We recently had the chance to connect with Derek Jameson and have shared our conversation below.
Derek, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
I recently launched my dance inspired music album titled ‘Heliora.’ I wanted to share personal stories through songwriting, singing, and high energy dance music. It is meant to inspire people to take chances on their deeper passions. The songs are about facing our truths, falling in love with life, human sexuality, and the activation of our true desires. Combing afro-house, dance-pop, progressive house, and melodic house, I wanted to have a collection of songs people can sing and dance to simultaneously.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a singer, songwriter, and DJ/musician known for my pop and electronic dance music (EDM), often infused with house and techno elements. Currently a Los Angeles-based artist and started my entertainment career as a performer in live stage shows in the San Francisco Bay Area at the age of 15. I play the piano and use this foundation to create melodic dance music.
Collaborations: I have collaborated with and written songs for DJs Morgan Page, Bijou, and Matroda, DJ/singer Kaleena Zanders, and songwriter/ghostwriter Jessica Hoover.
Performances & Tours: I have performed at West Coast festivals and venues and has toured in Asia. In the past I have been an opening act for pop artists Darren Criss and Danity Kane, Taylor Dane.
Film & Television: My music has been featured in film and television soundtracks, including Bloody Mary 3D, 1 Chance 2 Dance, and Mansion of Blood. I also appeared in Rent (film), Numbers (TV), Work Out (Bravo), and hosted Nickelodeon’s Nicktoon’s Live at 5.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
I believed I wasn’t good enough to be liked or succeed. I was heavily bullied from elementary school all throughout high school. Bullying even continued when I was doing music in clubs. Until I could believe in myself, I always gave the upper hand to others who wanted to feel they had power over me. Then one day I realized that those who are bullied have the most power and those who bully are the one’s who feel they need to steal that power from others. Once you make the realization that anything people do is a projection of where they are at in life, you gain the power back.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear of true success has always held me back. I have chosen to let that fear hold me back. The fear of success is truly the fear of change. We hold so strong to who we think we are that we never evolve into the power people we came to Earth to be. The moment we allow ourselves to change and transform is the moment true success and prosperity can enter in. Now, I speak success into my life and welcome all the ways that wants to show up for me.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
I think we all project a certain image of ourselves that we want the world to see us as. We all try to uphold some control over how we are perceived. What we come to learn is that we really have no control over that. The more we release resistance, the more we can authentically be ourselves in all aspects. I made a decision recently to show all aspects of me. To show I can be a human just like everyone else and that it’s okay to show the dark and the light we all possess. I am learning everyday to be vulnerable in my honesty of who I really am. That is truly a process that we have to detangle. Right now, I am the most “real” I have ever been to the public. It feels so good.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
That I taught people it’s the most beautiful thing to be your authentic self. Giving everyone the permission to be exactly who they are in the present time. For that is always evolving.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://derekjamesonmusic.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/derekjameson
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@DerekJamesonMusic
Image Credits
Baz Here
Tiensirin Tienngern
