Jessie James Decker Is Enjoying the Holiday Season, Preparing for New Music in 2015
Jessie James Decker is a new mom, but she's also a singer, a songwriter, a reality TV host ('Redneck Island'), a fashion designer and a producer. And somehow, despite being in the middle of a busy holiday season, Decker is finding time to do it all!
The 26-year-old says life is "hectic," but she wouldn't change a thing. The singer released 'Baby! It's Christmas' in November, and the song debuted on the iTunes holiday chart at No. 1! It's a catchy, upbeat and fun tune that gives Decker her first production credit (she produced it alongside Daniel Tashian).
"It's got a little Southern into it, it's blues, it's got a little jazz, a little Motown feel but it's also got kind of a today feel," Decker tells Taste of Country. "I wanted it to be a mix of everything, but you know, I didn't set out to go, 'This is the genre that it's gonna be,' it just happened so naturally which is always the best way to go."
It doesn't hurt that she identifies with many different styles of music -- Decker's eclectic influences have influenced her sound today. "I am a combination of all of those things, and it was definitely the perfect song to showcase that."
Decker came across the track when it was just a loop, with no lyrics, and it was love at first listen.
"I wrote the lyrics and the melody to it right there on the spot. I was loving it," the singer gushes. "I loved the music, I was feeling it and I wrote it literally in like 30 minutes and helped co-produce the song and knocked it out about a week after that … I was really pleased with it.”
The brunette beauty isn't just singing about the holidays, she's diving head first into the holiday spirit. She kicked off the season by spending Thanksgiving with her husband, New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker, her new baby, Vivianne Rose, and her family, who drove down to be with her from Buffalo. This was the family's first Turkey Day following the birth of their daughter.
“We didn’t give [Vivianne Rose] everything, but we definitely grinded up some sweet potato, mashed potatoes, green beans, a little bit of turkey and she loved it ... She would make this noise and she just got really excited, she couldn’t wait for another bite," Decker dishes. "It was really cute and I’m really enjoying all of these early moments with her."
The adoring new mom hopes to build a few new family traditions with Vivianne Rose. “Every year at my house growing up, we’d decorate the tree and my mom would put on Christmas music -- the Amy Grant record -- and we would have hot apple cider. I’ll try to do that tradition at my house too," she says. "We always had gravy every year for Christmas and this Sicilian spaghetti dish that’s been in my family for years and years and years … and everyone opens one gift each."
Decker's daughter is now ten months old, and the busy mom already seems to be back in shape. She's clearly been working on her post-baby bod, but won't focus on that during the holiday season.
“I haven’t been trying to diet or anything, but instead of having five cookies, I’m limiting it to three,” she says with a laugh. “I’ve been watching myself, but when it comes to the holidays, I’m not going to limit myself whatsoever. You’re meant to enjoy yourself and you’re meant to hibernate and pack on a couple of extra pounds."
The holiday season also brought the premiere of 'Redneck Island,' the reality-competition she's hosting along with Steve Austin, whom she says is a "down-to-earth, genuine guy."
"It's just gonna be awesome," Decker reveals of what's to come in this season of the show. "It's gonna be so exciting. It's gonna be juicy. It's gonna be competitive, steamy. There's gonna be some sexy scenes and blowout scenes." The show airs on CMT at 10PM ET each Thursday night.
2014 was a good year for Decker, but there's more to come when the calendar flips over. Not only is she launching a bikini line with Australian-based Amore and Sorvete, but also a clothing line called Kittenish with Kora Rae -- and there's even new music in the works! Decker is already writing songs and making notes for her next album.
"There’s definitely going to be a lot of country on there, but there’s going to be some more pop, bluesy stuff on there, too," she tells ToC. "That is the beauty of me not having a label, I can do whatever the heck I want and I’m loving that right now. I’m the boss of me and my music."
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