Promoter & Media Resources
This page contains a series of promoter/journalist resources, which may be used in promotional materials and are usually kept up-to-date.
If you need something which isn't on this page, want to obtain review copies of any releases, request press tickets for shows, set up an interview or have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
If you are looking for booking information, click here.
Before anything else...
I would kindly ask that promoters bill as The Bleeding Obvious and not 'Jessica Rowbottom' or 'Jess', thanks!
When referring to Jessica in an article, personal pronouns are she/her.
Super-short (200-character) Bio
The Bleeding Obvious is a one-woman queer musical cabaret singing original songs which are sometimes funny, occasionally poignant and frequently involve her experiences on the LGBTQ+ spectrum.
Really Short Bio
What happens when you tumble out of the big pink closet and fall across the LGBTQ+ spectrum in a sprawling heap? Well, life is never quite as straight as it seems! Yorkshire lass Jessica Rowbottom (aka The Bleeding Obvious) endeavours to describe the experience with original songs and tales which are sometimes funny, occasionally poignant, frequently emotional, usually queer - and probably the only show with the lyrics "demisexual panromantic polyamorous androgyne".
Short Bio
The Bleeding Obvious has one single member: Yorkshire lass Jessica Rowbottom, whose multi-genre songs are sometimes funny, occasionally poignant, and frequently emotional. Usually seen with a piano, her work frequently explores the LGBTQ+ coming-out process through music, spoken word and comedy - and it's probably the only show with the lyrics "demisexual panromantic polyamorous androgyne".
She's performed to a packed off-West End theatre at Pride In London, a run at Edinburgh Frings, London LGBT+ Pride Picnic in Victoria Park, L Fest Lesbian Festival, Trans Pride Brighton, Norwich Arts Centre, more Prides than you can shake a rainbow flag at and a sold-out show at Cadogan Hall London with Europe's longest-running LGBTQ+ choir The Pink Singers. Her shows frequently draw comparisons with Victoria Wood, Tim Minchin, The Divine Comedy and Fascinating Aïda.
Long Bio
"A rabbit-hole of genres" is just one of the phrases used to describe the music of The Bleeding Obvious: the monicker of British musician, composer and producer Jessica Rowbottom. A former chorister at Wakefield Cathedral, Jessica principally plays piano and keyboard but her skills also encompass accordion, guitar and drums as well as a variety of home-built and circuit-bent electronic devices.
Her style encompasses everything from acoustic piano to orchestral soundscapes and soulful funk-pop - the music is emotional, reflective, joyful, frequently dark, sometimes funny, almost autobiographical in places.
Her internationally acclaimed self-titled debut album The Bleeding Obvious was released in November 2016; opening track "Splendid!" garnered favourable radio play from the likes of BBC Radio 2 alongside commercial radio stations. The album featured over 50 singers and musicians from around the world as well as a small orchestra assembled specifically for the occasion.
Throughout 2017-2018 Jessica toured her one-woman musical cabaret Rainbow Heart exploring the coming-out process for LGBTQIA+ people through music, spoken word and comedy. Tour dates included Brighton, Nottingham, Birmingham, Leeds, York, Bristol and Manchester and the show was part of Pride In London Festival 2018. The recorded album itself includes talking-heads segments alongside more traditional songs; almost a hundred people of varying sexualities and gender identities were interviewed to form the work. It also inspired an EP of remixes from the first two albums titled Spectrum - her first release with a live band.
The Bleeding Obvious has also been touring new work taking her LGBTQ+ repertoire to Prides nationwide, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, L Fest lesbian festival in Wales, headlining the LGBT+ Pride Picnic in London's Victoria Park on the 50th anniversary of the first Big Gay Out, Faversham Fringe, Hull Comedy Festival, and performing a sold-out show at Cadogan Hall London with Europe's longest-running LGBTQ+ choir The Pink Singers.
She comperes "Sips & Giggles", a monthly comedy night in her home town of Wakefield at RBT Video on the first Thursday of every month.
Jessica is openly lesbian and lives in Wakefield with her two cats, a snake, and a project studio.
Media Quotes
- "The queer Victoria Wood" - Yorkshire Post
- "A Yorkshire lesbian icon" - Exposed Magazine
- "Breathtaking" - Metro UK
- "An LGBT+ driven musical trinket box" - Get In Her Ears
- "An exploration into musical and lyrical diversity - The Queerness
- "Brilliant" - BBC Radio Leeds
Need more press articles? There's an archive of coverage which you can find here!
Instrumentation
On her work, Jessica plays a variety of instruments including piano, synthesizers, toy piano, electronic drums, analogue drums and percussion, Hammond organ, church organ, SIDstation, ukulele, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, melodica, Omnichord, firewood lap guitar, Speak’n’Spell, V-Tech laptop, cajon, autoharp, Acorn BBC Micro with Hybrid Music 5000, accordion, descant recorder, vocoder, saxophone, flute, Pocket Operators, telephone handset, cello, harpsichord, beatbox, marimba and riding crop.
Much of her work is recorded at her own studio in Wakefield, although she collaborates with many other musicians and producers around the world.
Jessica has also composed various scores for television and film: her work can be heard on the soundtrack for 'Clara', an award-winning Victorian period drama in production by Dream Time Creative. More recently she has been working on the soundtrack for 'Lady Catherine', a period comedy set in 1910.
Social Media Links
Photos
The following images are available for media use in 300dpi high-resolution format. Click to download full size versions.
Logos
Band logos are available in the following format. Click to download full size versions.
Images and logos are copyright © The Bleeding Obvious and are licenced for use within articles, press coverage, venue leaflets, flyers, online promotional graphics, social media advertising, and promotional posters. If in doubt, please check regarding usage as we may need to check with the original photographer that usage is covered by the licence.