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.
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
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