Exposed Vocals Interviews Boo MJ Jackson
Exposed Vocals: How did you hear about Exposed Vocals? What made you decide to sign up?
Boo MJ Jackson: I saw that you were on twitter and followed you, I decided to sign up because I researched what you had to offer, so I thought it wouldn’t hurt to sign up.
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
Boo MJ Jackson: I’ve lived in Delta B.C. all my life and I became an artist because I was inspired by many of artists I listen to. Michael Jackson is one of them, since I’ve been a fan of him since I was young. I also was inspired by the movie Freaky Friday with Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan and was blown away with how the actors played guitar in the film. I admit I was in awe because I thought they were so good at the time. Then I found films of Slash on Youtube, saw him play and was totally mind blown. Then I decided I just had to get a guitar because I was too inspired not to try it out. Then when I started playing at 11 years old, I had my struggles and I didn’t really have confidence then. So I did give up really easy. So in the new year in September I took lessons and I never turned back. My guitar teacher was really good, he taught me a lot of things in the 7 years I too lessons from him that really helped me out. I’m really grateful for it and happy I decided to take lessons. I wouldn’t be the guitar player I was today if it weren’t for his help giving me the confidence I needed to play.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
Boo MJ Jackson: I came up with my stage name simply by using a nickname in from of my all time inspirations name Michael Jackson. I’m a huge fan of him and I couldn’t resist not to use his name considering I learned singing and dancing from his songs and music films. The whole story to why I’m called Boo is I can scare my mother without even trying, considering I can be very light on my feet.I also love to scare people it’s fun. And so the nickname of Boo stuck and I’ve been using it ever since.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
Boo MJ Jackson: I think online music sharing is great! And i would give away my music for free because any fans of mine deserve to hear what I produce. It’s also a great way to get music around.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
Boo MJ Jackson: My advice to give anyone who’s passionate about music is to never give up because if you really love what you do, you’ll show it to the world and people will see it.
It may be a rough start with negative energy being thrown towards you from haters. But all artists experience that. It’s just the matter of blocking out that negative energy and doing what you do best and letting your fans stand behind you when times get rough.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
Boo MJ Jackson: I do when I record myself playing guitar sometimes, but my guitar teacher I had gave me some really good advice. To just stop and repeat the part I’m struggling at over and over again, because repetition is the best thing to not have that mistake happen again.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
Boo MJ Jackson: I do not tour yet. But being the left handed, Lead guitarist for The Michael Joe Jackson Believer Los Angeles Band I do guarantee that some time in the future there will be tours.
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
Boo MJ Jackson: Michael Jackson is my inspiration for writing sometimes, but it all depends on what I think about in the moment. I tend to write either whatever comes into my head. Weather it’s rap parts for songs, about love or heartbreak or as an inspirational song to others. And then I edit it, sing it to myself, edit it more if I feel it doesn’t flow, sing it to myself again to see if it’s good and then I post it to Youtube. For songs that I am still currently in the process of writing but like the beginning I tend to post a demo to my Youtube but not always. Because if I don’t like how it flows, I don’t post it. Being a perfectionist, especially when it comes to writing, I tend to edit songs a whole bunch of times over until I officially post anything. When I think back to when I was writing If It Weren’t For You, I edited that song like crazy and tbh..there’s still a line I’ve been meaning to change because I just listened to it recently and figured out a certain verse didn’t rhyme. I admit, I do have a thing with rhyming the end of my verses. It just makes things flow better for me anyways.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
Boo MJ Jackson: We don’t have a website yet, probably will in the future but both me and the band have a Facebook page:
The Michael Joe Jackson Believer Los Angeles Band page:
https://www.facebook.com/The-Michael-Joe-Jackson-Believer-Los-Angeles-Band-818380828172900/?ref=nf
My Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/BooMJJackson/
I also do have twitter, Google+ and viemo
Twitter: https://twitter.com/boomjjackson
Google+ https://plus.google.com/u/0/104262255755311940526/posts
Viemo: https://vimeo.com/boomjjackson
I usually use my Facebook page, twitter and google+ to share my music with the world
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Boo MJ Jackson: I would give money to charity or take a vacation to get away for a while.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
Boo MJ Jackson: I do have a studio yet, but I do use a good quality microphone to do my covers or produce my songs. I’m hoping to have my own studio in the future though.
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
Boo MJ Jackson: I tend to promote my music by sharing it on all the platforms I’m on, which is twitter, Facebook and Google+.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
Boo MJ Jackson: I have a lot of artists I’m inspired by, but at the top of my list who’s no longer with us would be Michael Jackson because I’ve learned so much from him over the years and considering he was such an inspiration to me and still is. He never will stop being my top inspiration as I love him and his music so much. Plus, he’s a huge inspiration to the world. And considering he’s a perfectionist and I am too, we would have probably worked so well together, perfecting each and every thing until we couldn’t perfect it no more.
But for people who are alive, Janet Jackson, Orianthi and Slash are other inspirations I would totally work with. All of them are so amazing in their own unique way.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
Boo MJ Jackson: What’s next for me is doing a cover of Jam by Michael Jackson and I’ve also been thinking lately of posting some more of my songs I wrote. Considering I do have many I have written, but they are all still a work in progress.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Boo MJ Jackson: If I weren’t making music, I probably just be working in some job to get me by. But I personally can imagine living a life without making music because I’ve been doing it for so long now. And I may not be famous yet, but fame doesn’t matter to me, it’s my love for music and my fans standing behind me that does. Because without supporting fans there is no artist.
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
Boo MJ Jackson: Yes I do remember it, it was Michael Jackson’s Thriller 25 album. I was with a couple friends at the time, in the store HMV. and I was walking aaround the music section and so I saw the familiar face of Michael Jackson on the cover and I happened to find the last one in the store. So my eyes were really wide and I was thinking “I MUST BUY THIS!!” So I grabbed it right away and I was so excited. I was literally jumping up and down like a little kid getting candy in the line up waiting to buy it. So I purchased it, I brought it home and downloaded the music right away.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Boo MJ Jackson: I just tend to balance and prioritize things I have to do and get the most important things done first, then I move onto other things. So as an example I get homework done from college first and then go onto singing or guitar playing as a reward.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
Boo MJ Jackson: My fans should look forward to more covers and more of my songs being put up on Youtube. They’re another reason other then my inspirations that keep me going with my music, with my covers. I don’t know what I’d do without them because I love them all so much like family.