Artist Interviews
Interview with R&B Artist JEP on New Single -escape- & more
MuzicNotez: First off, it’s an honor to be doing this interview with you, thanks for taking the time to sit down with us. What motivated you to start creating music? What age did you begin?
JEP: Hey what’s going on! Honor to be here thank you for giving me the opportunity to do this interview!
I grew up in a family that loves music and makes music. My uncle victor wail is a well known salsa singer and growing up at house parties i would listen and hear all kinds of different music. My dad growing up would joke around and say that everywhere i would go and everything i would do i would do it humming. Music calms me i like the different beats and the different meanings behind songs. My parents and siblings also always play music like on the weekends, we have a big dj speaker at our house thats almost always on on the weekends. I was raised in salem ma where dancehall was very popular and bronx whining and i would be in my room dancing! Growing up i would spend the summers with my grandparents in DR and i would visit my uncle and he showed me how he would make dominican drums! I have always been an outcast just doing my own thing and humming and dancing everywhere i go but i professionaly started doing music in 2021. In 2021 is when i first stepped foot in a studio and stood infront of a microphone and recorded my first song.
Who were your musical influences, idols, or bands growing up that have helped mold you into the musician you are today? Or helped mold the music that you create?
JEP: Growing up and even today i really enjoy romeo santos, aventura and rbd! My first concert ever was romeo santos and i grew up obssessed with rbd and their show rebelde. I love how romeo and aventura are able to put their emotions into songs and you can feel it same with rbd music. I grew up listening to classics like -dile al amor- , -la boda-, -salvame- and many other songs from both of these groups and artists. Once i realized i like women, my music taste changed a little bit, while still enjoying to listen to the mentioned artists above i also started to listen to more r&b and hip hop. My music tends to have musical influences of artists like the weeknd, brent faiyaz and lil tjay! I grew up obssessed with the weeknds mixtapes and my roomate in college put me on to brent and ive loved his music ever since.
What’s the ultimate goal you want your music to achieve, or for you to achieve in your career as a musician? Any particular message you wish to send?
JEP: My ultimate goal is for my music to find the people it’s meant to find! I really enjoy my music and it helps me and makes me feel better so i want my music to find people that it also helps do that too! As a music artist i would like a platinum record i think with all the work and time i put into my music as a music artist thats a symbol of accomplishment that symbolizes impact with my music. I would also really enjoy collabs with young ma and some of my local artists from boston! I think collabs are a great way to inspire the community and also maybe show people different sides of you and range of creativity! With my music or just me as an individual the message people can get is just to keep going i havent had the smoothest experiences to this day but i keep going and music is a big part of that!
What’s the greatest concert you’ve ever been to or performed?
JEP: : My greatest concert i’ve ever attended is anuel! I loved that concert! I got the tickets for myself as a birthday present in 2018 and i loved it! From the production, the stage, the songs he chose and the crowd it was great i really enjoyed that concert and that album!
Your latest release ‘escape’ recently dropped, what inspired this track?
JEP: : So my latest release -escape- is again just inspired by everything i’ve been through! It touches upon themes of self discovery, pain, and complex emotions. With lyrics like “i got this pain up in my shoulders i dont know how to let it go” & “you got me drinking and leaving”.
What does the song ‘escape’ mean to you?
JEP: : The song in general came at a time where i’m probably at my lowest. I recently lost my previous catalog and that was a big hit to me. It took a lot for me to get back in the studio but i would like to think that my music makes a difference just like it does to me so after a couple of weeks i got a little bit of strength to get back in the studio! And im also working on an album so just have to keep on going!
As an independent artist, how do you go about creating your music? What’s your songwriting process like?
JEP: : So my music creating process starts with finding the right beat. I usually find my beats on beatstar, youtube or if a producer hits me up and asks me to see if i can come up with something! If after 30 seconds of listening to a beat i haven’t come up with something i go on to the next beat! After finding the beat i grab another phone and i just start freestyling! By the time i get to the studio i usually just have the chorus done and i write the remainder of the song in the studio as i go! My engineer tapia jokes with me and says that im probably the greatest mumble singer ever cause in the booth we usually have to improvise and stop and go as i come up with the lyrics so i really appreciate him and his expertise keeping the vibe going as the lyrics develop and the song!
What else are you working on? What can we expect to see and hear from you in the future?
JEP: : So im working on an album right now and this is the first time im saying this but the album name is -raw- ! Its scheduled to be realesed this year! Im really excited we’re working really hard on it and its a totally different sound then anyones ever heard from me so im excited to have people listen and yeah! Im kinda nervous because idk if my previous listeners are as upset as me about my previous catalog but yeah theirs some heat on this album i think people will enjoy!
Anything else you wish to say about yourself or your music? Any message for your fans?
JEP: : I just want to tell everyone to keep going and dont let others influence what you think, hear or say! Be your own person thats why i love being an independent artist because my message and my movement doesn’t get mixed with someone elses and i dont really trust people and you never know what people do behind closed doors and my reputation and my morals is something i hold very close to me and i don’t want to mess that up by collabing with people who do music for the wrong reasons or don’t take it seriously!
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