6 Things You Didn’t Know About Jessie Murph

From how she achieves her signature hairstyle to her pre-show ritual, learn a few fun facts about the musician and SI Swimsuit digital cover model.

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

Chances are, singer-songwriter Jessie Murph’s addictive track “Blue Strips” has been looping through your head on repeat for months. The 20-year-old musician released her sophomore album, Sex Hysteria, on July 18, and today she was announced as SI Swimsuit’s latest digital cover model.

Murph traveled to Key Biscayne, Fla., for her feature, where she posed in front of photographer Derek Kettela’s lens. Styled in several vintage bikinis and matching accessories, Murph’s retro sense of style shone through on location.

While on set, Murph also sat down in front of our interview cameras for a deep dive interview, in which she revealed a few fun facts about herself. Below, get to know our July digital cover star a little bit better.

Murph has a very specific pre-show superstition

The “Touch Me Like a Gangster” singer has a very particular routine she must execute while on tour, and it requires the participation of everyone backstage.

“Every time before I go on stage, I have to fist-bump everybody that’s in my vicinity or I like freak out,” she says of her pre-show ritual. “Like I have to do it. Like if you’re standing backstage with me and I don’t get a fist-bump, I’m gonna be really weird about it.”

There’s a very specific formula to her voluminous, signature hairstyle

Murph is known for her jet black bouffant, à la Amy Winehouse and Priscilla Presley, and she revealed her secrets for achieving the voluminous look while on location.

“I normally got like a hair donut in there and then we’ll just tease it a bunch,” she shared. “That’s the secret.”

She regrets participating in this fashion trend

“I used to live in a really small town in Alabama, and so I dressed like super like preppy, like not good. It wasn’t good,” she said with a laugh of her former sense of style.

On the other hand, one of Murph’s boldest fashion choices that she still stands by today is accessorizing her fringed pink ensemble at the 2025 Academy of Country Music Awards outfit with a farm animal. “I brought a matching pig with me on a red carpet,” she casually stated.

Murph loves this feel-good television series

Her favorite comfort show to watch on repeat is the Apple TV+ original series Ted Lasso.

“I love that [show],” she says of the comedy-drama starring Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Juno Temple and Phil Dunster.

She wouldn’t mind getting back at an ex this way

When our director posed the question of whether or not it’s O.K. to still use an ex partner’s Netflix password, Murph was quick to chime in with her response.

“If you got it, especially if they like did you dirty, use that s---,” Murph stated.

Murph achieves her favorite beauty hack while sleeping

It comes as no surprise that the busy musician loves a good multitasking beauty trick that can be executed while she catches up on her rest.

“I really like contouring, like pre-contouring with fake tanner, like if I’m fake tanning my body, I can like do it and I’ll sleep in it and wash it off and then you kinda wake up glowy,” she says.

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. Jessie Murph Gallery