Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your childhood impacted your musical direction?
A: I’m Jake Moralez and I’m a singer, writer, producer and recent graduate of Berklee College of Music. Raised in New Hampshire, I grew up in an area where music may not have been the forefront, but the music departments in schools were passionate and made the most of what we had. Singing in jazz ensembles or learning about theory was something that always intrigued me, and I always wanted to find ways to take those tools and apply them into contemporary music. It was those early steps that made it clear to me that I wanted to pursue music as a career, and was why I applied to Berklee in the beginning.
Q: How are you planning on growing your fan base and sharing your music with the world? What message do you have for anyone who is about to discover “Jake Moralez”?
A: I’m very fortunate to have built a lot of skills both with networking with musicians from around the world through Berklee, and through learning about how to sell your “business” to a wider audience. As a small artist, it’s critical to take any steps that you can towards being heard – whether that is connecting with new musicians through connections of friends, pushing yourself to create consistent content, and focusing on analytics to learn what works and what doesn’t. It’s far more complicated than it may seem from the outside, but it’s a process.
Q: Who is the most inspiring artist for you right now? And where do you find inspiration for making music?
A: One newer artist that stands out to me, while we aren’t in the same style, is Malcolm Todd. From not knowing how to play guitar four years ago to selling out shows and opening for major artists, he never seems to take a day off from what he does and it’s allowed him to become as recognized as he has. That mindset is something that I look up to. I’m always pushing myself to try new things with upcoming releases, always reaching out to others for their opinions to help me improve.
Q: Can you tell us about the story or message behind the song, “Nemesis.”?
A: Nemesis actually started as nothing more than my capstone project at Berklee. For the project, it was simply to write and fully mix and produce (with the help of my friends German Vasquez and Caz Daniels) a song, release it, and market it. My goal was always to make my debut single a strong first impression to listeners, and I think I did that with a strong sound, a memorable hook and lyrics that detail the personal struggle of being in a toxic relationship, and how difficult it is to remove yourself from it.
Q: How would you describe your sound in one word for potential listeners?
A: Powerful.
Q: Did you face any challenges while writing or recording “Nemesis”?
A: Of course! This was under a strict deadline, if this song wasn’t done, I wouldn’t pass my capstone and I wouldn’t graduate from Berklee. There was a lot of stress in that process, wanting to make the song as perfect as it can be while still discovering my voice will always be a challenge. But it was German pushing the limits of my voice, Caz nailing every detail of the song, along with the help of my amazing friends/team Aiden Rekve, Josh McCarthy, Waleska Figueirido, Ethan Bessette, and Lucia Dostal for making “Nemesis” a reality.
Q: What is the message of your music? And what are your goals as an artist?
A: My biggest goals as an artist is to continue blending elements and expanding on it. I grew up and worked on a variety of music; from vocal jazz standards and ballads, da capo arias, punk rock, and of course alternative RnB. I don’t plan to reinvent the wheel, but rather use the skillsets I’ve grown from styles I’ve performed for well over a decade to enhance the music I’m making in this chapter of my career. I believe you can see this in Nemesis, and it will only be more relevant in future projects.
Q: Who is your dream artist to collaborate with?
A: I would love to work with an artist like Summer Walker or SZA, someone who will blend with the production style I’m going for perfectly while adding to the song tastefully. I listen to hundreds of artists across a wide range of styles, and it would be a dream to work with any of them – but it’s always important to me to ensure that a feature adds to the sound of a track, and not just the credit list.
Q: What is your advice for people interested in pursuing music as a career or for those trying to enter the industry?
A: It’s daunting. And there’s going to be times where it doesn’t feel worth it as a young artist – it feels like an impossible journey. But remember why you’re doing it. If you’re making music with the sole hope of getting big, you’re in the wrong field. But if you’re making music because it’s something you truly are passionate about, then keep going. If your music can make just one person’s day and can inspire one person, then you’re doing your job and you’re doing it well.
Q: If you could go back in time and give a younger you some words of wisdom, what would they be?
A: You may be insecure of your sound, of your voice, of yourself, but keep forcing yourself to put yourself out there. Kids might call you names, but your art will speak louder than any of that.
