Q: Hey, can you tell us a bit about where you come from, and what made you want to start a career in music?
A: I’m from London, United Kingdom. My mother came from Portugal but originally is from Angola and my father is from Nigeria. Music has always been in my life since childhood, although I stayed in two different households, the music I use to hear was Bossa Nova, Kizomba, Semba, and Hip hop. As I grew older many of my friends were already involved in the music industry and they introduced me to multiple studios where I met many artists and engineers. I was so into producing so I decided to master my producing skills using softwares like Logic Pro before I finally walked into the industry.
Q: And what other artists have you found yourself listening to lately?
A: Lately I’ve been listening to Lancey Foux
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences, and why the name ‘J Merlin’?
A: At a young age, Jay Z was my first musical influence, however Kanye West was my strongest musical influence after watching Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy.
The name J Merlin was given to me by a friend of mine who believed my sounds resembled magic. I added the J to it for extra swag and my first name begins with J.
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘Been Bad’. Is there a story behind it?
A: I made the track Been Bad as it resembles my past life; always up to mischief, being a boss in his own league. Overall the lyrics revolve around themes of confidence, superiority and indulgence.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: Definitely, I will release an EP very soon
Q: What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?
A: I feel the key elements are creating a memorable melody or drum pattern. When I first started out as a producer many say my sounds were similar to London On The Track however as time went by I developed my own unique sound. My sounds are smooth and laid back with a bit of gangster.
Q: Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it, or are you expecting something more?
A: I certainly feel my music is starting to give back the fulfillment of the amount of work I’ve been putting in and I believe more will come.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: When I start producing I often begin with creating the drum pattern, adding melodies and structure to the sound. Once the beat is complete, whatever the genre and emotion I get of it will determine the concept of the track. For example, if I produce a beat that gives off good vibes then I will write about something good and relate it to my personal life. Everything has to have a meaning when it comes to music.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: Going into prison in 2015 certainly had an effect on me as I had a lot of things planned which didn’t go anywhere . I could have officially started in 2015 but instead I started in 2019. I felt like I was so behind because of my age but I realised in this industry it’s never too late so I continued making music.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: I am proud that I have my own studio, I am proud that I am getting recognition, I am proud that I was able to have the notable Lancey Foux feature on a track I produced.
