Jessie J Putting big divas to shame
The Voice coach may have just dethroned the Queen of Pop when it comes to being a spoilt star
She’s admired for telling it how it is on The Voice and for being brutally honest – but behind the scenes Jessie J’s straight talking has been getting her into hot water.
According to set insiders, the British pop star has no qualms about telling her lackeys what she wants. And that’s everything, from satisfying her lust for luxury mansion living to having her Us-only wardrobe airfreighted into the country.
Nothing’s good enough
“When it comes to Jessie, the biggest problem every year is sorting out her accommodation,” reveals our source, adding that the 28-year-old insists on nothing but the best for her and her huge entourage of friends and family.
“She’s been offered mansion after mansion, boasting some of most beautiful harbour views imaginable, to stay in while she’s here filming, but nothing is ever good – or big – enough for her. Leo Dicaprio and Hugh Jackman stayed in some of these places, but even five-bedroom homes can’t satisfy Queen Jessie.”
She’s hard work
Putting Mariah – who is known for her extravagant demands – to shame, Jessie’s dos and don’ts are enough to test even the most seasoned of assistants. “Compared to all the other coaches, she’s hard work,” reveals another set spy, adding the Brit singer has even made one crew member cry. “When we were told she was coming back for another season, we gave a collective groan. “She refuses to wear local designers and insists on getting her outfits airfreighted from the US,” dishes our insider, who has asked to remain anonymous. “It’s an absolute nightmare for our stylists.” While Jessie wants everyone to believe she’s just a down-to-earth girl from Essex who doesn’t care about fame because it “distorts people’s views”, those who work with her closely say that couldn’t be further from the truth. “She asks for all kinds of stuff. For example, her chair needs to be wiped
and cleaned every time she leaves it, and she must have on a freshly cleaned glass of water each time.
“She also insists on doing her own makeup, unless it’s touchups between performances, but even then the makeup artists are petrified in case they put a foot wrong,” tells our insider, adding Jessie once lost it at her makeup artist for making her look like a “drag queen”.
“She got so fed up she grabbed the makeup brush and started doing it herself because she thought they weren’t doing it right. She then proceeded to show them how to do their job. It was very patronising.”
Long-time rift continues
Jessie is adamant she and fellow coach Delta Goodrem have put their differences behind them this season, but our source says that’s not the case.
“Jessie just thinks she’s too good for everyone. She really looks down on all of us and thinks the people here and the music industry is just a joke. She always makes snide remarks about how Delta is only famous in Australia. In her eyes we’re all a bunch of hicks with no taste.”
Even those who aren’t involved in the show are in the firing line, one saying, “When she gets into her car, she won’t acknowledge the driver – or anyone else for that matter. It’s like they don’t exist.
“She sits in silence and stares out the window. It’s awkward, it’s like looking after a petulant teenager, nothing we do is ever good enough for her.”
Jessie, who refuses to do any interviews without her managers – who happen to be Joel and Benji Madden – isn’t afraid to show her disdain to reporters, either, and shut down their questioning during pre-show interviews.
One admiring reporter, who was formerly a fan of Jessie’s, tells how the feisty star cruelly killed her line of questioning.
“I’d always admired how real she came across in interviews, that she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, that she was a woman with opinions and a downto-earth attitude.
“She wasn’t about celebrity or proving she was better than anyone. Or so I thought…
“As an icebreaker I asked her, ‘How are you liking Australia, Jessie? Staying somewhere nice?’ reveals the Aussie journo.
“Her response shocked me. ‘ You want to know about my apartment?’ she said, incredulously.”
Tentatively trying a second line of questioning, the game reporter went on to ask, “Tell me about the whole process of The Voice. How has it been for you?” To which she replied, “That’s a stupid question.”
It seems no one’s safe from Jessie’s scathing tongue.
‘In her eyes we’re a bunch of hicks with no taste’