The Southern Cross | October 2024

In his role with Lift Up Voices, Jesse Frick helps provide inclusive and supportive environments for artists with disabilities. He shares his journey with KATIE SPAIN.

Jesse Frick was barely 18 when a Multiple Sclerosis (MS) diagnosis pulled the proverbial rug from under his feet. It was one month before embarking on Year 12 exams and his studies and future plans ground to a halt.

At the time, Jesse (pictured) dreamed of being a rock star or going to university, finding a nice girlfriend and maybe having some children.

“When you’re diagnosed with something like this, the future you thought you were going to have disappears, and you enter the unknown,” he says.

While the rock star status hasn’t eventuated (yet), there’s undeniable star factor about Jesse. His quick wit and cheeky demeanour bring smiles to dials wherever he goes.

His mother, former Centacare director Pauline Connelly, sums it up perfectly. “You feel good just being with him,” she says. “It’s a real God experience.”

While the nature of Jesse’s degenerative illness makes it challenging to set long term goals, Jesse isn’t one to wallow in self pity. He’s too busy flexing his songwriting skills and helping others in the process.

Jesse studied a Bachelor of Music at the Elder Conservatorium of Music and when his former NDIS manager introduced him to ‘Lift Up Voices’, the fit was perfect.

Lift Up Voices is a registered NDIS provider founded by Adelaide couple Tori and Scott Marshall and Los Angeles-based vocal director and songwriter Mauli Bonner. It provides programs for people with disabilities, including singing, songwriting, production, recording, DJ-ing and podcasting.

“I help out with the social choir at the studio in Kent Town,” Jesse says.

“Before COVID we were working with Our Lady of La Vang School and the special needs unit at Nazareth Catholic Community. We also had a social choir with Parkinsons SA and work with individuals with aphasia (language disorder), helping them through music therapy techniques. I love working there. I’m learning so much about different techniques for different disabilities and people.”

Live music concerts are a highlight. Following the success of Lift Up Voices (L.U.V.) Foundation’s Live Band Series debut in 2023, L.U.V. artists performed at Prospect’s Eliza Hall on September 21.

“There’s always such a great energy in these performances, it’s such a loving and encouraging atmosphere,” Jesse says.

 “A number of these artists may not usually get an opportunity to perform songs they’ve written in front of people like this so it’s a lot of fun for them to do.”

Jesse recalls seeing one artist’s father in tears during a performance.

 “He’d never seen his daughter perform before,” Jesse says.

“These experiences aren’t just for the artists, they’re for the parents, families and friends as well. Of course, I’ll be there heckling and throwing rotten tomatoes from the back because these artists need to know what the music business is like.”

He laughs. “I’m the tough but fair teacher.”

Jesse, who turns 37 this month, says songwriting is a great way to express emotions, especially from a therapeutic perspective.

He credits three “solid” things for helping get him through tough times.

“My family, my friends and my faith. Spirituality helped me through this. Mum and Dad are very strong in their faith. It was never a Bible bashing family, faith was just part of life,” he says. “Growing up with that faith system and belief in God and Christ is important to me. I’m still practising as much as I can and that helps a lot.”

MS highlights the importance of relationships, especially friends and family who have been willing to adjust their lives to “make things easy for me”.

“The best thing my friends have done for me is to treat me the same as they did before,” he adds.

“They acknowledge that, of course, I need assistance with certain things from a physical standpoint, but they’ll still make fun of me. I love that. Especially with everything going on in the world right now. You’ve got to laugh, otherwise you might cry.”

He particularly loves interactions with children.

“Kids are the best. They have no filter, so they’ll say, ‘Why are you in a chair? Is it fun?’”

When he’s not cracking jokes or creating music, Jesse can be found hitting the city for a dose of retail therapy or exploring new music at the likes of WOMADelaide Festival, a highlight of his year.

Jesse is hard at work on his album, ‘I Wish I Was an Earring’ which is due for release in late 2024. He is also a passionate disability advocate and is involved with Purple Orange and the MS Society.

“MS is so unpredictable. No two cases are the same and I don’t know what the future is going to be like, so I don’t feel like I can plan too far ahead,” he says.

On the flipside, MS forces him to live in the moment.

“If I can do something now, I do it. MS opened my eyes and made me really appreciate the little things. It puts things in perspective; what’s important and what you can let go of.”

liftupvoices.com.au