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: So I come from Mobile, Alabama (shoutouts to Flo milli) grew up around the city pretty much lived there my whole entire life. Currently I’m a Junior Undergraduate attending Loyola University New Orleans studying Music Industry. What made me want to start a career in music was ever since I was a little kid at around 5 or 6 years old I started doing choir which made me wanna me study, learn and do more with it.
Q: And what other artists have you found yourself listening to lately?
A: The artists that I’ve been listening to lately has been Yung Senju and 7Ten. They go to my school but I’ve also been listening to Redveil, Ovrkast, Wakai and Mavi.
Q: Who were your first and strongest musical influences, and why the name ‘j.s.t.e.w’?
A: My first and strongest musical influences were Kendrick Lamar, A Tribe Called Quest, Kanye West, Earl Sweatshirt, and Tyler The Creator. The reason why my name is j.s.t.e.w is it has been a nickname for me since middle school and it just stucked with me ever since. But I decided to get creative with it as an artist name cause I wanted it to be something easy but different at the same time with punctuation. Rarely people call me my real name which is Jonathan but I feel really humble when people say my artist name. It’s almost like my real name atp of my life.
Q: You have just released your new single, ‘On My Mind’. Is there a story behind it?
A: The story behind my single was I really only started making beats for about a year and I just wanted to make a song that I produced all by myself. I wanted the song to be a total vibe that showcased my talent and ability to make something cool and catchy. Then I grabbed the homie Aniya Teno and we killed the song together. Especially the melody switch which personally is my favorite part of the song. But the song is a starting point for my personal growth and I get better with every release. I want to build a distinguished discography.
Q: Can we expect a new EP or even an album from you in the near future?
A: Oh definitely. I’m currently working on my EP as of right now so more news about it will come up real soon. For an album, I really want to put out my best works, but I really wanna see my own personal growth so as long as I keep pursuing my goals, then an album will be coming pretty fast.
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 say the key elements in my music is I have soul when I try to tell my story of certain things that happened. The Melodies, the different drum patterns, and other instruments that makes me have a complete sound. I describe my sound as someone who always has a message by getting ideas and something that connects with my audience. My main message is we all trying to grow!
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: Again, I feel that I still have growth to do for music and get better every single day. It’s been my passion since I was a little kid. I do feel so far that my music is giving me much fulfillment as I keep noticing my growth and more improvement with my production and songwriting. I always expect something more for myself currently. I don’t worry about the past or the future. I just let God do his wonders for me and let me grow as a full artist.
Q: Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?
A: Honestly, there’s really no creative process. It’s however I feel what’s right for me within my heart and trust my instincts on what I always make. Then I start writing which my process is like writing a story. Again, it’s all about shaping my own ideas and letting my instincts be comfortable.
Q: What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?
A: I don’t think I have anything that is difficult to endure in my life or anything in my music career so far. I sometimes have to look at life as a pretty rare chance to be apart of and it’s a wonderful thing to be intact with. I’ve had certain family tragedies throughout my life that use to hit me hard but I had to keep pushing and pursue what I always want to be.
Q: On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?
A: To be Honest, It’s making connections, releasing my debut single and people saying it’s really good, and just vibing and creating with other creative talented people. I say all of that is what I consider a proud significant point in my life and music career so far.
