Jessie J shares powerful meaning behind Price Tag after 15 years (2025)

Singer-songwriter Jessie J burst onto the music scene in late 2010 with the release of her smash hit debut single, Do It Like a Dude. Price Tag followed in 2011 and holds a special meaning for the star

Popstar Jessie J has shared the meaning and reasoning behind one of her biggest hit songs, Price Tag.

The popular singer, 37, first shot to fame in late 2010 with the release of her debut single, Do It Like a Dude, but the star had been working on breaking into the music industry for years prior to this.

She trained at the iconic BRIT School, where she cites singer Adele as a former classmate. In a 2020 interview with People, Jessie shared: “We were in the same year! We used to sing at lunchtime together.

“Obviously at that time we didn’t realise that we’d both [eventually] have music out but she’s amazing. She was always that really bright energy at school.”

Jessie J made a name for herself as a songwriter and wrote for well established artists. She penned Party in the U.S.A for Miley Cyrus, I Need This for Chris Brown, Calling All Hearts for DJ Cassidy featuring Robin Thicke, and many more.

But fame came calling for Jessie herself, with 2011 firmly launching her into the spotlight as a popstar in her own right.

In a recent TikTok video, the singer opened up on her 2011 track, Price Tag. In the caption accompanying the clip, she penned: “When I wrote Price Tag, I wanted to create something fun and relatable with a catchy hook.

“It’s really personal to me, and seeing how people have connected with it in their own ways over the years means the world. Here’s a bit more about it…”

In the footage, the singer opened up on her intentions behind writing the song. She explained: “I’m here to talk about Price Tag and how it was made. I wrote this song over 15 years ago, which is insane.”

The mother-of-one had very strong memories of the process of completing the song. She continued: “I remember this session like it was yesterday, I had a Prince t-shirt on, I had the dead straight bob. By that point, I’d been signed to an independent label and then I was signed to a major label.”

She then revealed: “I was already exhausted by the statistics and everything just feeling so much about the money and it was so serious, and I wanted to write a song that felt fun, that people could relate to and have a catchy hook.

“So, if you listen to the lyrics, ‘seems like everybody’s got a price, I wonder how they sleep at night, when the sale comes first and the truth comes second, just stop for a minute and smile’; it was very personal to me.

“But obviously, over the years, people have interpreted it in their own way and I’m so, so, so grateful that people understood what this song was about and have enjoyed it so much over the years.”

Jessie added: “Happiness cannot be bought, it’s who you have around you, and how you feel. Thank you, guys - that’s a little bit about Price Tag.”

In the comments section, fans were keen to share their thoughts. One person said: “The most underrated and under-appreciated artist!! Ahead of her time for sure. The girls that get it get it”.

Another said: “Jessie J will always be one of my favourite artists, she is so talented and authentic”, while a third commented: “This song got me HOOKED”.