Singer-songwriter Jessie Baylin emerged from L.A.’s coffeehouse circuit onto the national scene with the release of her first major-label album, Firesight, in June.

With her warm vocals, longing lyrics and fusion of pop, jazz and folk sounds, the 24-year-old musician could be at home in both a smoky pub or a ritzy concert hall.

While in town last Friday to perform at the Bottleneck, Baylin chatted with Jayplay about fashion, music and her Jayhawk connections.

Q: How has Lawrence treated you?

A: This is my first time in Lawrence, and I’ve been told this is the only real place in Kansas to be. I went to a little café, and I went to Pachamama’s and Richard’s Music, where I almost bought a new guitar. It’s been a great time.

Q: Had you heard of the University of Kansas before?

A: My friend Marc Scrivo graduated from KU, and he’s who I wrote my first song with. And didn’t your basketball team win the championship last year? I remember it was a crazy shot at the end! I was watching and I almost cried. It was so moving. It was like watching a sports movie. I’m a fan.

Q: We have an article in this week’s issue about how to be fashionable on a budget. What’s your advice, and what’s on your fashion radar at the moment?

A: As long as you have some good shoes, you can wear a basic cotton T-shirt and a cardigan, and if your shoes are rockin’, it just pulls it off. And it helps if you have the right accessories. Jewelry makes a big difference. Lately, I’ve been wearing a lot of stuff from Elizabeth and James. It’s the Olsen twins’ new line. I normally wouldn’t say I wear that, but this line is actually really beautiful.

Q: Our feature story this week is on emotional eating. What’s your favorite comfort food?

A: Sushi. I have an application on my iPhone called Urban Spoon, and it has saved my life. It lets me find the best sushi in whatever city I’m in.

Q: What has been your most embarrassing moment?

A: When I was in seventh grade and I was doing my speech to run for vice president, my fly was down. I had stretch jeans on, so it was wide open. I’m still self-conscious about my fly being down after that. I had silky red underwear on, and to this day I don’t own silky red underwear. I’ve also tripped on wires on stage, which is pretty embarrassing.

Q: If you could be anyone for a day, who would you be?

A: I’d love to be a pro surfer. I’m so scared of being in the water because I’m terrified of sharks. But I know how amazing that would be to ride a massive wave the size of a mountain. There’s no way I would ever do something like that myself.

Q: Who was your first rock star crush?

A: I should just say my fiancée [Nathan Followill]. He’s the drummer for Kings of Leon. He’s my crush for life. But my first crush was probably Tom Petty. I wanted to make him my boyfriend. I saw his video with the Alice in Wonderland theme, and there was just something cute about him. And I really liked his music. I saw him in concert a couple years ago, and the crush totally came right back.

Q: What was the first album you ever bought?

A: After I got my little cassette player, the first thing I bought was Nirvana’s In Utero and Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream. I got those two on the same day, and they really changed me. I was in fourth grade. I was hardcore, I guess. But then I also bought Ace of Base the next day.