Jessie and the Toy Boys: The Atlanta Pride Interview [PHOTOS & VIDEOS]

Straight off the Femme Fatale Tour with Britney Spears, Jessie Malakouti, AKA Jessie and the Toy Boys, closed out Pride at Piedmont Park on Sunday. We spoke with Jessie soon after her performance about working with Britney, Nicki, and of course, Pride…

Had you been to Atlanta before?

Yes! This was my third time this year. I performed with Britney Spears on The Femme Fatale Tour at Philips Arena and at The Identity Festival earlier this summer.

How was your time in Atlanta? What stands out to you most about being here for Pride?

I love Atlanta! ATL always knows how to have a good time. Playing Atlanta Pride this year was really important to me. My gay fans are amazing! I love them so much, and they definitely didn’t let me down. We had a lot of fun.

Jessie and the Toy Boys: The Atlanta Pride Interview [PHOTOS & VIDEOS]

A Fannequin Meets Jessie and the Toy Boys
After Her Pride Performance at Piedmont Park

How was the meet and greet with your fannequins?

Meet and greets are just as rewarding for me as they are for my fans. I honestly get just as excited as they do. It’s really great when a fannequin will come up that I recognize from Facebook or Twitter. It’s cool to put a face to the screen name and make that connection.

What does Pride mean to you?

Pride is all about love. About being comfortable expressing yourself and being proud to be you. I love celebrating Pride. It makes me really happy.

Who were some of your musical influences growing up?

Growing up I listened to what my older sister would play. So lots of TLC, Janet Jackson, No Doubt. My favorite artist though is Madonna. It was cool to collaborate with Tony Kanal on my single ‘Push It‘.

What was it like opening for Britney Spears?

Opening up for Britney was beyond amazing. I’ve looked up to her as a performer ever since I was a little girl. It was a dream come true touring together.

How was working with Nicki Minaj who was also on the tour?

Nicki is my girl! She is such a bad ass both on stage and off. I learned so much from her just by being in the same room. She is a superstar and I hope we get to work together on some music in the future.

What are you working on now?

My EP ‘Show Me Your Tan Lines‘ just came out in June, and “Let’s Get Naughty’ comes out this month!