Conversations with Jason Paige

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jason Paige.

Hi Jason, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?

My first physical form took the shape of an egg in 1946 in the ovary of my beautiful mother as she was taking human form in my grandmother’s newly pregnant belly in Philadelphia. I grew to be a mature egg and 22 years later pushed my way to the front of the line to meet my dad’s sperm to ignite the cosmic spark of creation and begin my human form.

I emerged a full-bodied baby in Wichita Falls, Texas where my sax playing father was stationed in the Air Force band. After his service ended, we went to live with his family in Baltimore, MD. My parents separated when I was 3. I continued living there with my Mother until the 5th grade when her father, my “Pop Pop Jack” passed. We then moved into his deluxe trailer home in Hallandale, FL. We spent the 5th and half of my 6th grade there, then moved to Brooklyn for my 6th and 7th grades, Rockaway Queens for my 8th and by mid 9th grade had moved to the Upper West Side where I’d attend the Fame School, The High School Of Music & Art, as a voice major.

Thanks to my Mothers creative street performer friends crashing on our floor during the neighborhood’s festive summer season I was introduced to magic and balloon sculpting. Standing on a milk crate I commanded the corner of 76th and Columbus for my 1st public performance street performing as a magician. The youngest of all the performers, my crowds spilled into the streets. Through my remaining high school summers I expanded my craft up and down the strip. 

It wasn’t long before I was spotted and swooped up by Sensational Talent Management agency and sent on auditions. My first bookings were commercials for McDonalds and Coke and as an acting contestant on Ed McMahon’s Jr. Star Search. From then on I did commercials, voice-overs, theater, musical theater, films, and continued my professional career. My creative education continued at NYU’s Experimental Theater Wing (ETW) and NYU Jazz voice studies.

Throughout high school, college and beyond, my musical expression was facilitated by many bands where I wrote, played bass, and sang my own songs. My bands “Breakthru,” “Rakkett,” and “What’s Up” were discovered and produced by Steve Katz (Guitarist of Blood Sweat & Tears), Paul Stanley of Kiss, and Bernard Edwards of Chic.

In 1995 “What’s Up” (the band) morphed into a weekly sketch/musical/comedy TV show and was a hit on Manhattan Cable TV (MCTV), the Youtube before Youtube. We were recognized daily on the streets of Manhattan for our TV antics. During that time band/cast member Russ Irwin and I started a music production company and began doing jingles for NY music houses. We capitalized using our voices and production skills to create and sing jingles for brands like the Legomania theme, Gatorade, Coke, Barbie, Pokémon, and more.

As a member of Michael McElroy’s “Broadway Inspirational Voices,” I elevated my skills further which led to incredible background singing experiences with (to name a few) Billy Porter, Liza Minelli, Ray Charles, Ricky Martin, Usher, Destiny’s Child, and the legend himself, Michael Jackson. During Michael’s 30th Anniversary show at Madison Square Garden, I performed the rap for his hit “Black or White,” as well as backgrounds throughout the whole show, which aired on ABC and is available forever on YouTube.

Moving to LA in 2004 opened my world to the west coast possibilities. I supplied vocals for records for the Scorpions, Foreigner, and Meatloaf. I did multiple voices on films like Sausage Party, The Muppets, and Jersey Boys, and became a original member of exciting creative theatrical live experiences, like the wildly successful “For The Record” and Open Fist Theater’s yearly Beatles Christmas show “BOTH: A Hard Day’s Silent Night.”

In 2016, Pokémon Go invigorated the Pokémon generation who started playing the infamous theme on platforms all across the internet. Media organizations took note and I popped out of my Pokéball to do interviews and create content for the now-grown adults with children who wanted to know the once-hidden face and name behind the voice of their childhoods.

Since then I’ve been sharing the Pokélove across the Pokéverse all over the world. Singing the Pokémon theme song and signing autographs on fan’s items. Pokémon cards are the favorite right now. You can get custom autographs on my website. Jasonpaige.com/shop

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Some smooth and some bumpy. The smooth road provides less learning. All the growth comes from navigating unexpected changes. Learning from mistakes and improving through improvising. I like to go creatively off-road. Off the grid. I find new discoveries happen on unpaved territory. When you don’t know what is gonna happen and you have to improvise and create imaginative solutions to new obstacles.

The struggle is to see beyond your immediate goal and see it as but a brick in a greater structure that continues to materialize throughout your whole life. To have a long-term goal, but still be totally invested in the immediate brick, even though it may seem small and insignificant. That one session, that one song, can be the brick that, in time, can change the world. “Gotta Catch Em All”

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My voice is my superpower. Connecting with joy to each singing experience can energize the performance and lead to its success. I have expanded my abilities by imitating many styles of singers, thus making me a great utility, as I can do the job of 100 different singers.

What makes you happy?
Making people happy makes me happy. It’s as if, when in service to others, we ultimately serve ourselves. And to be in service to others, we have to serve ourselves by increasing our ability to do what we uniquely do. “To be the very best like no one (else) ever was”. 

Contact Info:

• Website: Jasonpaige.com/shop
• Instagram: @jasonpaige
• Facebook: @jasonpaigeshow
• Twitter: @jasonpaigeshow
• Youtube: @jasonpaige