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Meet Jordan Lyles of Jodie Jo’ in The Valley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan Lyles.

Jordan, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I wrote and recorded my first songs in a ford explorer truck on a phone app on my mom’s cell phone. I used to stay up on school nights inside the car and just sit in the passenger seat creating. As time went by, I eventually invested in a mic and recording software and everything went uphill from there. I made two mixtapes in this car, which are no longer available online.

At the age of 20, independently, I’ve self-produced three of my five projects in my home studio, created over 50 music videos & films combined, designed my own merchandise and website, and wrote a book based on my album, and I try to continue to put out work that reflects my true self. Many artists can create, many artists can do many things, but I think not many artists are, in real life, exactly what they portray in their music. With my goal to sign to Dreamville Records, I believe I’m well on my way to leave a legacy wherever I go. One of my pursuits is to have J. Cole as a mentor in the music industry to have somebody help guide me in that realm of life. I’m not a fanboy of Dreamville, that is not why I want to sign. I want to sign because I believe that they are very family-oriented and I want pure people around me to help bring my more detailed visions to life. I would rather see how a label works first hand before I try to start my own.

Great, 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?
Some of the struggles along the way were dealing with doubts and mild depressions. Not knowing if things will work out always carried its burden, but over time I’ve learned to trust God and enjoy the process.

Jodie Jo’ – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am an artist first and foremost, I am an engineer & producer. I also am a merchandise designer and an author. I also design websites. But most of what I do is for my own career so pretty much I am a business for my artistry. The thing that sets me apart from most is the fact that I am not out to compete with people. The depth of everything goes hand-in-hand and I’m very intentional about how I structure my work and I serve a purpose through every avenue of business.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment of my career thus far would be the fact that I am still pursuing my dream after all of the pain I felt in the process. In addition, the catalog that I’ve built over the time span I’ve been actively pursuing. So in a nutshell, the proudest moment for me would have to be the man that I’ve become.

Contact Info:

Image Credit:
Elsie Castillo, Charles Jorden, Jodie Jo’

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