Today we’d like to introduce you to Serrin Joy.
Hi Serrin, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hey! I’m Serrin (like serenade ;)) I’m originally from Akron, Ohio (west side) & I come from a musical family. My dad started the Akron City Family Mass Choir in the ’80s and is over the Men’s Division at the Gospel Music Workshop of America, and my mom is a former pageant girl and present classical pianist & music instructor. They raised my four younger siblings and I around music our entire lives just about, and we grew up with a studio in our house as well. My grandmother taught me how to play piano when I was three years old & I always sang in church from the time I could walk! I really think that is the true cheat code when it comes to music. Doing any style of music at church, you learn so much about harmonies, playing instruments, directing, commanding a space, how to work alongside others, getting over stage fright, and the true meaning of putting passion and intention behind your singing.
I wrote my first song when I was 7 years old, although I started taking music seriously around age 14-15. The moment it hit me that I could actually have a career in music was when I was 16 years old. I wrote a song called “The Real You,” and I posted it to YouTube. I saw teenagers from schools around my hometown making lip-syncing videos to the song, and I noticed that my words had a real influence on people. I started to come home after school every day and just lock myself in the studio for hours until 2-3 am on Garageband. Making demos, working on harmonies, and just preparing myself for what I wanted in life. In high school, I was always googling the next talent competition, TV audition, having photoshoots during lunch, booking shows in between classes, etc. Anything that didn’t cater to the lifestyle I wanted, any friend who didn’t fully support me in my goals, etc., had to go! I had tunnel vision.
I moved to NYC 12 days after my high school graduation to begin college & planting more seeds outside of my hometown. I knew if I was able to get to the big cities with the mindset that I have, and my work ethic, I would do great things. I attended school during the day and performed in open mics at night. I was 17 years old. At 18, in 2020, through networking, I landed myself a role performing with the Women Of Color on Broadway alongside Melba Moore, and later that year, I became the first person from my hometown, male or female, to be on American Idol. I also got inducted into my city’s historic vault for doing so. In 2021, I graduated with my associate’s degree and moved to Atlanta GA, where for some time I had a role in the studio working alongside Ne-Yo and as a recording artist and learning more about songwriting with Compound Ent. in Atlanta, GA.
In 2022, I had also started working on my first movie set, “Fantasy Football,” alongside Kelly Rowland, Omari Hardwick, and Marsai Martin. As well as “The Color Purple.” (released Christmas 2023) alongside Halle Bailey, Fantasia, Taraji P. Henson, Colman Domingo & H.E.R. I was approached by my second label in 2022, to which I signed & decided to enroll back in school, this time in Los Angeles. In 2023, I went on my own listening party promotion tour for my first EP called, “Obsessed.” It was a four-city stop tour starting in LA, then to ATL, NYC, and it closed in Cleveland on my 22nd birthday. Special shoutout to my partner in crime, Moh-Sheh, who stayed on the phone with me every day, praying with me, planning, budgeting, and assisting with all things business towards this tour. I couldn’t have done this without you! You are appreciated dearly. I was on tour while also in person at college, so it was a lot on me at only 21 years old… but WELL worth the experience!
Most recently, I’ve been working alongside writer and producer Tommy Brown (TB Hits) and his team for a little over a month now as a songwriter and vocal producer/ arranger. I’ve learned so much more about songwriting, as well as artistry. So far, I’ve written for Akon, Normani, Nora Fatehi, Aiyana Lee, Maeta and other upcoming artists as well!
I’m just grateful for this journey that I’m on overall. It’s so funny how you can have a plan set out for yourself, but at the end of the day, God always has the final say on what really will happen for you. I never know what to expect, and it keeps me on my toes! I practice writing every day, I play piano every day & when I’m not on vocal rest, rest assured, I’m somewhere singing! The way my life has been, I like to always stay ready so that I don’t have to get ready. That goes for anything.
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?
Not at all. The sad truth about this industry is that the business side of things is not always fun. Also, being a young woman doesn’t make it any easier. I’ve had songs stolen from me, weird direct comments, I’ve fired managers, experienced labels hand me terrible deals, there are songs I’ve recorded that I will never have access to again, & if I had a dollar for every man that attempted to “mansplain,” to me or disrespect/ attempt to talk down to me verbally… I’d be Elon Musk. Moments like these teach poise, how to clock someone with class, and how to stand up for yourself. It builds a backbone.
I can’t stress it enough: I truly have had to play chess, especially as I am independent & my own team. Also, I’ve seen in the moments where I am knocked down or tested, I always come back harder… I’m a lot smarter than people assume me to be just because of my gender and age.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an artist, songwriter, musician, vocal producer/ arranger & actress. I specialize in attentiveness to the vibes around me and creating art from that. Whether it is conveying my own emotions through music, writing for someone else and conveying their emotions, feeling out where harmonies are needed in a song, etc. I know how to read the room. I would say I’m known for being an overall musician, and what separates me from others is that I’m always a student first as well as I want to always bring something new to the table. Even recently, I’ve decided to take a step back from posting as much to further develop my artistry. I was having a conversation with Tommy Brown, & he told me, “Phenomenal people bring something new to the table.” He also has been teaching me a lot about the difference in making universal, versus local records. I want to continue learning and strengthening my pen and approach to rollouts before popping back out with new music. I feel as though not many artists (especially my age) would take the initiative to move like that. There’s wisdom in my current decision.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was a very creative kid! I went to a Montessori school first, then performing arts school from 4th grade – to present day. I’ve always loved writing stage plays for my siblings to perform, for kids to perform at school when the parents would come pick them up, writing songs about eating your vegetables/ cleaning up, etc. & performing them for other kids at school in elementary, writing silly books & passing them around to my classmates, etc. I was always interested in hosting & making people laugh. I loved watching family movies, Disney Channel, Nickelodeon & Cartoon Network as kids did! I remember auditioning for show choir & vocal jazz every year in school and never getting in! (As a kid, I was heartbroken, haha*) Nonetheless, these moments never stopped me from trying out for anything. I have always stayed true to myself, my circles have always been smaller & my friends and I partied by ourselves, having a ball!
Contact Info:
- Website: zez.am/serrinjoymusic
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/serrinjoymusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serrinjoymusic?_rdr
- Twitter: https://x.com/serrinjoymusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS1P-FFv4tPM-xO_HnSyJrg
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/serrin-joy
