Today we’d like to introduce you to Jazzie Lock
Hi Jazzie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I grew up with my mother and family in Brooklyn, New York. I started playing piano when I was in kindergarten. In school, I was also a part of musical theatrical productions. It was in 5th grade when I wrote my first song. At that time, my music teacher submitted an audio of me singing for entry to the 2011 National Honor Choir. I was thrilled to be accepted and flew to Chicago, to sing with children from around America. It was a great experience, and I felt that maybe this is something I could do for the rest of my life.
I continued to study music and concentrate more on singing. I was so happy to get accepted into LaGuardia High School in New York City, where I would be able to sing everyday. There I studied classical voice and learned songwriting for the first time. I had been writing music since I was a child, but I didn’t take it seriously until the opportunity to improve presented itself. Being surrounded by many different cultures and genres of sound influenced my writing.
By the end of high school, as a member of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, I had traveled nationally and internationally in choir competitions to places like California, Texas, Germany, Spain, and Japan. During this time I was studying classical voice and musical theater and had been practicing my songwriting. When the time came to continue with one of my passions in higher education, I leaned into my creative side. At the time, the classical and musical theater world felt restrictive, while songwriting felt like therapy. I had never experienced myself as fully as I did, until performing my own music. I was always transported to a world where everything was okay and where I’d feel held and cared for. I was determined to continue to explore that side of myself.
I attended Berklee College of Music in Boston where I studied songwriting and music business. While I was leaning into songwriting and performing, I fell in love with the creation of moments. I got really interested in the music experience, where all senses come together to create a potentially everlasting moment. I started releasing music during my master’s degree program at BerkleeNYC, where I studied Live Experience Design. I learned about audio, lighting, and video design for live experiences and wanted to use what I learned in my own creative projects.
It was in my master’s program where I released my first song “Jackie and the Beanstalk.” I felt like I was finally ready to share this piece of me. It felt as if I was doing exactly what I was meant to be doing all along.
In the past year I’ve performed in venues such as The Bowery Electric, The Bitter End, Elizabeth Street Garden and many more. I released my song “Abyss” on all platforms, followed by a music video that is on youtube. I’m grateful to be a musical artist while continuing to work in production as a producer and as a lighting operator. I also had the pleasure of providing background vocals for Mystic Marley’s live performance of “Cold Nights” with United Masters.
I’m currently working on releasing my debut album that is focused on trying to create these magic moments. It has influences from artists such as Adele, Alex G, Tracy Chapman, and Aurora. I hope for audiences to come with me on this journey through the ethereal world I’ve created and holdfast through storms that may come our way.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think the road is smooth for many. The road for me was definitely not easy. I am grateful to walk through the world with my mother who has always supported and helped me in times of need. She always took the time to understand who I am. I feel blessed because without her none of who I am today would be possible. With that said, I am a black, dark skinned, queer woman living in America, and with that there will always be hardship and struggles. A lot of my struggle with continuing my studies of classical and musical theater was lack of representation and acceptance for people of color in these spaces. In most of my music, you can hear where I’ve faced turmoil and where I’ve found solace. Experiencing that intersectionality professionally and creatively is always a struggle, but I always search for the communities that embrace me.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jazzielock/?hl=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Jazzielock
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@jazzielock
Image Credits
Tiffany Chen
Miz0ra
Maceo Thompson
Audrey Roloff
Julija Garunkstis
