Today we’d like to introduce you to Jazzie Young.
Hi Jazzie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been writing songs for as long as I can remember. My parents got me a little song journal when I was in elementary school where I would jot down lyrics to songs I had thought up. I didn’t start putting chords to my songs until I was 14 years old when my dad gave me my mom’s old acoustic guitar. The first song I ever wrote on it was called “falling from grace” and when I played it for my family, I realized that the way I could communicate feelings in my songs was actually quite relatable to other people. When I graduated college, I officially decided to start pursuing my musical career and spent a lot of time learning about the recording process and song creation as a whole from start to finish. I’m still learning a lot as I go, its a decent amount of trial and error but each time I record a song it helps me to think about things I hadn’t before. That process has been really helpful in my growth as an artist.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been a pretty bumpy road with both external and internal factors playing a part in my evolution. One of the more profound obstacles was my constant struggle with crippling stage fright. Dealing with that anxiety contributed greatly to doubt about my talent and pursuit of music. It’s taken a long time for me to get to a place where the need to create outweighs the fear of failure.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a musician but prefer to be called a singer-songwriter. Songwriting and singing have always been, in my opinion, my strongest talent within the realm of musical creation. I play a bit of piano and guitar as well but I mainly use the instruments as methods to create my songs. I think the thing I’m most proud of and what sets me apart from other artists is the way I express myself through writing. I have a way of writing about really personal and uncomfortable topics that people seem to be able relate to. I’ve always been really fascinated by why people are the way they are, and I’m a naturally reflective person. So a lot of my songs come from the deeper places in my soul that are harder to talk about. I don’t know why it’s easy to write a song about those feelings and experiences, but somehow it is. It’s also such a special feeling when someone can relate to and connect with those emotions you’ve written about. It creates a real symbiotic relationship where each person feels a little less alone and a bit more understood afterwards.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Authenticity 100%. That’s something I try to keep very close to me especially during the production process. It’s really easy for me to get caught up in all of the possibilities of each song. But what I’ve learned is that the more authentic the song is to itself and your vision, the easier it is for people to receive. Listeners can feel when a song is trying to be something that it isn’t, or when you aren’t being honest and true with your art. People can feel that and I’ve seen songs not resonate in the same way because of it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jazzieyoung.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jazzieyoung/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jazzieyoungmusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgEiv3uCctLJ-pmj3BQBTtg?view_as=subscriber
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-724590923
Image Credits
Photographs by Amy Ryerson and Shelby Parks
