Hera Has a Heart

In the first episode of the 4th season of “The Positive Fantastic” podcast, I interviewed Jessi Lea, known musically for her offering “Hera Has a Heart.” We talked about her life as a musician, an artist, and a cat lover. You might even hear her cat Tina Fey meowing in the background during the episode. 

Jessi has been performing for many years as an instrumentalist, vocalist, and band director. She recently shifted her schedule from teaching music full time in Whale Gulch, which she has been steadfastly committed to for over a dozen years, to focusing even more on her own musical creations, including a one-woman opera that she just debuted as a performance piece. 

On the day that I recorded this podcast interview with Jessi, I got to see the epic beauty of the dramatic North Coast cliffs. Nestled into the hillside, down a steep dirt road, Jessi’s home is filled with musical instruments and beloved furry friends. My car was not up to the task of navigating her four-wheel drive reality, so she picked me up and dropped me off in Shelter Cove, where I have a friend from herb school I was also visiting. 

In addition to being a really amazing musician, completely devoted to her craft, Jessi also trained to become the volunteer EMT for her rural Northern California coastal community. After our interview, I got to do a ride along while she did an oxygen tank errand for a local family in need. As we drove around the hilly homesteads, she told me of harrowing stories from last Winter’s snow storms. Although we knew each other as hard workers from putting on a festival together in our past lives, I was really impressed with her present day commitment to her community. In her free time she works as the musical director for “Recycled Youth,” a performing arts group that helps empower young people to express themselves creatively. 

I’m excited to have Jessi Lea bringing her music forth as the featured musical guest for Season 4 of the podcast! In the first episode 2024, we’re featuring several of her songs from Hera Has a Heart’s debut album, “The Mirror,” including the title track “The Mirror,” “Narcissus,” and “Opportunity Knocks.” These tracks also include The Just on drums and Spencer on bass. You can also see a video of Jessi from her musical performance of “The Madness” on my YouTube channel.

Special appreciation to Jessi for sharing her songs from “Hera Has a Heart” on season 4 of the podcast! Stay tuned for more of her music at the beginning of every episode this year!

You can find her music at on Bandcamp. You can follow her on Instagram @herahasaheart and on Facebook as Jessi Lea.