“Body Count” by Jessie Reyez

Jessie Reyez is a Canadian-Columbian singer-songwriter from Toronto. Known for her raspy vocals and effortless cool factor, Reyez has had numerous hits both in Canada and the US. Her hits like “Imported”, “Figures”, and “Apple Juice”, have garnered her a loyal following and numerous awards. Her song “Body Count” is from her second EP, Being Human in Public, and is a display for her wit and honesty as a songwriter, and powerful voice as a singer.

The song is a critique on the social constructs surrounding the number of sexual partners men and women have. While men are encouraged and revered if they’ve been with a lot of partners, women are shamed and called derogatory names. Reyez calls the song the “anti-that anthem”, voicing out her right to love whoever she pleases. The acoustic arrangement actually suits Reyez’s voice more than the original track. She has such soul and raw energy in her vocals that sparser arrangements highlight that much better than more complex modern pop stylings. This acoustic version also has a slower tempo than the original version of the song, which allows Reyez to do more runs that show off her range and emotion.

The music video was filmed at the Sepulveda Dam in Van Nuys, CA, and features Jessie alone at sunset with nothing but her guitar. She’s wearing an oversized Chicago Bulls t-shirt, denim shorts, and gray high top chucks. This perfectly fits in with Reyez’s “real” image of just being who she is at all times, as she wears this same kind of outfit in her personal life and on stage. Reyez sets up the camera overlooking the arches of the dam, and then sits in front of it with her acoustic guitar. The video alternates between the shot of Reyez sitting with her guitar and shots of her dancing and hopscotching on the dam. The whole video has the vibe of realism and just shows Jessie truly being herself, which fits in perfectly with the message of the song.