Music Review and interview with Joy Jeanette – Chocolate Girl

I really like the oriental kind of backdrop to this song, the sitar riff running in the background, and the little flicks used by it intermittently, all work together to create a really exotic kind of vibe. The music fills the room and somehow gets you moving and relaxing all at once. It’s a pretty great effect. The song itself feels a little like an early 2000’s R n B track, a classic kind of pop rhythm plays out, but the song itself is not familiar in any way – the beat sounds pretty fresh, and the personality within the lead vocal is massively clear; the artist has her sound and her character, and that’s always a good thing to achieve – the sound and the vocal is unique, quite a signature style and tone. It’s a new voice, now recognisable after just one listen, and that’s always important; you have to have your thing, your voice, when there is so much music available in the world.

The chorus melody itself maybe took up a little too much of the song, the verses were a lot more interesting for me, the character came out so much within the lines, and the vocal flicks – the way the artist expresses herself and plays around with the sound of her voice and the presentation of the lyrics, it builds and builds on this inherent individuality. Another verse would have been great, running with this creativity even further. It’s a strong chorus hook though, a dark and dirty kind of vibe to it, a memorable melody and an unusual title – it stands out from the rest in a pretty loud way, which is a strong quality, it stays present; it’s not a track you’ll forget about any time soon. The production is really strong on this one as well so it sounds great at every volume, on any system, and nothing is out of place or overbearing. The vocal takes the spotlight in the way it’s been mixed and that’s exactly what needed to happen for such a character strong track.

By Rebecca Cullen

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?

Joy Jeanette:

I was born in Chicago but most of my childhood years were spent on various church community farms where I was home schooled, wearing long dresses, and head coverings believe it or not. During that time I was only allowed to watch old movies past 1960 and I was fascinated with musicals and Walt Disney cartoons that included many songs.  I would learn these songs and dance to them and eventually create my own music. One day my mom heard me sing in this very deep voice. Her favorite artist was Mahalia Jackson so the next thing I knew I was at church every week singing Mahalia Jackson’s songs and even requested to sing at various events. Although my tastes was more secular and pop when it came to songs I wrote it gave me a love for performing and made me want to be an artist

Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?

Joy Jeanette:

Believe it or not my name has been changed many times and for many reasons since I was born by my parents but the mainstay has always been my birth first name “Joy” which was shifted around in my name.  Several years back I went and legally changed my name back to my original birth first and middle name which is actually Joy Jeanette. Joy Jeanette is my legal first and middle name and it is also my artist name.

Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?

Joy Jeanette:

Online music sharing is great, especially if you are trying to get a buzz or even obtain opinions and feedback on your music. I do think there is a point where one doesn’t want to give their music willing away for free if they want to make a career out of doing music though. Right now I am pitching my songs to various labels and radio so I guess in that sense I am giving it away for free as I am trying to build those relationships and am hoping these relationships can be created through my music. Once those relationships are created and my music is fully exposed, it is my hope that people will like it enough to want to buy it so I can have the means to continue to create more for them to hear.

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?

Joy Jeanette:

 

Get on social media if you are not already and use it to let your voice be heard even while in the comfort of your home. It is free and a means to connect and build relationships with potential fans and others who may believe in you and what you are trying to accomplish., I would also tell them to know their budget. Do plenty of research to know how much it will cost you to get to where you are trying to be and begin to put aside what you can afford to invest. One has to be prepared to invest in themselves before someone else is willing to do so. The good news is there are all types of ways to get one’s voice heard in music but the louder you want your voice to be the more it is going to costs you without any backing. Thankfully sometimes someone picks up on the noise long before all resources and finances are spent and decides to back you up!

Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?

Joy Jeanette:

Because I write many songs based on melodies I create in my own head I need complete silence so that I can dig deeper into the emotions and melodies that are being imagined and as I dig I began to feel it and my imagination goes wild to the performance of the song, to the video, to the way I want others to feel when they hear it, to the thoughts and things I am thinking in the scenario of the song. It becomes a feeling as if the song were a move being created in my head and I am the actor chosen to play the role based on my own experience or one that someone else could have possibly been a part of. For most of my songs I can be inspired by a word I heard someone say, a saying, a situation, or a thought that I build on when I am alone in complete silence after the fact.

 

When I write to a beat already produced I listen to it over and over again until a lyrical melody comes to mind to go along with the beat and I might come up with one or two words and from there I begin to build and feel a connection to the beat. I try to sense a story that the beat is trying to tell me. From there the words began to flow based on the scenario and I began to imagine and see the full story. At that point I am almost as in synch with the beat that someone else created as I am with one that I create in my own head. It just takes a little longer to get to the point of beat and lyrical synchronization of the story I want to tell through the music.

Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?

Joy Jeanette:

Right now I am on Sound Cloud under JJFluke. I have three songs posted for public listening currently.  I do have a side songwriting business that I am starting up as well at www.drjjfluke.com. I am on Facebook and Instagram under IamJoyJeanette and twitter under JoyJJeanette. So follow me if you haven’t already. Links to those sites are also at the bottom of my website www.drjjfluke.com.

Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?

Joy Jeanette:

I would spend it just focusing on my music and building my brand. My goal is to get “Exposed” and use music to unify and inspire others. I also want to get my story told globally because I know that if I can accomplish the things that God has blessed me to accomplish without being a super hero others can do it too and more. I simply do not believe that all the things that has happened in my life were meant to be only known to close family and friends. I believe those things happened to me to share and inspire others and that is my mission through success in music.

Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?

Joy Jeanette:

I admit freely that until recently I was not hip to the benefits social media as I guess I should have been. Which is why I encourage new artist to get on it immediately. The reason I wasn’t using it regularly previously is that I know of so many people that has brought in so much unnecessary drama into their lives through social media that I began to steer away from it. Yes, I had accounts but I stopped using them and I never even thought to use it to promote my music until now. So I am just now building up my brand through social media and see the true positive results that can be achieved through social media in regards to getting my music out there, connecting with others, and obtaining updates. I am still learning though and as with anything there are pros and cons but again as with anything else it is also what we allow in our lives and how we use these tools will determine how positive or negative the experience will be.

Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?

Joy Jeanette:

So I have partnered up with members of Viral Promotions and we are planning on doing some show cases locally to promote my music and definitely just going out there trying to build my fan base and industry contacts.

Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?

Joy Jeanette:

I have a doctorate degree in IS so I would definitely continue working in IT and supporting Academic research however with my heart and soul in music I couldn’t imagine truly being free of it so I am sure I would figure out some sort of way to do something in music even if I resorted back to what I did for many years which was write songs in a notebook as a pastime and pray for that day to come where I could share those lyrics to the world.

Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?

Joy Jeanette:

It is a juggle but I have been juggling many things for a very long time so now I am almost bored without juggling things around. I guess what I am saying is I am an expert juggler when it comes to managing my responsibilities in life and I do this by taking one week, to one day, to one hour at a time

Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?

Joy Jeanette:

They should look forward to finally getting to know the Chocolate Girl, yours truly, one way or another. I am continuously working in the studio creating new music, but I will be performing live, I am pitching my music with the hopes that this will be the year to land that deal and that partnership that will allow me to tell my story through music on a national and even global scale. In order to do that I need the fans I do have to support me and create that unified sound so that those who have the means to get me that global presence can’t help but hear us. Yes I want to be rich and famous one day but only if it will allow me to inspire others through telling my story and being that living example that one can overcome through prayer, faith, and perseverance. I want my success in music to inspire and support those that are single parents, victims of domestic abuse, ex cons, wrongfully convicted, currently convicted, those seeking a second chance and anyone striving to overcome their circumstance and be successful.