The people that have inspired me the most were dancers and choreographers. Even growing up, if I dealt with any pressure to be a certain way, I knew that as an artistic lane, dancing was the one that was a little more freed up - like, no one in my family is really doing that; I can be that person.
— Jillian Hervey
I grew up as a dancer, and music and dance are so closely tied that in ballet class, you're listening to all this classical music, and in modern class, you're working with a live drummer. It was something that always made me feel really comfortable, and I've had a connection to since the beginning.
I feel more comfortable performing when I'm wearing something crazy. I grew up in the '90s, so I love a choker and platform shoes like the Spice Girls wore.
My friends make me laugh: funny Instagram videos, but mostly people falling over. It's so bad, but it never gets old. I just love how people cover up their falls. The whole experience of 'Oh, I just fell, and I'm going to run out of the fall and pretend I did this on purpose.' I just like to see how people cover up their mishaps.
Coconut oil is a must for everything. It is fresh from the earth, so it naturally works to moisturize my scalp, skin, hair and even helps to remove eye makeup. It also smells delicious. You can buy it at a beauty store or the grocery store.
You definitely need to have red lipstick no matter what. You can have a great outfit, but it will always give you that extra little pop. I also love perfume. It doesn't even matter what the perfume is. I like to smell sweet.
I went through so many phases when I was young - surfer girl, tom boy, punk - but they weren't mistakes, just moments.
I'm fascinated by animals and couldn't live without Dewy, my Boston bulldog.
Both of my mom's parents were music teachers, so I got a lot of knowledge about everything from classical music to jazz to musicals.
It was always important to me to be confident and strong with myself. It didn't happen overnight, but I've learned that the only way you can start to control things is if you feel a certain way about yourself.
I always think about how Chaka Khan used to take suede, all these classic fabrics, and then make them very movable. She's my everything!
To be honest, I'm in love with denim. It hasn't been my go-to Lion Babe look, but it's very much my 'everyday Jillian look.' I am in denim every single day.
I like to go super blonde early in the spring because the sun's out and it helps keep that tone.
I think for women, especially women of colour, hair has so much to do with our identity and our confidence levels. I've made a conscious choice after growing up and feeling insecure and trying to achieve this look that actually wasn't me, where I've finally stopped relaxing my hair and went back to my natural texture.
It's definitely a little bit ironic being known for my hair because, as a little girl, I had no idea what I was doing with it. I was insecure about it. I didn't have as many references to curly girls, and I wanted to just fit in with all my other friends.
With dancing, I think the reason it's worked for me, and I love it so much, is because I've trained my entire life. Once you train, you develop your own aesthetic and your confidence. So I think, as I grow, I'm learning how to be a singer. I'm training my voice and being on stage and singing and dancing.
My mood board is archival images of Brigitte Bardot and Iman, and Naomi Campbell in the '90s.
I grew up always wanting to be a dancer, and when I went to New York, I fell in love with the idea of performing in all ways. I saw myself traveling with a company or making my own work and being a little weird. I wasn't thinking about the business side of anything; I just knew that I loved dancing.
We travel so much, I never adjust to time zones any more.
I never really sang for anyone, apart from in the shower or with my best friend. I was shy. I didn't want to take voice lessons. I knew I could sing, but I just didn't tell anyone.
A brown lip liner will affect a red lipstick differently than a red lip liner.
I wasn't even singing when we first started Lion Babe, so my voice has only gotten stronger.
Londoners always seem to be fearless and more willing to have fun with their look. New Yorkers tend to play it safer - sticking with neutrals and black. In London, people aren't afraid to mix patterns and colours.
I think I'm confident because I'm free, I challenge myself, and I stick to what I do.
I never walk into a room and say, 'Hi! I am Vanessa Williams' daughter.' It helps me to become more authentic.
Just coming from a musical family, I was always surrounded by it. On the car rides to school, my mom loved playing A Tribe Called Quest and the Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,' and then my dad was listening to a lot of Bill Withers and Stevie Wonder.
For a long time, I thought of singing as my mom's thing. I loved it, but I thought of dance as my thing.
When I first started Lion Babe, I wore a lot of denim to perform in because I had a limited closet. A lot of the time, I was in cutoff shorts - either dark or light denim - and then I would pair them with whatever top I had.
I studied structured improv, where you start from one position and see where it takes you. I like spontaneity. If you set yourself up to do the same thing every night, you may not connect as well to a different audience.
I feel like my Lion Babe look is an embellishment of my everyday look - it's definitely more extravagant and more artistic.
My mom has always just been one of those people who handle adversity and challenges, and really everything, with so much grace and elegance. I saw it all the time.
I'm definitely trying to make songs that people can sing along to and remember. If you can recognize a chorus and leave with it in your head, it's usually a good sign. But then with the verses, I can get a little more free form. I don't really like to copy and paste things.
When I first started singing - before 'Treat Me Like Fire' when I was working with a vocal coach - I realized that I wasn't even breathing when I was singing.
I'm a die-hard lover of high-waisted skirts with crop tops.
Half of my family is in Los Angeles, so my cousin was the first person to play me, like, Snoop Dogg, and I would always feel like, 'OMG, I shouldn't be listening to this,' and my other cousin was the first to introduce me to Aaliyah, so every time I'd go to the West Coast, I'd get those West Coast vibes.
I grew up just outside New York City in a very white town. In seventh grade, I got called Macy Gray. It really affected me, so I got a weave and wore my hair straight.
My first kiss was at a sleep-away camp, and it was very awkward and over quickly. And that was that. It was just the weirdest thing, and I thought, 'That was it? Get out of here!' I didn't even know his last name.
Fake eyelashes can instantly give me a more dramatic look and also help to accentuate my eyes, which are a focal point to achieving the Lion Babe look.
One of my favorite things from my mom is a chocolate brown three-piece Chanel outfit. I had it tailored because she taught me the importance of fit.
I love vintage Chanel and Prada. When I was growing up, my mum had a Prada backpack, which she's now given to me. I love it because it reminds me of when I was little.
I have a lot of lion jewellery and lion art. I also love crystals.
Onstage, I channel my inner goddess. Everyday Jillian is definitely more low-key: jeans and a crop top with a sneaker or boot.
I can't leave anywhere without making my bed; it's ingrained.
I've never seen the allure of being famous, because I know what that's like. It's part of work.
I really like the resurgence of the '90s vibe, and you can't go wrong with a Canadian Tuxedo. I never think it's bad to layer denim, whether it's colors or shapes.
As a dancer, you're told not to go into it for the money.
Eyeliner is a go-to for me, and gold has always been a color that I really like. It's reminiscent of a lion; it's a strong color.
I love a lot of the '70s singers: Pam Grier from the 'Foxy Brown' movie, Diana Ross, Tina Turner. They've always been able to embrace their hair, and they've never been afraid to take risks and go all out and make it thick and fun and a statement at the same time.
The best thing we've learned is when you are attempting to write a full song, write a full song that day. When we first started, we would have great ideas, but there's something about a moment and a vibe that's being created in time that when you return to it, it sometimes works, and it sometimes doesn't.
If I'm going to mix gold and silver, I make my accessories all match.
