Today we’d like to introduce you to James Mullany.
Thanks for sharing your story with us James. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
My passion for music started at a very young age from listening to the classics my parents played around the house. Some of these timeless artists included The Beatles, Earth Wind and Fire, Stevie Wonder, and many many more. While my mom initially tried forcing me into learning piano, my twelve-year-old self thought drums were a much cooler option.
After a few months of lessons I ended up deciding to pick up piano again, and from the age 13-16 I was drumming in a classic rock band with four of my best friends called No Promises. Outside of (some pretty disastrous) school talent shows, we played a fair amount of shows in the greater Boston area where we covered bands like Cream, RHCP, Jimi Hendrix and more.
This was my first taste of what it was like to perform live with a group, and I loved every second of it. It wasn’t long after the band broke up in high school that I started focussing more on just piano and singing. I had always loved to sing but was always too afraid to sing in front of other people. Eventually, through theater and choir, I overcame this fear and started to build confidence on stage.
During my four years at NYU majoring in Recorded Music, I learned a ton about all that goes into engineering, recording, producing, mixing, mastering, and more. There is still so much for me to learn. Since graduating in May, I’ve continued to build my personal music catalog and have also worked with other artists to help them find their musical voice.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
When I was first getting started writing and producing my own music it took a loooooong time before I had any faith that anyone would find my music even remotely professional or good enough that they would want to listen to it.
There are so many elements to learn when you are first getting started; it can feel very overwhelming from writing to recording to arranging to mixing, etc. Yet still, I forced myself to devote time every day into learning these new skills through youtube videos and relentless trial and error. The funny thing though is that once I got to a point where I was finally confident with my beats, the sound of my recorded vocals was still trash…
Eventually, I figured out the right way to record vocals (use the nicest mic you can find and learn how to make a vocal chain) and have ever since been building my song catalog. I finished making my first EP in January, and I plan on releasing it this summer.
We’d love to hear more about what you do.
I am j.mulay, and I am a singer, songwriter, producer, and DJ. I make mostly Neo-Soul/R&B/Electronic music. I specialize in creating soundscapes through my music and songwriting. Some of my favorite songs I’ve written require multiple listens to hear all of the layers and details are hidden in the production. I like to write music that is from the soul.
Whether that means through lyrics and honest storytelling or through maximalist sweeping soundscapes and pulsing 808s, I want people to connect to my songs in a way where they don’t have to think and can just get lost in the music. I think what sets me apart from other artists/producers is my ability to pull from experience playing drums, piano, and singing for ten years.
Every song can be broken down into rhythm, harmony, and melody. Often times I compose constantly switching between all three perspectives this helps me know where and when to leave space and helps to dictate exactly what each part is trying to add to the song.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me is making the world a better place for other people through music. I would love to travel the world someday doing just that. Music festivals are also one of my favorite things in the world, to someday perform at one is a dream of mine.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://soundcloud.com/jmulay
- Phone: 6178404900
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.mulay/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/j.mulaymusic/
Image Credit:
Anna Betts Photography
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