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Exclusive Interview With Pop Rock Artist Jay Elle

2021-22 has been the year of the Jay…Jay Elle, that is!  In August, Jay released his hot new record, “Ride The Wave,” which includes two international iTunes hits, “Miss Mess” and “Tequila Kiss.”  He’s not sitting back to enjoy success…noooooo!  He’s got more planned for the rest of the year, and we found out what’s coming up for the man with 2 letters in his name… Jay Elle.

Hi Jay!  Thanks for sitting down with us for a few minutes.  With the release of your album, “Ride The Wave,” you’ve had quite an eventful late 2021-22.  What’s been the biggest thing that’s happened for you, so far?

Hello. Thank you for the opportunity to chat. I love how Honk Magazine brings in music, fashion and lifestyle under one banner. Great read.

The release of my new album “Ride The Wave” has been a blast! It started with the response from my friends and fans. They are always very supportive but they were particularly excited about this album and it’s been very humbling.

We also received a lot of excellent reviews. We’re in just about 40 magazines/blogs, including getting an album of the year nomination from Indie Shark. All of these reviews have been positive.

We are on over 100 radio stations across the U.S. That is terrestrial. At some point we made it to the top 100 of the College chart and on other various charts. I have not tallied the Internet stations but we still get added on these as well.

Also, the album was selected for the 2022 Grammy Nomination Ballot for the Best Pop Vocal Album category.

The biggest thing is hard to pinpoint. Every little bit of support means the world to me. I read every reviews a few times. I dissect them really. I enjoy the radio and blog interviews. It’s quite wonderful to have the opportunity to talk about the album. It’s been a great experience. Much of the credit goes to Michael Stover at MTS Management for letting the world know about the album. Michael does an amazing job.

There’s a great song on your album called, “Tequila Kiss.”  We heard the song is about someone in particular.  Care to share?  How did you come to write the song?  Do you know if that person has heard it yet?

Yes. “Tequila Kiss” is getting a lot of great feedback and made it to number 19 on the Top40 Chart from nationalradiohits.com. “Tequila Kiss” is about the star of The Vampire Diaries TV Series, Nina Dobrev @nina. I spent a great deal of time binging on TV shows during the lock down. I loved the show and I thought Ms. Dobrev was really, really good, playing two characters to perfection. Ms. Dobrev has a lot of energy and is very emotional. Always very precise and totally engaging. Then I followed her on Instagram. She does things that I would never do, like swimming with sharks and jumping off airplanes. She travels a lot. She’s definitely a daredevil. So I found myself living vicariously through her posts. She supports great causes and loves animals. And I read that Tequila is her favorite drink. So, it inspired a song. A fun, tongue-in-cheek appreciation for Ms. Dobrev’s ability to entertain us. This fan/follower imagines getting to meet her… I don’t know if Ms. Dobrev has heard the song yet. We did ask her agents if she would be available to appear in the video. They said that “there is availability and we should discuss the fee”. Nothing since. That was in October. Who knows…

You’ve worked with some pretty incredible artists and producers.  If there was one industry person that you have learned the most from, from your time together, who would that be and why?

I am so grateful that I have been able to work with so many talented artists and music industry folks. I learned and continue to learn so much from each and every one of them. I wrote with Margaret Dorn, John Dubs, Warren Schatz, etc. I learned a tremendous amount from Bill Aucoin and other business people.

My most recent and intense learning experience is the time I spent working with Caleb “kbc” Sherman who produced my last album “Ride The Wave.” Caleb is really brilliant. I had written 30 songs at the beginning of 2021 and he chose 12 of them and orchestrated and produced them marvelously. To this day I listen to the album and appreciate the amazing work Caleb did. I always seem to find something new in each of the songs. You have to listen to the details, the finesse, the cleverness of the orchestrations and the sounds Caleb selected. Everything on the track is there to support the song. It all stems from the lyrics and melody. Listen to the bass lines on every song. 12 different songs. 12 different approaches to the bass, not just in sounds but how it complements the melody and the grooves. Check out the bass line in “Tequila Kiss”. Phenomenal work. It’s really a great record. You would expect me to say that because it’s mine but Caleb did a phenomenal job. He is a brilliant producer.

We love the video for “Miss Mess!” Very cool effects.  What can you tell us about that production?

Thank you. So glad you love it. Actually, it’s another Caleb “kbc” Sherman gem. He directed it. It’s a product of the pandemic for sure. Adela Sutac is the lady dancing in the black dress. She is wonderful. She danced in front of a green screen in Romania. I had very little space to work with in my apartment in New York City. Getting a green sheet up was a trip. When I got that up I filmed myself. We wanted to contrast Adela being “in charge” as per the lyrics with me not moving much at all. Small New York City apartments can actually turn out to be great if you don’t have to move. And Caleb put all of this together in Nashville. Again, it really supports the spirit of the songs and the lyrics. It’s a lot of fun. Not only can Adela dance superbly but she’s also gorgeous.

If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, which one would it be, and why?

Wow! Great question. That is a tough question. Of course, I could cheat and make myself a CD, compiling my favorite songs but that would mean that I would press a box set really. It would take dozens of CDs to compile my favorite songs.

I would pick Eric Clapton’s “Ocean Boulevard”. I am a guitar player. My songs are guitar driven. “Ocean Boulevard” has amazing songs throughout in various styles with great sounding guitars both electric and acoustic. And I love the feel of it overall.

What’s YOUR personal favorite track from your latest album, and why?

They are all quite wonderful for many reasons. I enjoy them all. My favorite is “Angeling”. I think it really captures what I’m about: great melody, fun singing, witty lyrics and really cool fingerpicking guitar. And Caleb did a magnificent job building it up from beginning till end. The song is about my puppies. They all passed away unfortunately. But pets are little angels.

What’s next for Jay Elle?  Any more singles/videos from the current album?  Any plans for a new album?

All of the above and some… I’d love to do more videos of course. We’ll see how that plays out. Who knows, Ms. Dobrev might send us some clips of her from some picturesque faraway place on the other side of the planet… I still have my green sheet in a drawer so I’ll pull it out for the occasion. I might just sit there with a bottle of Tequila. We’ll let Caleb do the rest.

I am writing of course. But I could not say when a new album might be ready. We are still promoting “Ride The Wave.”

Congrats on all of your success, Jay.  We can’t wait to see what’s around the corner!

Thank you very much. Thanks for the opportunity.

 

Find out more on Jay Elle at www.jayellesongs.com

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Swizz Beatz Thinks DMX Sent Scar Lip To Him

The producer thinks the late rapper had something to do with him taking the NY based rapper under his wing.

Swizz Beatz Thinks DMX Sent Scar Lip To Him

Swizz Beatz is having some interesting encounters with the spirit of DMX recently. During an interview with The Breakfast Club last month, Swizz recounted a powerful dream he had. In it, he felt the presence of his late friend and iconic rapper. Prior to sharing this extraordinary experience, Swizz expressed that it didn’t feel like DMX was truly gone, but rather just temporarily absent. He described feeling a sense that the rapper was somewhere relaxed and at ease. However, when significant anniversaries related to the DMX approach, Swizz is struck with a profound realization of his friend’s physical absence.

Swizz went on to describe his dream about the late rapper. “But the thing that make me feel easy about it is he came to me,” he continued. “I seen him in my dream. He came to me. And this was, like, super quick too. And he let me know he was good. I’m the person that be like, ‘He ain’t come to see you, what you talkin’ about?’ I seen him. I felt him.” However, that isn’t the only thing that DMX is doing for Swizz Beatz. In fact, he says he feels like the late icon sent up-and-coming rapper Scar Lip to him.

Swizz Thinks Scar Lip Has The Same Great Heart As DMX

According to Swizz Beatz, he believes that DMX played a spiritual role in connecting him with Scar Lip. The rapper is an emerging star out of New York. Recently, Swizz has taken on the role of mentor for the young artist. During an interview with Audacy’s Hip-Hop Made, the renowned “Ruff Ryders Anthem” producer shared that the connection to Scar Lip was initiated by the spirit of DMX. Apparently, DMX’s fiancée Desiree Lindstrom urged him to collaborate with the new, talented artist from the Bronx.

“I honestly feel like DMX sent Scar Lip my way because she’s too much of his energy,” Swizz said. “Like I’ve never seen an artist that just naturally have what I know DMX have. And they two different artists, two different levels, yes. But I’m not talking about that. You know, like, that sister’s been through a lot, like Dog been through a lot. That sister, you know, is when you sit with her, she’s amazing and have a great heart the same way X had a great heart.” What do you think about Swizz’s words on Scar Lip and DMX sending her to him? Let us know in the comments!

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Artist Spotlight

Emika Love: Rising Music Artist Spreading Positivity

Emika Love

Meet Emika Love, a 19-year-old rising music artist from Sacramento, California. Emika’s unique sound and style are heavily influenced by her love for visuals and storytelling. In this interview, Emika shares how she tackles challenges in the music industry, her creative process, and her focus on making a positive impact on others through her music and interactions. With a big release coming up on May 19th, Emika is all geared up to bring her best self and leave a lasting impression on her listeners.

Honk: Let’s kick things off by getting to know each other a bit better. Tell us your name, age, and where you’re from—as much or as little as you’re comfortable sharing.

Emika: My name is Emika Love, and I am 19 years old. I am from Sacramento, California.

Honk: We all need good advice from time to time. What’s the best advice you’ve ever received about music?

Emika: The best advice I got from someone about music was to never stop and to keep pushing my music. One song might not be your favorite, but to someone else, it will be. It’s all about preference. The advice I would give someone is to be unapologetically yourself. It is essential to reach your highest potential!

Honk: If you could go back in time, what would you do differently based on what you know now?

Emika: If I could go back in time, I wouldn’t change anything. Everything I do, I stand by. I never have regrets, nor do I ever feel guilty. This is me, and every step and era I had and made was to make me have all the knowledge I have now. I am very blessed, honored, and thankful for everything and everyone.

Honk: We all face challenges, but what’s your biggest one yet?

Emika: My biggest challenge is that I love challenges.

Honk: What keeps you motivated and moving forward when things get tough in the music industry?

Emika: The thing that keeps me motivated is that I know where there’s good, there’s bad, and where there is bad, there’s good. Life only gets more complex, but you get stronger. Being able to do what I love is always the solution. So no matter how tough they are, diamonds need pressure. Nothing can take away from my music and motivation because, in the end, I’m doing it for myself and my people. There are going to be challenges, but bring them on.

Honk: If you had the chance to open a show for any artist, who would it be and why?

Emika: If I had the chance to open a show for any artist, it would be Taylor Swift. She brings such a warm, genuine atmosphere to the stage. Very feminine and whimsical energy, and just an all-around powerful, groovy tone. I believe we would bring an undeniable vibration to the stage.

Honk: Take us through your creative process. How do you come up with your excellent work?

Emika: My creative process is definitely all over the place and comes in so many forms. I usually start off with the visual side of things. So I will create a story visual in my head and say, “Now let’s tell the story. The visual part comes with me being a director, so it really sparks my creative process. Once I come up with the story, it’s time to tell it. I like to sit in the sink in my bathroom, look in the mirror, and sing melodies until I come up with the words. There will also be times where I will have a conversation with someone or read or hear about something that sparks it up as well. Once I come up with all of that, then the wardrobe and makeup come in to finish off the story.

Honk: We all struggle with productivity and scheduling at times. How do you tackle these issues and stay on top of things?

Emika: Productivity I don’t struggle with productivity, but there are times when I get scheduled for something, and the dates and times collide. I tackle this based on the cause. What is the job for? Is it for a good cause? Am I making an impact in others lives? It all depends on what is more effective for not just me but for others.

Honk: What are you currently focusing your time and energy on?

Emika: I am currently focusing on how to help others and have a positive impact on them. It is imperative to me that I leave a mark, add to people’s lives, and help them overcome some obstacles. I do that, whether it is to talk to them in person or through my music. I am also focusing on my music. I have a big release coming out on May 19th that has a message that people need to hear. That being the case, it is a project that holds a lot of weight in my heart. So I’m super focused on that and, all around, being the best Emika Amber Love.

Honk: Lastly, how can our readers follow you online?

Emika: To follow me online, you can find my music on all platforms as Emika Love, and my social media accounts are as follows: Instagram: eemikalove; Twitter: eemikalove; TikTok: emikalovee; YouTube: Emika Love; and Facebook: Emika Love.

Emika Love is a force to be reckoned with. Her unapologetic attitude towards being herself, pushing boundaries, and taking on challenges is inspiring. She creates from a place of authenticity, and her creative process is as unique as her music. With a big release on the horizon, Emika is focused on making a positive impact through her music and helping others overcome obstacles. Follow her journey on social media and join her mission to leave a lasting mark on the world.

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