A little bit o' this and a little bit o' that is how you can describe California native Jessie Beverly's music, which embodies new-age jazz, pop and soul.
The 24-year-old who moved to Richland in 2007 describes herself as "a cross between Sarah McLachlan, Alicia Keys and Norah Jones. A little hip-hop, a little jazz, a little pop."
Tri-Citians will be able to hear for themselves when Beverly opens up The Fallout Zone at First Night, inside the HUB at Columbia Basin College on New Year's Eve. Her performance starts at 7:15 p.m.
"What I love about performing is being able to relate to complete strangers through song," Beverly said. "What I write about are things almost everyone can relate to -- love, life issues, heartbreak. When someone comes up to me and tells me one of my songs changed their life, that makes it all worthwhile. Plus I feel alive when I sing."
Music first became a part of Beverly's life in the third grade when she took up the violin. Shortly thereafter, she began playing the piano but then progressed to the drums.
It wasn't long until she began experimenting with her own set of pipes. "Singing has always been my passion, so that is always my first instrument I choose to use," she said.
Beverly works as a full-time nanny and previously managed the Hardback Cafe inside the Richland Hastings. She created Art Sounds, an event that featured local artists' work each week and paired the art with performing musicians every month.
The project caught the eye of John Marmaduke, Hastings' president and CEO, who contacted Beverly to thank her for her hard work.
For the love of boosting local art and music, Beverly said she spent most of the last year helping others rather than focusing on her own work.
"The most difficult thing about being an artist is the fact that most can't do it full time," she said. "We all have to have a daytime job that allows us to play gigs at night, which mostly aren't paid gigs. It's what we love to do so money isn't the object."
Beverly hopes to have her first independent CD available for sale by March and says she's excited for the new year.
"My goals for 2009 -- I'd like to start playing more gigs, more often, more places, and going as far down as California and up to northern Washington."
*Bethany Lee: 582-1465; blee@tricityherald.com