ugly ozo talks debut singles, supernatural inspirations, and making music that's as raw as it is otherworldly.

In the shadows of the Isle of Wight, an artist is crafting something entirely unique, blending the ethereal with the eerie, the beautiful with the brutal. Meet Jess, the creative mind behind ugly ozo, an artist who's turning her bedroom into a portal of doom-gaze—a genre that’s as haunting as it is hypnotic. With a debut single that’s both vengeful and vulnerable, ugly ozo is a fresh voice for those drawn to the darker corners of emotion, where feminine rage meets supernatural horror. As she prepares to take her visceral sound on the road, Jess invites us into her world, where every note tells a story, and every lyric is a step toward reclaiming power. Welcome to the eerie, electrifying universe of ugly ozo.

For those unfamiliar with your music, can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make?

I’m Jess (ugly ozo), and I make doom-gaze music from my little bedroom on the Isle of Wight.

Congratulations of your debut single “Remains”. Can you share some insight into how this song was created?

The song was inspired by a pretty traumatic event I went through back in 2020. It left me with a lot of unresolved feelings, and I had tried to write about it a while ago, but never felt comfortable with it. Then one day earlier this year, I was just messing around with this guitar idea, and suddenly I had all these lyrics come to me and it just felt so natural. I had the line “Your friends don’t make you a better man” first, and it kind of snowballed from there.

You’ve mentioned that "Remains" was inspired by personal experiences of confronting someone who wronged you. How did those emotions shape the songwriting and sound of the track?

I think once I realised what the song was going to be about, I found it quite cathartic to actually put myself mentally back in that time, and just let it write itself. It was like my conscious brain switched off for an hour and I just got all these words out, and then when I looked at it I was like, “oh shit, that’s it”. It’s a very menacing and vengeful track, and it all comes from a very real place- it’s become something really special to me.

The occult imagery in the music video for "Remains" is striking, with visuals like church altars, grave digging, and tarot cards. What was the creative process behind the video, and how does it complement the song's themes?

I made it with my sister Boo, and we worked out together frame by frame what kind of story we wanted the video to tell. With the song being quite dark and eerie, I knew I wanted the visuals to match that. I wanted it to channel how I feel now about the event, with me coming out on top. I really liked the idea of using a Ken doll as a sort of effigy at a ritual- the starkness of it I find quite funny. With the tarot cards, I chose The Devil, Death and Justice cards as a kind of summary of the whole story. I’ve always been really interested in anything paranormal and spiritual, so it was really cool to tie all of those things in with my own real experience. What better way to get revenge on your enemies than by digging their own grave?!

You’ve described your music as exploring themes like feminine rage, revenge, and supernatural horrors. What draws you to these themes, and how do they resonate with your personal experiences?

My parents brought me up on a lot of 90s grunge, my mum used to blast Hole on the way to school, so I’ve always had an affinity with pissed off women and anything riot grrrl. Bands from that scene tend to write about similar themes, so maybe ‘remains’ is my new wave riot grrrl? As for supernatural horrors, I’ve seen ghosts and UFO’s and weird shit since I was a young kid, and I find it so interesting. I’ve actually written a song called ‘Lazar’s Bazaar’ about Bob Lazar and the conspiracies at Area 51- I think if I release it everyone will call me mental though.

You’re about to embark on a UK tour supporting Lauran Hibberd. How are you preparing for this tour, and what are you most excited about when it comes to performing in front of new audiences?

It’ll be my first time taking a few of my band out on the road and I can’t wait. We’ve got exclusive new merch, new songs, and even bigger angel wings. I think it’s so exciting to play in front of new people and hopefully resonate with some of them- sometimes people have their mouths wide open, sometimes they scowl through the whole set. I love talking to people after shows and hearing what they have to say too- even if you thought it was shit, I’m all ears.

As sisters fronting the band, how does your relationship influence the dynamics within ugly ozo, both creatively and personally?

We are so close as sisters, we always joke that we share one brain cell between us. I (Jess) do all the songwriting and creating, and Boo is like my quality control. She’ll tell me if she thinks I can write something better, or make something look cooler. She’s 5 years younger than me, so she’s my Gen-Z advisor. She might be the only thing keeping me relevant in 10 years time so I have to be nice to her.

The themes of your music often touch on empowerment and reclaiming power. How important is it for you to convey these messages through your art, and how do you hope listeners will respond to them?

Experiencing it myself has made me feel so drawn to anything with themes of empowerment and justice. Whenever I watch or listen to anything like that, it’s usually the justice side of it that emotionally affects me the most. I’d hope that anyone who has been through a similar thing or felt those emotions would see ‘remains’ as a sign that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and you’re not alone. There’s power in using your voice and it takes a lot of courage, and I think that should be championed.

You’ve steadily become a regular fixture on the UK live circuit over the past year. How has the experience of playing live shaped the evolution of ugly ozo’s sound and identity?

The difference between my first gig and what it’s like now is insane. I used to be so shy and reserved, and would never want to be perceived. I didn't want to sing because I found it too scary, and I was going to make ugly ozo a solely instrumental project. Now, I rarely feel nervous on stage, and I just want to put on a sick show. I write a lot of songs now with playing live in mind- I want it to be fun and interesting, and something memorable. 

Your debut single is being released via Strong Island Recordings, a label known for its role in launching other exciting acts. What’s it been like working with this label?

Strong Island Recordings have been legends throughout this whole release. When Brad approached me in February this year, it was the first time I’d been like “oh, people do actually like this”. It drove me to want to put my all into it, and since then I’ve basically made it my full time job. Strong Island have been so helpful and supportive the whole way, always happy to give me their time, and they put on some really cool shows. You should definitely check them out.

What do you love right now?

Charli XCX.

What do you hate right now?

The UK.

Name an album you’re still listening to from when you were younger and why it’s still important to you?

Fontanelle by Babes In Toyland. I discovered it when I was maybe 13, and it’s just always stuck with me. I think it sounds so different to anything else from its time, and the way Kat Bjelland plays guitar is so cool. She inspired me a lot when I was younger and still to this day. It’s girls being angry about real shit, in a well crafted way. I love it.

Looking ahead, what are your goals for ugly ozo as you release more music and continue to tour? What can fans expect from you in the coming months?

I’m currently working on my next single, which fans can expect hopefully fairly soon. I’d love to record an album at some point in the near future- I’ve got a lot of songs in my back pocket! It would also be cool to get on some support tours- I’d love to play some shows with bands like Hot Wax or Honeyglaze. Ultimately I just want to be bigger than Beyonce, though.