Rising Stars: Meet Jon Jupiter

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jon Jupiter.

Hi Jon, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m a music artist from Los Angeles (stage name Jon Jupiter). Born of Lousiana Creole heritage; my grandparents migrated from New Orleans and purchased nearly an entire city block in West Adams, where I reside today. The first song I ever wrote was for a second-grade talent show, with the help of my father. The lyrics went; “At 8;15 the school bell rings. Line up for a class it’s time to do our thing. All day we learn the Golden Rule. I don’t go to school to be a fool”. Corny, I know. Yet, there was something magical about being in a creative element with my father. This planted the seeds to what would later become an amazing musical journey. I adopted the moniker “Jon Jupiter” in 2014. The first song I wrote under my new name is called “Thank You”.

Ironically, the song is an ode to my father (as well as my mother and then-girlfriend); wherein I thank the people closest to me for being in my life. After seeing the success of this song, I decided to take my music global. I quit my warehouse management job and began shooting music videos, putting on shows, designing and selling clothing, and more. Nearly a decade and 5 million streams into my music journey; I’ve had tons of amazing opportunities. I’ve been featured on Power 106 a few times, I’ve written music for iHeartRadio, toured Australia and Canada, I’ve been featured on international news stations and more! My brother and I just built my first music studio from the ground up. I’m excited to see what this new year brings. I now have 2-year-old son who loves to play instruments. I hope to be the inspiration to him that my father is to me.

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’ve had many challenges in my journey; the road has been far from smooth. One of the biggest recurring challenges is funding a music career as a fully independent artist. Between music videos, advertising, equipment, studio costs, travel, etc.; music can cost tens of thousands of dollars each year. You constantly feel caught in a cycle between never wanting to work for a company and not having enough money for your next song or music video. Another huge challenge artists face today is reaching an audience. With social media and music platforms making algorithmic changes nearly daily, it seems an impossible task to reach fans in the same way you could just a few years ago. It’s a constant battle between creating in the way your heart desires, vs. creating in a way that social media outlets want. Either way, I’m up for the challenge!

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a rapper and singer. Some of my biggest songs are “Nebula”, “George Floyd”, “The One”, “Focus”, and more. Some of my greatest moments happen in other countries. I can recall visiting Canada and having a few fans pick my wife and I up from the airport wearing my clothing brand, and basically chauffeuring us around every day. Another young fan took the train alone to meet me and get an autograph. I had similar experiences in Australia. These are the moments I’m most proud of! Another, more recent moment was having my song “Focus” translated into Portuguese on Youtube. Wherein I gained tons of Brazilian fans who otherwise would not have heard my music. I love to read and translate their comments. What sets me apart is that I love to connect with people. I realize that this music journey is not just about me. I plan to travel to many more countries and just link with the locals. I enjoy people, I enjoy new friends.

What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was always creative. My mom tells stories about how I’d use their old VHS video camera to record and direct shows and movies I wrote for my friends. I’d give everyone a specific role, and I’d shoot and edit the videos myself from a very young age. I also used to write and illustrate books and songs for my friends to read and sing. I’ve always been gregarious, loving to surround myself with others. My house was always the “fun house” where lots of kids would meet just to play, create, and more. There was regularly 10-15 kids at my house daily (including my 2 younger brothers).

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/jonjupiter
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonjupiter/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/supernovajon
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JonJupiter
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/jonjupiter
• Other: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/jon-jupiter/1091918290

Image Credits
Brandon Bibbins, @Goldn_charmr (Instagram)