MUSIC SPOTLIGHT: JARENisJAREN

It’s a busy Saturday afternoon at Union Square in the middle of New York City. I’m sipping my basic-girl Frappuccino alongside upcoming RnB Singer, Jaren, trying to decide what store to hit next. We are on a mission for a statement piece to elevate his artist wardrobe.

Jaren’s passion for music can be traced back to when he was a toddler. He’s always been an old soul, having a keen interest in the classics and the foundation of music. Even as a kid, his favorite artists were the legendary "Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder."

Jaren has just released his second project, JarenisJaren. In between fitting rooms and clothing racks, I got the chance to ask him about his latest EP.

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Y: What is your favorite song on this project?

J: All of them. I’m very proud of this project. The best one so far! I’ve received a ton of positive feedback.

Y: Top 3 Songs?

J: "Track one, Love Yourself" and "Waste of Time"

Y: You said you received a lot of positive feedback on this project. Do you ever receive negative comments, and how does it affect you?

J: Yea, on my first project, I received a lot of negative comment. From people, I knew or used to associate with. It really hurt me.

Y: What was one of the worst comments?

J: Try better next time.

Y: It doesn’t seem to affect your confidence?

J: I’m very confident in my abilities. I learned and continued to move forward. It doesn’t make me anxious.

Y: Do you get anxious about new projects?

J: No, I love music. The only time I’m anxious is when I’m working with new people for the first time, and that’s because I want to bring the best version of myself to each session.

Y: Do you have any artists or musicians that you confide in?

J: Yes, I do. I’m so fortunate. I have a few people that I consider brothers and sisters now. We’ll exchange our work for pointers, or we’ll collaborate together. It’s a great family and like a support system.

Y: Where are your listeners from?

J: Mainly New York and Boston. But I got a few international listens, mostly in Belgium and the UK. One from Ghana and one from Singapore.

Y: Tell me how Drake influenced your album?

J: You mean the cover art?

Y: Well, yes, the cover and the two sides….

J: I’m a very vintage person. I pay close attention to details. I like to look at the back at all the credits from back vocals to instrumentalists, so it’s more of a vinyl influence. Drake is great, but he only inspired the cover art.

Jaren is a multifaceted artist- singer, songwriter, producer plus pianist. He creates each beat from scratch and is very hands-on with every project. Jaren considers himself to be a bit of introvert. He says everything he needs to through his music. So for all the true RnB fans, this is for you!

Artist: Jaren

Stylist: Yerusalem

Photographer: LotusHalves