Raised in a small town just an hour away from Boston, J LEE grew up gravitating to music, mesmerized by the poetry and cradled by the sound. He dreamt of a future where he could play with words and express himself through art.
Weaving tasteful poetry and intricate rhymes into a catchy strain of pop-oriented hip-hop, J LEE has hit the ground running with an enticing blend of style of poetic spoken word and a smooth aesthetic that has his new listeners hooked.
The ambient essence of his latest single, "Alone," tours us through a dark soundscape in the R&B meet hip-hop realm. There's a smokey spirit that eclipses your speakers as you pick up on the undeniable passion poured into this soundscape. The eclectic production leaves us finding something new in the multiple layers that bring out "Alone." Ensuring that his listeners know they aren't alone, there's a powerful impact that his signature sound professes.
Bringing forth that type of openness as we aim to keep an optimistic outlook, J LEE sprinkles a bit of what matters into our lives. The narrative heard is inspired by J LEE's sister and his mission to make her know that love is all around no matter where in the world you are. With an eclectic blend of textures that round out the blank spaces in this composition, we're left navigating through a sonic maze of mystery and anticipation.
Fusing together equal parts of unique tenors and familiar hues, the authenticity that J LEE performs is rather memorable. Leading into the release of his 2022 EP, he has us feeling an array of emotions that take us through the ultimate journey of life.
Welcome to BuzzMusic, J LEE, and congratulations on releasing your latest single, "Alone." Could you please take us into a more in-depth look at how this record came to be?
This record was special to me and extremely easy to write—the words just poured out. I chose to release it on November 15th because two years prior, my one and only sibling decided to make a big move. I drove her for 22 hours and got her settled into a new state. Growing up, I felt like my only responsibility was to look after her. It brought me purpose. I wanted to make sure she knew she would always have someone to count on, no matter what. Though I was incredibly proud and excited for her, there was a piece of me that was nervous about returning alone. So I hopped off the plane, and these were the words that poured.
Do you usually find that you thrive over top of production that is eclectic and busy? Is this part of your signature sound embodied?
I actually tend to write the lyrics first before turning to production. I'm always writing about how I feel. It's a steady constant in my life. The production for 'Alone' started with me trying to create some noise to match the words. It was far from busy but certainly unconventional. I brought a unique, somewhat chill loop to Lit Honey, and Lit Honey brought the beautiful chaos. I wouldn't call this track my signature style unless we refer to the eclectic aspect of it, whereas I do plan on continuing to make choices that wouldn't be considered common.
Compared to your debut single 'Dreamer,' how does "Alone" stand out from it?
'Dreamer' was a lot of fun for me and a chance to step out of my comfort zone. It was created out of the suggestion. Dan Searl, over at Lit Honey Productions, recommended that I put out a track just solely to create an artist page on Spotify. He sent me some of his beats, and this was the one I vibed with most. He actually had it named Dreamer, so I rolled with that, went through some of my old lyrics, found the line "I'm not a rapper, I'm an artist," and the rest just kind of flowed from there. At the same time, "Alone" was all part of a plan, a strategic choice for the upcoming EP.
What does your audience have in store with your debut EP coming out in 2022?
I think the biggest thing to expect from the EP release is growth. I listen back to 'Dreamer' and "Alone" on repeat, thinking how I can improve. I wish to deliver my lyrics with more confidence, and I plan on doing more vocal training as well. The EP will be bringing both of these tracks together. You can expect some upbeat pop vibes along with some chill, smooth raps. I'm considering this an Introduction, a way to open up and share all parts of me.
