Swimsuit
Jessie Murph was photographed by Derek Kettela in Key Biscayne, Fla. Swimsuit is vintage.
Jessie Murph was photographed by Derek Kettela in Key Biscayne, Fla. Swimsuit is vintage. / Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Meet Your Cover Model: Jessie Murph

The musician was photographed for SI Swimsuit’s July 2025 digital cover in Key Biscayne, Fla.

Cara O’Bleness

Jessie Murph Gallery. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1752856545/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01k0f68hb269kzzc8znv.jpg. Jessie Murph Cover Story. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1752855083/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01k0f4vxbxs6hpc7mq6n.jpg. Deep Dive With Jessie Murph. Jessie Murph Cover Content. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1752856907/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01k0f6kkcj0dqm823824.jpg

Singer-songwriter Jessie Murph is one to watch. The 20-year-old musician, who released her sophomore album, Sex Hysteria, last week, possesses some major pipes that far exceed her tiny stature. “I’m from Alabama, I’m ‘bout four-eleven, I’ve got a s---ty father, and I’d like to go to heaven,” Murph sings in the opening verse of “Gucci Mane,” the first track on her new record.

Following on the heels of her brand-new project, Murph is adding yet another accomplishment to her repertoire: SI Swimsuit digital issue cover model. The “Blue Strips” singer posed for the cover of the digital July 2025 magazine in Key Biscayne, Fla., where she was photographed by Derek Kettela.

While on set, Murph was styled in a number of vintage bikinis and accessories, staying true to her retro aesthetic. The musician is known for her sky-high jet black locks, inspired by the likes of Priscilla Presley and Amy Winehouse. And though her SI Swimsuit Issue digital cover served as Murph’s first fashion shoot, she didn’t hesitate to say “yes” to the opportunity.

“I mean, who wouldn’t want to do that?” she says. “Sports Illustrated is so iconic. It was a no-brainer.”

Jessie Murph
Derek Kettela/Sports Illustrated

Murph, whose new album was heavily influenced by 1960s pop culture, is inspired by everything from soul to hip-hop to country, which is evident throughout the 15 songs that make up Sex Hysteria. Most importantly, Murph is no longer holding back when it comes to speaking authentically, whether she’s singing about her sex life or the absence of her father.

“I’m just always writing to what’s going on in my life, and that previously hasn’t been a super big part in my life,” she tells SI Swimsuit of the former. “Of course, I’m a little nervous about my mom hearing this stuff, because that’s awkward, but other than that, f--- it. As long as I’m being honest, you know?”

https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1752856907/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01k0f6kkcj0dqm823824.jpg. Jessie Murph Gallery. Deep Dive With Jessie Murph. Jessie Murph Cover Content. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1752856545/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01k0f68hb269kzzc8znv.jpg. Jessie Murph Cover Story. https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/v1752855083/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/si_swimsuit/01k0f4vxbxs6hpc7mq6n.jpg

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Cara O’Bleness
CARA O’BLENESS

Cara O’Bleness is a writer and editor on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Prior to joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, O’Bleness loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University’s School of Journalism.

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