Today we’d like to introduce you to j9.
So, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born in Staten Island, NY, the youngest of four, started music at a very young age: piano at 4, flute at 7, tenor saxophone at 9, bassoon at 14, guitar at 16, and the basics of the bass and drums ten years later. I played in specialized concert, jazz, and symphonic bands up until high school, and played Carnegie Hall in NYC at 9 with a symphonic band. Along with studying music, I also studied theatre in programs in and outside of school from age 9 onwards. I went to college for theatre performance and then went back years later for music in London. I also worked as a model in London while there and upon returning continued to model and act in NYC. NYC was so intense and after many years of feeling like a puppet, I let go, and created the band. NYC gives a new band a lot of opportunities and it was through them that the band started to take shape. Although there were line-up changes over time, the band has enabled me to express who I am creatively and what I do. No one else is calling the shots, I am, which is a very different way of being when pretending to be someone else through photoshoots and commercials/tv shows and film. I was in control for the 1st time ever and it was liberating. I could dress however I wanted, write however I wanted, sing however I wanted, perform however I wanted, and it was encouraged. Just me, being myself, and exploring who I am on the stage and who I could be. It was a huge release. Being as big, bold, lively, strong, angry, creative, happy and everything in-between. Also, in high school I became a Christian which helped shape my decisions and life from that point onwards. My father was Jewish and my mother is Catholic, so we were raised Catholic but honored all of the Jewish holidays as well. I have also served as a youth group leader, a worship leader, and now sing and play in gospel music in our church here in LA. Also, both last summer and this summer we traveled with “The Extreme Tour”, a Christian youth ministry that puts on music/skate events all over the country whose main purpose is to spread love and let everyone know that they matter which is very important to me and my husband (who is in the band as well).
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. And sometimes the nos went on for what felt like an eternity. Until at that last moment, when a bone was thrown and an amazing opportunity occurred. It was at those moments that I knew I needed to continue what I was doing. A testament to what I was doing and that I should continue to persevere. The struggles are what help(ed) me to persevere, although difficult in the moment, but brought me to a better place in the end.
There are so many examples: from band member dramas, tour vehicle breakdowns, performance mishaps, to recording fiascos…the list is endless. I still struggle with different things daily (as we all do), but once I get on that stage everything melts away. I do what I do for the audience and even when just one person tells me how my performance affected them in such a great way, that’s the fuel that keeps me going. Also, I’ve inadvertently become a role model for women and children, and had no idea that I was doing it! To inspire others to be unafraid to be strong, to let go and embrace their creativity, to let their voice be heard– is the best gift that I can ever receive. Now I feel it’s my duty. To let them know that they can be themselves and that they can be anyone they want to be or achieve anything they set their mind on no matter what.
j and the 9s – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from others?
I started the band in 2011 in NYC. I had never been a front person of a band in my life, I’ve played music the majority of my life and studied theatre, and had done a bunch of studio session work as well as sang backing vocals and played the flute for friends big and small, but had never started my own band before. I decided to put it into practice after going to Burning Man that year as it’s such a wonderful event that inspires people to be open and creative and be the best they can be. But I was scared, so put it off, until a few months later when I bit the bullet and put an ad on Craig’s list looking for like-minded female musicians.
j and the 9s wasn’t the original name of the band, but after the girls left me right before our 2nd ever gig it was suggested by friends that I should come up with a different name that is more representative of me. I never wanted to be a solo artist—I think it’s wrong when an artist uses their name and has a band behind them without giving them any credit. Although I was writing all of the basic song ideas, I let the others put their stamp on them so they could feel a part of the project as well. After many name suggestions, the name j and the 9s sparked my interest as it’s a play on my name. j9 had been my nickname from college (as the number 9 is in my name Jea-nine), and it stuck. Still, to this day, many people spell it wrong or say it wrong, but it’s okay. They eventually figure it out.
The band is known for our high energy, interactive performances (on and off the stage), my lavish wigs/makeup/costumes, strong singing, rockin’ songs, and my flute playing. It’s pure entertainment. We get the audience involved, whether it’s singing parts of songs back to us or having dance contests on stage. We help people forget about their troubles for a while. Now as a two piece, my husband Chris (aka Beatz) is a showman himself, balancing on the drum kit as well as jumping off of it and running around the stage. We always try to think of new things to do and how to improve it. I’m always running on and off stage, jumping on tables/chairs/seats/the bar in venues, sometimes making my way to the very back, sitting down and singing to the person next to me, all for a smile really. But most of all, it’s fun! We’ve coined our genre “glam punk”, but have elements of hard rock, blues and soul in it as well. We now also have a rooftop stage on our rv (that’s covered in murals of the band name, my face and a monster on the front (as the rv is called “the monster”)), and have played on it in San Diego as well as Long Beach over the summer.
I’m most proud of how far the band has come and all of the opportunities and write-ups I’ve gotten for it despite not having any outside help of labels, managers, or pr people. We still have a long way to go, but am excited to see what’s next. We’ve performed in Russia, South Korea, England, have toured the country multiple times (not yet the northwest and some mid-Atlantic states yet), performed multiple dates for Vans Warped Tour, SXSW in Austin, and Summerfest in Milwaukee, including lots of smaller festivals and venues along the way. We also have new music coming out in the next few months- the 1st time in 2 years!
I think what sets us apart from the others (besides all of the spectacle) is how personable we are with people. We are so thankful to them and are interested in them as well. We become friends and keep in touch with many of them after the shows. It’s really important for us to connect to people and it’s our main purpose. We’re all part of the same community and want to get to know, support, and encourage everyone that does the same for us. We are fairly new to LA, and it was harder than we thought to start over, but thankfully, we are meeting great new people and making new friends. Also, since January, we were hired to run a music program of a private elementary school in Pasadena together and it’s awesome. It’s such a blessing.
Oh and very importantly, when we travel we always take along our cat Max and dog Rusty (who we found in an intersection in LA last year). We used to have another cat, Ruby, but lost her on our tour last year in a suburb of Houston, TX despite staying for nine days and posting 100 flyers. It was very sad. Our animals are a big part of our lives.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Watching the movie Fantasia at 4 years old and knowing that music was what I wanted to do with my life.
Contact Info:
Website: www.jandthe9s.com
Social Media: @jandthe9s
Contact Info:
Image Credit:
John Christou Photography, Fried C Bass, The Marr Army Rock Show, Matt Madrigal, Dave Prewitt- Dave TV, Kimberly Gonzales, Ready For The Afterglow, David Charles Bukowski, Walsh Photography, Anthony Vito Photography, Kelly Ann Shuler
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