, we don't care what they say
We gon' love who we wanna love
We don't want anyone trying to control us or dictate who we should love because time is fleeting, so we'll love whoever we wish to love.
I saw my ex and then I swerved, sue me
Miss me with that bullshit for the birds, sue me
Know they did me dirty while I still had the title
But I don't hold any anger, I just swerve
Hallelujah
Yeah, yeah
Hallelujah
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I swear I said throw it on ya
I saw my ex and avoided them, you can criticize me for it. I don't want to hear any nonsense about my ex, as I've already moved on. Even though they did me wrong, I don't hold any grudges and just move on with my life. Amen. Also, I remember saying that I throw it back during sex.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jessica Reyes, Kenneth B Edmonds, Khristopher Van Riddick Tynes
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Mz Clementine
Girl I'd be burned. Cute story. I grew up with my grandmother always saying I was just like my grandfather. Sorry great grandfather. He was called a salesman, and I said well what did he sell. My grandmother said well he really wasn't a salesman. He was an herbalist. He could heal people. My great-grandmother was excellent at delivery. And my grandfather was a scientist of herbs. No I don't deliver babies. But I do a lot of healing things mind body and soul. I'm very good at what I do. Been interviewed a few times by doctors. It's so awesome to blow their mind.
He was known as a witch doctor. My grandmother is religious. She's a reverend. I'm very gifted. It's been difficult. It wasn't until I was 36 whenever I finally ignored her for a little bit which drove her crazy. And I said if the men of the Bible could have the gift of discernment why couldn't I.
I said you considering things that actually help you or things that I know of the devil. You taint them yourself. How is it that you have been lead so stray?
It's so very sad we are the answer that we seek. That's why they work so hard on dividing us. On so many levels. Once you start seeing labels, you got to actually look at the baseline and get to know that person. Before you follow that label. It's so sad to see history repeating itself. I wish people would see the patterns.
My grandmother finally had that clicking moment. I was like mamma it's been a difficult mountainous climb with you.
You know what's funny, the Doom and gloom that my grandmother followed, Hell and brimstone... Heaven having streets of gold and buildings of gems. Doing good deeds and getting gems in your crown. That was actually made up by a crook turned lawyer turned preacher. and he was like the father of that rhythmic deep loud dramatic talk in preaching. I believe it was around the 1850s that he came about. Yeah a lot of terrible things came around then. History people don't even know about. Eugenics, especially against the people of Appalachia the mountains. It's really sad. To watch them manipulation of society and history, only to watch it repeat itself again. Although people have been trained not to see this.
within education and giving out fragments of information. Only testing you on that fragment of information. Instead of teaching it as a whole and then following through. For instance, did you know in first grade you learn about the seed and how it grows and plant life. By third grade they're doing tree sediment and weather. My son turned to me and said mom we did this in first grade. I said yes we did but unfortunately the school doesn't. They break the lessons up. I'm so proud of you for catching that. We finished the whole plant life cycle weather everything in one month. Test and all. He retained the information. Extremely well. Why, you're not being tested on the fragments of the information. You're not picking it up later down the road. You're only being tested on that fragment of information. Which people then lose the whole picture. And that information becomes garbage to them. It doesn't support one or the other. So people don't see patterns, people don't see the obvious, or the most logical path.
I saw that in my own education. I have extreme dyslexia to the point where I can write mirror image my sentences can go from the end to the beginning. And I do read like that sometimes. I always followed through on my lessons and went further ahead than I was ever supposed to. Because starting and stopping something was very stagnant to me. I found it frivolous not to follow through.
We need a lot of change. Especially in education. My son has wonderful input. He's graduating soon, with his AA degree. Advanced very advanced. I'm so proud of him. Knowledge most certainly can bring power. But how do you educate on a mass scale when your words are censored. And there's so much more to this picture. But it's too daunting for me to even write. Many aren't ready for this information. But if asked I will totally hand it over.
Much love my dear.
Jaila Jones
The significance of this being a witch-burning with this song is absolutely genius. How women were called witches for expressing their sexuality, especially brown girls and women.
CaRl McNaMeE
@Angus Chandler 'were'
Angus Chandler
@CaRl McNaMeE Woops, missed that bit lol
Mz Clementine
Girl I'd be burned. Cute story. I grew up with my grandmother always saying I was just like my grandfather. Sorry great grandfather. He was called a salesman, and I said well what did he sell. My grandmother said well he really wasn't a salesman. He was an herbalist. He could heal people. My great-grandmother was excellent at delivery. And my grandfather was a scientist of herbs. No I don't deliver babies. But I do a lot of healing things mind body and soul. I'm very good at what I do. Been interviewed a few times by doctors. It's so awesome to blow their mind.
He was known as a witch doctor. My grandmother is religious. She's a reverend. I'm very gifted. It's been difficult. It wasn't until I was 36 whenever I finally ignored her for a little bit which drove her crazy. And I said if the men of the Bible could have the gift of discernment why couldn't I.
I said you considering things that actually help you or things that I know of the devil. You taint them yourself. How is it that you have been lead so stray?
It's so very sad we are the answer that we seek. That's why they work so hard on dividing us. On so many levels. Once you start seeing labels, you got to actually look at the baseline and get to know that person. Before you follow that label. It's so sad to see history repeating itself. I wish people would see the patterns.
My grandmother finally had that clicking moment. I was like mamma it's been a difficult mountainous climb with you.
You know what's funny, the Doom and gloom that my grandmother followed, Hell and brimstone... Heaven having streets of gold and buildings of gems. Doing good deeds and getting gems in your crown. That was actually made up by a crook turned lawyer turned preacher. and he was like the father of that rhythmic deep loud dramatic talk in preaching. I believe it was around the 1850s that he came about. Yeah a lot of terrible things came around then. History people don't even know about. Eugenics, especially against the people of Appalachia the mountains. It's really sad. To watch them manipulation of society and history, only to watch it repeat itself again. Although people have been trained not to see this.
within education and giving out fragments of information. Only testing you on that fragment of information. Instead of teaching it as a whole and then following through. For instance, did you know in first grade you learn about the seed and how it grows and plant life. By third grade they're doing tree sediment and weather. My son turned to me and said mom we did this in first grade. I said yes we did but unfortunately the school doesn't. They break the lessons up. I'm so proud of you for catching that. We finished the whole plant life cycle weather everything in one month. Test and all. He retained the information. Extremely well. Why, you're not being tested on the fragments of the information. You're not picking it up later down the road. You're only being tested on that fragment of information. Which people then lose the whole picture. And that information becomes garbage to them. It doesn't support one or the other. So people don't see patterns, people don't see the obvious, or the most logical path.
I saw that in my own education. I have extreme dyslexia to the point where I can write mirror image my sentences can go from the end to the beginning. And I do read like that sometimes. I always followed through on my lessons and went further ahead than I was ever supposed to. Because starting and stopping something was very stagnant to me. I found it frivolous not to follow through.
We need a lot of change. Especially in education. My son has wonderful input. He's graduating soon, with his AA degree. Advanced very advanced. I'm so proud of him. Knowledge most certainly can bring power. But how do you educate on a mass scale when your words are censored. And there's so much more to this picture. But it's too daunting for me to even write. Many aren't ready for this information. But if asked I will totally hand it over.
Much love my dear.
Mz Clementine
@Angus Chandler happens to most of us. 🥰
Devin Torkildsen
Historically women were called witches because they thought that the woman was doing magic. I’m pretty sure sexuality wasn’t involved. And up until recently every gender was discriminated against for “expressing their sexuality”. Not exclusive to women.
If you have a legitimate source for your comment please let me know otherwise don’t spread bullshit
Cat whisperer
She is so damn talented, and she has such a beautiful soul. I still can’t believe that so many people are sleeping on her music. She’s STILL not to a million YT subscribers? Their loss I guess.
Joe S
She's pure bro. She refuses to pay to play. Shows you how others are getting their counts
Martina Moroney
Year later she's there bro!!! 🙌🏻😜💦💋
Cat whisperer
She's a Boss. ❤️ I am so glad that more people are tuning in. Her music is phenomenal and unique.❤️