Today we’d like to introduce you to Serrin Joy.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
It’s an honor to share my story with your readers—thank you for having me!
My name is Serrin (like serenade 😉), and I’m originally from Akron, Ohio. I grew up in a very musical family and I’m the oldest of five. We all sing, play instruments, and were raised in the church (the cheat code… if you know, you know!).
Since I was little, I’ve been fascinated by Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and sitcoms. I wrote my first song when I was 7 years old—it was called “Sing With Me.” It was for a poetry reading at my primary school, and I was the only kid who wrote and performed a song, ha! Performing in front of people never scared me. Creating and improvising characters and songs has always come naturally to me, and thankfully, my parents saw that in me early on.
I attended arts schools from the age of 8 (starting in 4th grade), all the way through elementary, middle school, high school, and college. I’d call myself a lifelong student of the world. I’ve always loved learning about history related to my passions, sharpening my skills, and even diving into the most random topics.
I’m typing all professionally right now, haha—but in real life, I’m literally so cool. I love making people laugh and having a good time. Most importantly, I LOVE creating beautiful music with people who love creating beautiful music with people! (Read that again!)
I started playing keys at 2 years old, taught by my grandmother. My dad had a home studio in our house. Back home, both of my parents are well-known and respected musicians, mentors, and educators. Fun fact: my dad just got his own holiday—Walter E. L. Scrutchings Day—which is so cool!
Growing up, I had eyes on me everywhere because of my last name. By 6th grade, I started going by just my first and middle name: Serrin Joy. I always knew I wanted to be a public figure and have my own motion one day.
In high school, I was getting to the opportunities early. I’m talking booking photoshoots, music video shoots, talent shows, and city performances during school. I was also an athlete—on both the varsity volleyball team and step team—and in choir. As much as I loved my friends and family, I knew I needed to be in bigger ponds to grow.
Twelve days after graduation, I moved to NYC to attend the American Musical & Dramatic Academy, where I studied Musical Theatre. I performed at open mics around the city, and through networking, I had the honor of performing with Women of Color on Broadway alongside the legendary Melba Moore. That same year (2020), I became the first person from Akron—man or woman—to compete on American Idol. It was one of the most incredible (and terrifying) experiences of my life, and I’m so proud and humbled to hold that title. That moment truly changed everything.
Around this time, I also began releasing my own music. A year later, I relocated to Atlanta after earning my associate’s degree. I worked as a tour guide at the World of Coca-Cola during the day, sang in a wedding band on Saturdays, performed at open mics at night, and sang at church on Sundays. I was working seven days a week!
Through networking, I landed a role working in the studio with Ne-Yo at Compound Entertainment in Atlanta. I was just 20 years old—my first real industry situation! I started writing for myself and experimenting with different genres. I was finally getting my foot in the door and was SO excited about my life. I could credit no one but God.
The following year, I signed to my second label and moved to LA. I re-enrolled in school—mainly for housing—and used the opportunity to network across the city. I made sure to stay plugged into the performance and creative communities that made sense for me. That year, I went on a four-city private listening tour (LA, NYC, ATL, CLE), performing live sets, previewing unreleased music, and inviting some of my favorite artist friends from each city to perform alongside me. It was a crazy, self-directed experience that I pulled off while still attending classes in person. Huge thank you to those who helped bring the tour to life. From the artists, to those who came, to my teammate behind the scenes—y’all really showed up for me. Couldn’t have done it without you. So much love! That same year, I also made my film debut in The Color Purple (2023).
Fast forward: I continued performing around LA and, through friendships and networking, found myself at Champagne Therapy Music Group working with hitmaker Tommy Brown (TBHits)—where I am now a signed songwriter!
Some of my most recent work includes:
“Snake” by Jason Derulo and Nora Fatehi (vocal production)
“Pajamas” by Akia (vocal production)
—plus a lot of written records placed with your favorite artists coming very soon 😉
Recently, I’ve been tapping back into my own artistry and releasing solo music again.
If your heart is broken, play “Break My Heart – Serrin Joy.”
Once you’ve got your lick back, play “Maleficent – Serrin Joy.”
And when you’re ready to go back outside, play “Favorite Part – Serrin Joy.”
IN THAT ORDER!
I also just graduated with my Bachelor of Fine Arts from the American Musical & Dramatic Academy this past June. I’m 23 now, and overall just so grateful for my life. Every time I get to share my story, I hope readers walk away not just seeing where I am now—but where I came from.
Girls from Akron do it best!!!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The biggest misconception people have about the arts is the amount of sacrifice it takes just to comfortably live off what you love to do. Lately, my biggest obstacle has been myself—specifically, staying focused on my why.
(As in: Why do I love to create music? Why do I have to do this? What keeps me going?)
I took a performance hiatus last year due to a vocal injury—I couldn’t sing fully for 5 to 6 months. Prior to that, I had just finished my tour and my voice was healthy! But then I started singing nonstop: all day at school until about 7 p.m., then at the studio until 6 a.m. I had also booked a TV show that required me to sing, but when I got to rehearsal, I had completely overworked my voice—I couldn’t hit any of my notes.
During that time, everything was at a standstill. I had already dropped out of school to do the show, and now I had to drop out of that, too. I had only packed two weeks’ worth of clothes in my suitcase when I came out to LA, and I refused to go back home to Ohio. So I did what I had to do to stay.
I crashed at one of my professor’s houses, then at a friend’s. And for the rest of 2024, into the top of 2025, I was living at the studio—making five songs a day, still living out of that same suitcase. I had no money, no car—just a head full of dreams and a little bit of delusion, haha.
But… delusional people run the world.
And if being delusional meant more opportunities were going to come, I was willing to make the sacrifices. I had to lock in.
Losing my voice showed me not only how much I love what I do—it also pulled other passions out of me I hadn’t tapped into yet. I started vocal coaching, writing more, rapping, producing. I started digging into different bags creatively. And honestly? At times, it was scary.
Because the truth is… the fate of my life is really in my hands. And that’s insane.
Right now, I’m transitioning from being just a vocalist into fully stepping into my artistry—and everything that comes with that. My perception of who I am as an artist changes constantly. I’m always learning new versions of myself and asking:
What is it about me that makes me… me?
I love playing characters and shape-shifting into different versions of myself, but lately, I’ve been asking:
Who is the stripped, raw Serrin?
That’s been my biggest challenge lately—feeling confident enough to be fully myself. Authentically. No filter.
Truthfully, I could just be a songwriter, stay in that lane, raise a family, and live a quiet life without the pressure.
But… I love the attention too much.
I love performing.
I love being recognized for my work.
I love when people tell me my songs helped them through something—or made them feel confident in themselves.
As an independent artist, I’ve been learning my self-love language.
Falling in love with me.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m an artist, songwriter, vocal producer, and musician. I also love creating characters and making people laugh! I recently started a comedy series on TikTok where half of my face is a man and the other half is a woman—I reenact couples from the 1950s (and soon from other eras too 😉). Episode 1 is already kissing 1 million views! You can find it at @Letmeserrinadeyou.
I’m most known for being an all-around creative. My followers have kept up with me to see what I’ll create next, the amount of work I do, and where my journey takes me. It’s been so much fun keeping people updated on my progress!
On TikTok, I also have another series called “MidWestern Musician on the Move,” where I take people with me through my work days and self-love days as a girl from the Midwest just chasing her dreams.
I’d say I specialize in wordplay, intricate melodies, and tight harmonies. The only competition I see is myself. No one can write my lyrics for me, without me—because they happened to me.
When it comes to harmonies and melody, not only is music literally in my blood (shoutout to my family), but it also comes from years of formal training and life experience.
I embrace my youth and the fact that I don’t know everything. I’m a sponge—I learn from everyone and everything around me. That alone separates me from a lot of people. Even with everything I know, I’m always open to feedback and growth.
I also study comedians—SNL, Def Comedy Jam, and more—so humor comes naturally to me. I pray and meditate daily, and I’m super selective with my circle.
My aura is mine, and mine alone.
It’s the product of hours, years, and experience.
So anyone trying to “compete” with it—and I say this humbly—would just be silly.
What were you like growing up?
Serrin Joy as a little kid was a DREAMER!!!
Let me tell you—she would love the woman I’m growing into. I was always glued to the TV, looking up to The Cheetah Girls. I knew I wanted to be on stage and create stories. I used to write skits and have my siblings act them out—same with the students at my primary school.
My confidence has always come from preparation.
No lie—when my grandmother was teaching me piano, she had me on the keys from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. at age 7. I was only allowed to get up to use the bathroom and eat.
She used to place 25 crayons on one side of the piano—and in order to move one crayon to the other side, I had to play my piece perfectly. THEN I could get up. And it wasn’t no “Chopsticks” either! TALK ABOUT JOE JACKSON!!!
I remember when my family used to get booked to sing all up and down the East Coast at different churches. My mom would have my siblings and I rehearsing harmonies at 3 a.m. until we got them perfect. My dad was blasting 1980s gospel music throughout the house, and my mom would be in the kitchen playing Prince or Esperanza Spalding while SNL was on the TV. I was dizzy with melodies and inspiration all the time.
Middle school? Whew. That was a weird time, like it is for most people. I was that girl who loved freestyle rapping, beatboxing on the lunch tables with the guys, and cracking jokes with my friends. But I wasn’t one of the “dream girls” of the school, if you know what I mean.
I had to learn how to love myself—my hair, my energy, my vibe. I went to the same school from 4th to 8th grade, and even though I was always talkative and musically driven, I wasn’t really accepted by my teachers until 7th grade, when the new choir teacher finally saw something in me and gave me my first solo. That meant the world to me.
Until then, I auditioned for show choir every year and never got in. I tried out for musicals and would walk up to the cast list already knowing I didn’t get the part. And every time, I’d say nothing out loud, but in my head I was like,
“Okay… I’m just gonna grow up and be bigger than everybody.”
HAHA. I SWEAR.
If you’re reading this with superstar mentality, then you feel me.
I’m grateful for those moments now. They taught me how to keep pushing—even when you hear “no.” And in this industry, you’ll hear a lot of them. I built thick skin really young.
High school was different. I was super involved—volleyball team, step team, women’s chorus president, symphonic choir, musicals, plays… I stayed booked and rehearsed.
I started posting singing videos when I was around 13 or 14, and I played keys for my church from age 12 until I graduated. My high school slogan was:
“I’m Serrin Joy & I do as I please.”
I was confident, in shape, and always ready to show up and show out. I started getting attention around the city for being that pretty girl who could really sing.
Even back then, I knew that if I stayed true to myself, kept my intentions pure, and kept my gifts in good standing—nothing was impossible.
I moved to NYC after high school… and the rest is happening right now. 😄
Contact Info:
- Website: https://zez.am/serrinjoy
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letmeserrinadeyou/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serrinjoymusic?_rdr
- Twitter: https://x.com/letmeserrinadeu
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS1P-FFv4tPM-xO_HnSyJrg
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/serrin-joy
Image Credits
Malik Baker
Natey Nukes
