Jessica Dalla Torre: I never wanted to sing

She was just like any teenager trying to figure out life. Singing was out of the question for gospel artist Jessica Dalla Torre because she was shy. But her nanny, Gladness, had other plans.

Born in Johannesburg to Portuguese parents, Jessica Dalla Torre (38), loved dancing and playing the piano. Then one day, her nanny, Gladness, heard the teen sing in her room and immediately alerted her parents. And so, a singer was born.

On the set of her new music video for her latest song “Keep My Eye On You”, a collaboration with Loyiso Bala, the bubbly Jessica sat down with InBound SA to share the news of her new song and her excitement in sharing it with her fans.

“I was raised in a Christian home where we listened to a lot of worship music. I’ve loved worship from a very young age. I’ve been attending and singing in church for many years,” says the mother of two girls.

After school, she entered Idols and despite not reaching the finals, still pursued her singing career. Soon after, she recorded an album “Into Your Heart” with Daniel Ornellas in Nashville, Tennessee. “My love for worship drew me to record this new album. My hope is that the album will be meaningful, life-changing and will inspire a closer relationship with Jesus. It was a wonderful experience to work on this album with Daniel, who has become a good friend.”

When she returned home, she joined a Christian group, The Jesus Collective, where they go to communities to give youth and adults hope. It is here that she ran into an old friend, singer Loyiso Bala. She persuaded him to collaborate on the song which impressed critics so much, the two made a music video.

“At the beginning, I was very shy singing in front of people and now I use it to see how lives are changing for ordinary South Africans. Through the group, we change lives through music,” she says.

As for her future, Jessica says: “I will go where life wants me to go.” IB