Who or what ignited your passion for music and drove you to pursue it as a career?
What ignited my passion for music was growing up listening to R&B, Reggae, and Gospel around the house, as well as growing up at a time when Disney Channel was churning out all of these music shows and films like Camp Rock, High School Musical, and A.N.T. Farm. I loved those, and I was always singing along. I specifically remember being inspired by Demi Lovato’s character, Mitchie, who had a songbook. That inspired me to make my own and start writing.
Music has also always been something I’ve been passionate about. Usually, kids go through different phases, but music for me has always been the most constant thing in my life. At one point I wanted to be a dancer, then it was musical theatre, then a singer, solely a songwriter (out of fear of not being good enough to be at the forefront), and then finally back to being a singer – but you see, music has always been the common thread.
Nothing has ever brought me so much peace and joy, and quite frankly, it’s one of the only things I’ve always been good at, while simultaneously choosing to push myself and see how far I can grow with it.
How would you describe your sound in a way that sets you apart from the crowd, and why do you think it resonates with listeners?
My sound is literally my personality in sonic form. It’s both soft and vulnerable while being strong and gritty – it’s a paradox, it’s a juxtaposition. It’s proof that two things can coexist even if they don’t feel like they should, and I think that intrigues people.
As a person, I’m the same. I’ve got my super “girly” traits, and then I’m also the complete opposite. I’ve been that way since I was a child, I was the kid who got pirate face paint while wearing a cheerleader costume, while all the other girls were princesses.
It’s something I used to try and hide, trying to swing more to one side or the other. But the second I embraced all the parts of me, that’s when I was really able to express that in my lyrics, the melodies, and the production of my songs. Overall, my sound is my take on R&B, while still making sure I keep the core ingredients of the genre.
Your latest release ‘Hold Me’ is making waves on all major platforms! Can you take us behind the scenes of its creation and share the story or feelings that inspired it?
Hold Me was such a fun song to create – granted, the feelings that prompted it were quite the opposite, but nonetheless. Bkayproducer and I were finishing a session, and at the end we were listening to some of his beats. He played me this one and said he “wasn’t too sure about it” or didn’t think he’d keep it. As soon as I heard it, I knew it was so me.
About a week or so later, I was having a really rubbish day, so I pulled out my phone and started writing, then remembered the song that Bkay had sent me. Once I got into it, I was so obsessed with the first few lines that I finished the whole song within the hour.
Writing HOLD ME has now changed the process in which I write. I remember just listening to the track and pouring out the first verse. For the rest of it, I looped each section (verse, pre-chorus, and chorus), recorded a melody line, and then wrote to it. I remember the process being super quick because I was so excited about how fast it was coming together and how great it sounded. From the first demo, I was in love. I sent it to Bkay straight away, and we got into the studio to record the lead vocals that you hear on the track today.
I always wanted a choir in this song – I just knew it would be the perfect thing to bring it together. I called my cousin Yaniqa immediately. She was a part of that Disney Channel “singing in my room” phase; when we’d have sleepovers, we’d sing with my two High School Musical mics. She was the perfect person, not only for the sake of nostalgia and full-circle moments, but also because she’s such an amazing vocalist. I can’t wait for the day she steps out as a solo artist and takes the neo-soul world by storm. I created the vocal arrangement, and we recorded it in my living room (I have a video breakdown on my Instagram about it).
The song is about struggles with mental health, specifically anxiety and depression. It’s the grey area between sinking and swimming, falling and flying. In music, we tend to talk about either extreme, so HOLD ME finds its perfect place right there.
This song captures that exact period of time when you’re deciding whether you’re going to find the strength to pull yourself out of a slump or allow yourself to stay in it – the confusion, the push and pull, the internal fight.
Out of all the songs I’ve written, HOLD ME is the deepest and most meaningful. It’s one of the few songs I’ve written that isn’t a love song to somebody else. It’s more like a diary entry that I’ve allowed the world to read. It’s the most vulnerable I’ve been with myself in music for a long time.
Striking a chord with your audience while staying true to your artistry can be tricky—how Do you navigate that balance?
This is actually something I was thinking about last week after releasing HOLD ME and seeing the response to it compared to my debut single, I Like Mine. They’re two completely different songs, with completely different meanings and sounds – someone even said it feels like two different artists.
It’s funny because this ties back to the point I made earlier about me being so vast. I am both of those songs, just at different times and through different phases of my life.
Though the love for HOLD ME has been amazing, I know it’s not something everyone can relate to because of how personal it is. I also know that sometimes the ambiguity and metaphors in my lyrics – in an attempt not to completely expose everything I’m going through – can make it harder for people to digest. However, it’s still one of my favourite songs.
I think my audience really prefers it when I talk about love and relationships, because at one point that’s how I branded myself – “little miss lover girl.” But I’m so much more than that.
So, how do I stand out and please my audience at the same time? With balance. I love making love songs, and I’ve been through so much in relationships that I could churn out multiple albums’ worth if I wanted to, so I’ll continue to make those and create new stories too. But I wouldn’t be staying true to myself if I didn’t also release the songs, like HOLD ME, that have nothing to do with that, whether or not they completely please my current audience or help grow it. I still owe that to myself.
What has been the most unforgettable or career-defining moment for you so far, and how did it shape you as an artist?
I’m super grateful to be living my dream right now – everything that happens feels unforgettable. That being said, if I had to pinpoint a few moments that still make me smile when I look back, they would be:
- Having my songs played on the radio and doing my first radio interview last year. Hearing big radio presenters like DJ Ace say my name and announce my song was once just a dream, and now I’m actually living it. That’s crazy.
- Having my first headline show last year. It was so much fun, and it was the first time I’d ever sung and danced at the same time. The turnout was incredible.
But honestly, just being able to say that I have my own music out – I’m performing those songs, people are singing them back to me, and I mixed, mastered, recorded, and wrote both of them.
If you could pass on a single piece of wisdom to aspiring artists, what would it be, and why is it so important?
I’d say, “Feel the fear and do it anyway.” That’s my go-to quote because it’s so perfect – and not just in music, but in life.
I’d also say to try, as much as you can, to keep your personal life in check. Your mental health and your habits (good or bad) bleed into your artistry and how you show up. When things are chaotic behind the scenes, it becomes much harder to focus on your goals.
Granted, not everything is in your control – but the things that are, get them together. If you know what kind of life you want to live, you have to be strong enough to sacrifice the things that are holding you back and keeping you tied to the one you’re trying to leave behind.
Feel the fear and do it anyway.
Hold Me is available now via all major platforms.
Connect with Jhay Paris
SoundCloud | YouTube | Spotify | Instagram
Credits: All photography by @davidmahoney.photos
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