If you happen to haven’t heard the identify Jai’Len Josey, we’re positive you’ll be listening to it in all places quickly. This songwriter, producer, and throughout entertainer is again together with her new double-single ‘Conversations from A Payphone’, a small but impactful glimpse into her new period of music. The insane vocals and storytelling present in songs “Blended Alerts” and “Playground” remind us of why we grew to become followers, and why we will probably be followers for all times. Since we final spoke to her, Jai’Len has additionally launched her first EP underneath Def Jam titled ‘Southern Delicacy’ and was named M&M’s and Rock the Bells Artist On The Rise, each of which we had been in a position to contact on together with her. The imaginative and prescient she has for her music by no means ceases to impress us, particularly now realizing how a lot effort, thought, and love she continues to place into it after this interview . We hope you take pleasure in studying about it as a lot as we love talking to her about it. We talked to Jai’Len concerning the tales behind “Conversations from A Payphone”, working with Harold Lilly and D’Mile, what to anticipate from her debut album, and way more.

YouKnowIGotSoul: Inform me what’s been up since our final interview. I’ve been seeing you do little issues like reveals right here and there, however I actually wish to speak about you being named M&M’s and Rock the Bells Artist On The Rise. I noticed your face was on the M&M’s, that is like some subsequent degree stuff. So inform me how that’s been.

Jai’Len Josey: That was actually enjoyable. It occurred over the previous weekend. Me, Taryn, and my mother – we hiked as much as Nashville, obtained there the day of and so they had been actually candy to us. It was a non-public occasion so it was for the children, which was cool. In my one yr of going to varsity, we had nothing like that. For me, it was form of like a social experiment to see the place the heads of the younger youngsters is at. It’s loopy as a result of I’m 24, however there’s positively a distinction within the headspace and the music headspace that these youngsters are in. It’s at all times cool to carry out for a brand new demographic so I do know what to and what to not do. They appear to actually benefit from the stuff that I used to be giving so I’m completely satisfied that I’m not far off from the place I’m presupposed to be. It was actually cool that my face was on an M&M,I met Cordaé and the stage was actually cool too. It felt like I used to be on a Revolt Stage the best way it was constructed. You can inform that M&M and Rock the Bells put actual effort into it. It was actually cool. I can ship you one with my face on it *laughs*.

YouKnowIGotSoul: You realize I might love that. I wish to actually dive into the music, however we’re going to the touch on ‘Southern Delicacy’ just a little bit later too. We didn’t get to speak about it because it was nearly to be launched after we first spoke. So, inform me about ‘Conversations From a Payphone’.

Jai’Len Josey: Truthfully to speak about ‘Conversations From a Payphone’, we should always get ‘Southern Delicacy’ out the best way. That’s how enjoyable it’s. I wish to let you know the timeline.

YouKnowIGotSoul: I’m good with that, lets do it.

Jai’Len Josey: I wasn’t in a position to speak with you about Southern Delicacy as a result of after we interviewed, it hadn’t come out but. The one factor that most likely got here out was “Good Soup”. Southern Delicacy is principally the story of this woman who’s simply misplaced her grandfather. It’s about these experiences that come collectively to make this woman, to make this Southern Delicacy. All of those experiences that I’ve skilled, I put them down and I wrote the songs.

For “Pay For My Drink”, me and my mates went out to this bar. We have now this factor the place Taryn makes the chance, I get us within the room, our good friend Tiana makes positive that we’re not in an unsafe setting and Tierra does the hook strains and sinks the bait or no matter. This time we weren’t actually doing that. It simply occurred by probability that we had been on the bar and this man simply needed to get us photographs, photographs and photographs. It stored coming, so I made him pay for my drink. It’s an extended story and a crazier story that’s connected to that, however I’ll save that for a private time for you and me later.

For “Good Soup”… it’s like a double entendre. When my mother would come dwelling sick each time round winter, it was nearly like college break for me to get sick for a day and to deal with her. So, I might be leaning over in her face to deliberately get sick, and I might get sick. The following day she would make me hen noodle soup. I turned that right into a factor the place it’s like I’m [caring for someone]. I prefer to deal with who I’m in a relationship with. I used to be principally saying, “bear in mind if you was pretending to be sick and your mama would make you some hen noodle soup?, I can do this for you and I’ve one thing else that can make you’re feeling higher too”. That’s “Good Soup”

“Man in Your Mattress”: I’ve dibbled and dabbled on the opposite aspect of the spectrum. My first kiss was a lady and I’ve performed my justifiable share of swinging my bat each methods. That’s principally a narrative about, me and an previous greatest good friend. I clarify “Man in Your Mattress” form of too plainly, so in the event that they actually wish to learn about my private life, they need to simply go hearken to “Man in Your Mattress”.

“Willie’s Interlude”, I wrote earlier than my grandfather handed. I simply knew it was coming in some unspecified time in the future. It is among the craziest songs that I’ve ever needed to expertise as a result of final yr was actually detrimental for me. Dropping him was like dropping an enormous a part of my life. He would inform me these tales, we’d eat walnuts, mandarins, and this, that, and the third. We’d be in my grandparents’ den downstairs, and he would simply inform me these warfare tales… he advised me about completely different locations that they’d go and the way they’d have enjoyable. I interpreted that and put it right into a track and that’s what “Willie’s Interlude” is. It’s simply principally Vietnam veterans after preventing, how they’d have enjoyable after. They might go to a gap within the wall and would dance until just like the solar got here up or till it’s time to return to combat. I wasn’t in a position to play it for him whereas he was alive, however my grandmother performed it at his funeral. In order that’s all that issues for me.

“Behave” took place by probability. I used to be going via a horrible patch of my relationship and I simply wanted to put it out plainly. Baheem Devaughn is the man who govt produced my complete EP and his connections. He is aware of D’ Mile, I assume they greatest mates or no matter. One of many craziest string orchestrations that I’ve ever skilled or ever heard. I’m very blessed for Bahi. I really like him a lot for making that connection.

“Take me Greater” is a loopy track. It’s about seeing a positive individual that I wasn’t in a position to ever get their quantity as a result of I noticed them whereas I used to be driving. We had been simply making eye contact via site visitors. It is a actual, actually the entire EP is experiences that come collectively for me to make me each track or it’s any person else’s expertise that they advised me. “Take me Greater” and “Willie’s Interlude” are probably the most subjective songs of how the air connects, musically and within the storyline. If we return to my first EP, a variety of the songs are up tempo apart from the mids. I don’t actually have a ballad apart from “Behave”. I wish to push R&B so unhealthy as a result of for African Individuals who aspire to do R&B it’s really easy to be caught on this sq. field that they find yourself placing us in. If we go to nation or we go to pop there’s so some ways which you can department off and to create your personal path, however for R&B, it’s like you’re black, stick with the established order.

“Southern Delicacy” is about letting somebody know what they’ve once they don’t understand what they’ve. They’ve a delicacy, nearly like positive china that you just simply obtained sitting up in your vintage field, Your grandma’s actual good silverware. “Southern Delicacy” is particularly about me feeling such as you actually obtained a gem right here. Use it, otherwise you would possibly lose it. In the actual life case, they misplaced it.

YouKnowIGotSoul: You principally touched on the whole lot I needed to. What was working with Harold Lilly and D’Mile like? These are each some legendary folks. How was that have?

Jai’Len Josey: Harold is … he’s our modern-day librarian. He’s a modern-day librarian as a result of he has a lot data of issues that you just wouldn’t even suppose that he has data of. When he’s actually invested in somebody, he needs to know your complete story. He needs to know what occurred in Genesis and what’s going to occur on the finish. He needs to know “you”, and it makes the method all of the extra higher as a result of it’s onerous to get to know somebody. Say if in case you have a set time to be in a studio with somebody and it’s a must to get your mission out, you’re not gonna know their complete story. He needs to get to know the issues that you just actually wish to know, the issues that you just’re not presupposed to say, so he can know precisely who to place you with and learn how to get the mission throughout.He makes me really feel as if he’s the world’s librarian as a result of we’re all books, all of us have tales. He is aware of what’s going to occur on our web page 89 and he positively predicts what’s going to occur on web page 100. He makes that so prevalent to me in the best way that he writes and the best way that he comes throughout with how articulate he’s. He makes me wish to be a greater communicator. I really feel like he has Virgo or Capricorn in his chart *laughs*. I don’t know what his chart is, however he’s actually sensible. I personally didn’t work with D’Mile. I used to be solely in a position to get on the cellphone with him a couple of times. All I needed to do was relay what I needed. That’s how cool he’s. I need my music to return throughout as emotional and as passionate as classical music does. That’s what D’Mile dropped at “Behave”, and to the entire EP. He’s that sensible. I didn’t must say a lot, you already know what I imply? I’m very grateful for Maurice, who did the rating and introduced the orchestra (I feel it’s the Detroit Symphony). He introduced everyone collectively and actually did it. I’m very grateful for him, and I wish to use him on my subsequent album. Working with them was nearly like working with Beyoncé and Michael Jackson, simply working with geniuses. Like working with mind matter, you already know, simply black Einsteins. That’s as greatest as I can put it, musicians who’re additionally scientists.

YouKnowIGotSoul: Shout out to Bah for positive then as a result of the manufacturing and the entire means it tied collectively is simply superb. Let’s dive into the brand new stuff and what’s arising subsequent. Why did you title this ‘Conversations from a Payphone’?

Jai’Len Josey: I envision a payphone as a result of it’s so previous. I really feel like it’s a means of time journey, and I exploit it as a option to time journey via ‘Illustrations’, ‘Southern Delicacy’, and what’s to return. I’m going to make use of it as a option to make folks know that “Blended Alerts” and “Playground” are what I ought to have mentioned to those that I didn’t say. It’s nearly just like the dialog that you’ve got in your bathe. The payphone teleports me to the place the place I can really say it to them one time solely earlier than I can transfer into the following chapter. I’ll let you know the story about “Playground”. So, principally this occurred between me and my ex. I received’t say the severity of it, however principally I used to be dumped. My father was getting his knee fastened or one thing, and inside that I used to be nonetheless relationship my ex however we had no communication. It was rocky, issues had been already taking place inside our relationship. He simply didn’t wish to speak to me and he broke up with me. I used to be begging and pleading. I’m calling him like “please, my father’s going via this factor. I simply want any person to speak to.” I used to be not in a position to get him on the cellphone in any respect. So, I am going to Twitter and any person had been flirting with me for just a little bit. I used to be like, you already know, f*** it. I’m nearly to let you know what’s happening with my life. I advised him the problem with me and my ex from prime to backside. I felt actually determined after which ghosted the man, which was my fault, a lot chaos as a Scorpio. Actually a day later, my ex was like “let’s attempt to work it out”. I’m identical to, why are you taking part in with my feelings? That is most likely just like the third time he had damaged up with me whereas we had been within the relationship. I come over to his house and we exit to eat. It looks like we’re again on good phrases after which late within the midnight hour, he went via my cellphone and noticed the messages that I despatched to that man. He woke me up at 5 a.m. and put me out. On the drive dwelling, I used to be like, I’m going to jot down a track about it. I sat in my mattress and wrote “Playground”. I wrote and produced Playground from prime to backside.

YouKnowIGotSoul: That’s loopy.

Jai’Len Josey: Very loopy. I really feel like as a Scorpio, I simply undergo so many chaotic issues. I can’t catch a break. So, “Playground” is unquestionably that. “Blended Alerts” may be very current. This man that I actually like, I actually suppose he’s the cutest factor ever. At first, I didn’t know if he favored me or not, however I can also’t fault him for being wishy washy as a result of I used to be nonetheless attempting to recover from my ex on the time. “Blended Alerts” is principally me telling the man I don’t know in the event you actually mess with me or not, however I actually need to know now. That’s what blended indicators was and the payphone is principally the connector of what “Playground” is on the finish. I’m going to have a complete video on this so it’s clear, however there’s going to be a payphone after which on the opposite line it’s going to be like, “that is precisely what I ought to have mentioned”. “Blended Alerts” is precisely what the woman in “Playground” ought to have mentioned to the man. So I hope that didn’t make sense.

YouKnowIGotSoul: For this reason I really like your stuff as a result of there’s at all times one thing deeper. Is there a brand new period that’s coming then? Is that this related?

Jai’Len Josey: Sure, the payphone is related. Earlier than I get to the large factor, which is my album, I’m going to place out 4 songs. The 4 pack will probably be the place I clarify to those that I write and produce. It’ll principally be damaged down, so it received’t be the complete manufacturing. It’ll be like how I create the track earlier than I ship it off to a producer. I wish to present those that I create the music earlier than I ship it off to a producer. I actually need folks to know that I’ve an enormous hand in my music earlier than it goes off. I’m principally attempting to get off some songs that don’t have anything to do with the brand new period… older songs that I ought to have placed on ‘Southern Delicacy’ however they simply didn’t make it. That is perhaps an entity in itself. I can discover a option to join it, which I at all times do, however the storyline actually connects via the album. I really feel like I can open up to you, so principally the album is what occurs after the payphone. The entire issues that’s after this woman’s grandfather passes away. So after Willie’s interlude, the issues that she does to grieve. She grieves with, with males, her vices, ingesting, with music. All of this stuff are distractions for her, she’s nonetheless clearly grieving. The album will not be about grief its about how we fight and the way we get via the issues that we’re unaware that we’re doing.I haven’t got here up with the identify but, but it surely’s positively about self value, discovering peace. It has a track referred to as “Discover Peace”. The album is extra form of like style bending R&B. And I actually can’t wait to indicate that. Plenty of these experiences I’ve had which can be being put into the story are enjoyable, however then they’re painful on the similar time. My factor in life is like, my highs are so excessive, however after I’m low, I’m low. I’m an entire water signal. I’m waves. I’m utterly a contented individual and I can’t keep unhappy for lengthy, which is why I actually equate to the waves of the ocean, no matter if I’m a water signal or not. That’s how my music is. It’s like I need you to really feel excessive as if we’re going to be dancing, however I’m speaking about one thing that’s actually private.

You received’t really feel such as you’re drowning with my music, however you’ll actually must learn it. I actually need folks to have the ability to learn the lyrics in order that they know precisely the place I used to be and what house that I used to be in with this new music. I urge folks to learn my lyrics, like how Apple music has the factor the place we will learn it whereas it’s going. I urge them to try this. If you happen to ever needed to know my life, simply learn the lyrics. I can not look forward to this new music to return out. It’s only a large aid for me. Each time I put one thing out, it’s like I can lastly bury that. I’m largely excited so that you can hearken to it as a result of I’m positive our subsequent interview you’ll be like, oh my gosh, you advised me this and this and the third. It’s nearly like brushing it off my shoulder now I can transfer on to the following factor. That’s what occurs after I get author’s block, and I do know God is sitting me down in order that I can simply go expertise life. I received’t contact my pc till I’ve an expertise. I’ve been sitting on this one track, so I’m ready for the proper second to open up my pc. Normally if I open up my pc, the track comes down like that, actual fast.

YouKnowIGotSoul: That’s superior. I really like to listen to that. I like to see that. I can’t wait to discuss the brand new music, however one thing else I can’t look forward to is subsequent week to see your present in Brooklyn. Inform me how you’re feeling simply concerning the tour proper now. Are you excited? Is that this your first headline tour for your self?

Jai’Len Josey: It’s. That is my first headlining tour and I’m nervous like anyone could be, however reside is the place I thrive. Other than sitting at dwelling and creating my music, reside music is the place I thrive. I can lastly present those that I’m not no studio singer. I’m actually excited to return again to New York. I simply wish to see the scene. I lived there for a yr, and it was completely completely different. After we had been on the [Ari Lennox] tour, New York was completely different. All the things has modified. I form of wish to be like that. You realize what I imply? I feel everyone needs to form of be just like the New York aesthetic. I can’t wait to see you. I can’t wait to be on. I can’t wait to simply do it. Not essentially get it over with, however to say that I’ve performed it. It’s one factor to open up for any person, however then it’s a complete completely different factor the place it’s your self and it’s your work. That is it. That is the beginning. As cliche because it sounds, however *begins singing* that is the beginning of one thing new. It feels so proper to be right here with you. That’s a Excessive Faculty Musical *laughs* I simply actually hope that individuals can expertise the excursions earlier than the music and the stuff will get greater. I simply need folks to get on the bandwagon in order that by the point that occurs, no person’s like, “dang, I want I used to be there from the soar” as a result of I really feel prefer it’s going to be loopy.

YouKnowIGotSoul: The rest you wish to point out about “Blended Alerts” or “Playground”?

Jai’Len Josey : Sure, “Blended Alerts” has my first characteristic ever. His identify is Matt McGee. He’s from DC and he slays the home down. He’s not a brand new rapper, however he’s a rapper the place I feel extra folks ought to hear him as a result of he’s so articulate and you’ll hear the lyrics. You’ll be able to perceive precisely what he’s speaking about and what he provides. I really like him. He’s my play cousin, however we obtained loads in widespread, a variety of like household issues. So yeah, that’s actually all I needed to say… additionally make “Blended Alerts” and “Playground” comes out tonight!