Strange DNA Photo credit: Strange DNA
London-based queer artist Jessica English introduces Strange DNA, a dark electronic pop project exploring identity, transformation, isolation and the parts of ourselves we are often encouraged to hide.
Strange DNA is a solo project bringing together electronic pop, synthpop and darker alternative influences with a cinematic visual world inspired by horror, cult cinema, fashion and outsider stories. At the heart of the project is the idea of turning the things that make us feel different into something beautiful and powerful.
Jessica’s debut single, “CRY”, was released in August, 2026. The track explores the space between who you were and who you’re becoming — the feeling of being an outsider, questioning the version of yourself that other people have created for you.
The “CRY” music video brings that emotional world to life through a series of nocturnal, intimate scenes. Moving between nighttime streets and a dimly lit bedroom, Jessica appears caught between isolation, vulnerability and transformation. Rather than telling a literal story, the visuals create a dreamlike portrait of someone moving through the night — searching, hiding and confronting the parts of themselves they have been taught to see as strange.
Says English,
“I created Strange DNA as a place to explore the parts of ourselves that don’t always fit neatly into the world around us. I’ve always been fascinated by the strange parts of people — the things we hide, the things we’re told are too much, too weird or too different. With Strange DNA, I wanted to turn those things into something beautiful.”
The music balances vulnerable songwriting with shimmering synths, driving electronic production and euphoric pop moments, creating a tension between emotional darkness and the desire to move. Jessica describes the project as existing somewhere between the dance floor and the darker corners of the imagination. “CRY’ is the first chapter of Strange DNA, with further music planned as the project develops. The next single, “Monster Love”, will take the project into a darker and more romantic direction, continuing Strange DNA’s fascination with monsters, outsiders and transformation. Both songs are part of a larger 5-track EP.
For Jessica, the monster is not a literal creature, but a metaphor for the parts of ourselves that other people may reject or fail to understand. As Strange DNA continues to unfold, those ideas will appear through new music, visuals and live performances.
New music on the way? Pitch Big Takeover Exclusives.
