BeatRoute Team sat down with Jamie Fine to practice all of our tattooing skills. Jamie was oh so Fine while she dove into topics like her new single, therapy, football, childhood trauma, and so much more. We got into discussing Jamie’s latest single, “bulletproof”, delving into its theme of mental health and personal growth. 

The conversation veers into something we based this whole interview around, Jamie’s tattoo collection, each carrying a unique story from commemorating significant songs to honoring a late friend. Jamie’s love for tattoos inspired us to see what tattoos we could create on each other. 

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How are you?

Jamie: I’m 10 out of 10.

 

You’ve had a remarkable career in the music industry. What can you tell us about your evolution as an artist since the beginning?

Jamie: I think I learned a lot the hard way, which in turn ended up being the best thing for me. It launched overnight, I had been working hard previous to that. I felt like it almost put me in a box that was really, admittedly tough to get out of. That in turn, made me work harder and find new ways to do things that a lot of artists don’t find, right? So it honestly ended up being the best thing I think that could have happened for my career to date.

Your new single “bulletproof” just came out, can you tell us about it?

Jamie: I talk a lot about mental health and just like my brand in general. I think it’s good to open up the conversation about that. A Lot of us, let’s be honest here, have some childhood trauma. I did a lot of work, the last 5-6 years of my life have been dedicated to understanding why I am the way that I am. Why I think the way I do, why I have certain triggers that I do.

I did a lot of work to forgive my parents and to understand that they’re human beings and they did the best that they could with what they had so I wanted to write this ‘love letter’ to them to show that I did do that work and that I accept who they are as people. I forgive them, and I want them to give themselves the grace to forgive themselves. We are one of the strongest families I know. It wasn’t always that way and I’m proud of the work that we put in to be able to get there.

 

What are you tattooing on Emily right now? We’re going to get a close-up.

Jamie: Maybe this is symbolic of the single. I would say the song is better than the tattoo. I do music, I don’t know why I’m doing this.

 

 

What’s the root of inspiration behind your recent work?

Jamie: Again, talking about mental health, I think I wanted to make sure that I was honest with my audience as possible. Being an artist, music is so important in all of our lives. It’s important to be able to help people sort through their emotions whether they’re angry, sad, or happy, and provide a space for listeners to be able to sort through how they feel with music. That’s what I’ve always wanted to do with my music. With this solo project, It’s really about me being as honest as I can, even if it makes me uncomfortable, even if it’s something I don’t necessarily want to talk about and putting it in an art form. Mostly so people can know they’re not alone.

 

When I’m at my most emotional, I turn on a song that I know I’ll cry to and then just feel. No matter how sad the song is.

Jamie: Yeah, that’s why people love sad music so much, right? We have a really hard time sorting through our emotions sometimes and that’s normal, but being able to have this outlet is healthy. I’m really lucky that I get to do music because it’s pretty much my journal, right? I get to work through things healthily. Sometimes I like tequila, but other times music comes in handy.

 

I’m gonna shift gears now. You just opened up the series XM Gray Cup Kickoff Show. How does it feel to be part of such a significant event in your home country?

Jamie: That’s exactly it, it’s my home country and I’m proud to do anything Canadian. I truly am proud to be from here. Every country has its stuff and you’re never going to find a country that doesn’t have its flaws. 

 

You’re joining an impressive lineup which includes Green Day for the halftime show and headliners like Carrie Underwood & Shaggy. How do you feel about being part of this musical celebration with them?

Jamie: I think it’s cool, right? Those are artists that I jam out to. I do jam out to Carrie Underwood. What, are you kidding? “Before He Cheats”? You know what I mean? Classic.

 

I’m looking at your arms and you’ve got tons of tattoos. Can you tell me about them? Do you have any that are specifically meaningful?

Jamie: So one of my favorite ones is on my hand here. It says “8:48 at night” and that’s the most important song I’ve probably ever written. It hasn’t even come out and it probably won’t — I know, crazy — but it’s one of those songs that shaped how I write music. It was something that I wanted to commemorate on my skin.

I think tattoos are art. Probably the most important one is for my buddy who passed away during the pandemic Carl, he had a bunch of cranes on his arm. A bunch of us who were close with him, we all went and got cranes and it was this beautiful moment. We couldn’t mourn, because of the pandemic, there wasn’t a funeral so we got together with his family here and there, which was beautiful. I think this solidified it for a lot of us and it was a pretty emotional thing, but it was beautiful. I went sentimental and then I got two girls making out because, lesbian, I don’t know what to tell you. 

I’m obsessed with elephants, like…obsessed with elephants and I just came back from South Africa a couple of months ago and I got to meet an elephant; I freaked out. 

I try to come up with an idea for a tattoo and then wait six months to make sure I truly want it. There’s only so much real estate, you know what I mean? Gotta make sure I’m not wasting it.

 

Do you find that the more you get, the less meaningful and sillier they become?

Jamie: Yeah, I wish it wasn’t that way because I cared so much. In the beginning, I was like, “I would never put that on my body” and then I got two girls making out. It’s art, as long as you love it then you can do whatever you want. I honestly have a theory that in the next two years. There will be airport scanners that you’re gonna be able to walk through and it’s just gonna zap all the tattoos off you. I feel like we’re close. So who cares? You know 

 

So, I guess the permanence of them does not scare you.

Jamie: No, no, I don’t take life that seriously, man. I’m not scared of permanence. Everything that I put on my body I think of as art and if I don’t like it, then one day I can cover it up or probably walk into a machine, as I say, and zap her off, and then it’ll be fine.

 

I love this theory. Is this the first time that you’ve ever given someone a tattoo? Not even a drunken stick-and-poke experience?

Jamie: Are there drunken stick-and-poke experiences?

 

I think that’s the most common stick and poke experience?

Jamie: That’s dangerous. That can’t be sanitary. I don’t endorse drunken sticks and pokes [wink]. I’ve never had one of those. My guy is very sanitary. He likes to make sure that we do it when we’re sober because they say you shouldn’t get tattoos when you drink because it thins your blood. I’m trying to take that pretty seriously because although I don’t take tattoos the most seriously anymore, I don’t want it to look like crap. You know what I mean?

 

Who would you love to tattoo or get matching tattoos with? 

Jamie: Ed Sheeran. Have you seen Ed Sheeran’s tattoos? His tattoos are very colorful and playful. I feel like he doesn’t take them too seriously either. Sorry Ed, if you see this interview and you do take them seriously. It just doesn’t look like it.

 

Is this a Daisy? Do you know what Daisies look like?

You went from saying everybody can draw a Daisy to, “What do daisies look like?”

Jamie: I’m insecure, I’m in therapy and working on it. OK?

 

From this experience, I can tell that you have a no quit attitude and that you will always find a solution. Where does that quality come from?

Jamie: My parents are like that, that’s probably the biggest thing my parents taught me. Just get back up. It’s not gonna feel good sometimes and it’s gonna suck, but don’t give up. The older I get, the more I work through problems, and the more I realize you can work through, you know what I mean? There’s always a solution. I kind of instilled this problem-solving mentality. Like, don’t take more than three seconds to just figure out how to solve it. I think once you rewire your brain to that mentality, problems start being a lot less scary and hard to work through.

 

What you just said there, about making a decision. Are you an Aries?

Jamie: I’m not, I’m a Cancer. I’m so emotional, It’s ridiculous. Not sensitive but emotional. Makes for a good song. I get to work through issues creatively, like I said before, it’s my diary. I do my artistic projects, but I love writing music for other people as well.

 

 

Did you just draw a 69 on my arm? That looks like 69. Oh my God. I’m done with the interview. I’m signing off, what the actual F? [Laughs]

 

It’s the Cancer Zodiac Symbol!

Jamie: No, I love it. Do more. I’m not going to tell you more things about myself because now you’re gonna try drawing like my dog.

 

If you could collaborate with any artist living or dead, who would it be? How do you see that collaboration unfolding?

Jamie: I have this obsession with Cher. Who doesn’t have an obsession with Cher? I think it would be so fun, but I think I have to go with Amy Winehouse. I just think that her music was so beyond its time and God, she was such an influence and she didn’t know how big of one she would be after her passing. It would be incredible to just write a song with her and then be able to perform it with her. It would be a dream.

 

I thought you were gonna cry for a moment.

Jamie: No, but I could if you want me to, I can try. I’m a solo crier. I don’t like crying in front of people. It’s really funny because my girlfriend and I are polar opposites, she cries over everything. God, I love you, baby. I love you and you’re so beautiful. You cry a lot. We joke about it all the time and I’m almost envious because she gets to let everything out. I have such a hard time crying that I have to lock myself away. I think it’s because I got used to dealing with problems on my own so intensely that it’s like, ok, I just need to process this.

Let me lock myself in a room and cry and then I’ll get over it.

 

Okay, Last question.

Jamie: Last tattoo for you then.

Haha, let’s do it. Looking beyond “bulletproof” and The Grey Cup. What’s next for you? 

Jamie: I’m really in this phase that it’s about the music right now. We’re living in a strange world where you have to find a way to turn followers into fans because it’s easier now more than ever to gain a follower. It’s harder now, more than ever, in my opinion, to gain a fan. I think the way you do that is through good music. It has to come down to good music, you know.

I’m focused on creating what’s next for Jamie Fine, as a musician, the rest will fall into place. I think that I’ve had too much of an experience in the last little bit, things happen for a reason and 99% of plans sort themselves out. That’s where I’m at.

 

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