Jay Berk is a singer and songwriter from Washington, D.C. His music is captivating and soulful, with an enticing voice that has the ability to connect with your innermost feelings. His lyrics are thoughtful and heartwarming, and his delivery is seductive and charming. Jay Berk brings a mature sensibility to his music that is beyond his years, and it seems certain that this young artist has a bright future ahead of him.
Jay Berk has released a fresh new single called "She Said", and it's a soothing tune that will leave the listener with a feeling of blissful satisfaction. The dulcet tones that begin the song set a soothing atmospheric tone that prevails throughout. The chorus is catchy and memorable, the instrumentation light and uplifting, and the beat neither too busy nor too sparse. The soaring qualities of the vocals and the compassionate delivery of the lyrics create an ethereal feeling in which one can, for a few minutes, become comfortably lost in thought. This song is a perfect balance of being sentimental without being sappy, and melancholy without being sad. "She Said" is an impressive offering from a young artist, and we look forward to hearing what future offerings will come from Jay Berk.
Give some love to Jay and stream "She Said" on Spotify! Don't forget to scroll down to read the artists exclusive interview with BuzzMusic.
Hi Jay! Would you mind telling us about your background and how you got involved with music and songwriting?
I’ve always loved music and I’ve always loved singing. I sang in my school choirs growing up, but didn’t get involved in songwriting until I was about 16. I had broken my ankle and was out for the remainder of the basketball season, so I decided to teach myself how to play my Mom’s old guitar that had been sitting in the basement untouched for years. I taught myself the basic chords, and had a blast being able to accompany myself for the first time. After a while I got bored of playing other people’s songs, so I started writing my own songs, making up lyrics and melodies over the chord progressions I knew. That’s how it all started.
What inspires you to write music? Do you have a specific process?
I’m inspired by a lot of different things: women, personal relationships, dreams, philosophy, conversations, tweets, aesthetics, places I’ve been, and places I’ve never been. I’m inspired by an incredible amount of things on an every day basis. Songwriting is woven into the very fabric of my being. I can’t escape it. I hear melodies and lyrics pretty much everywhere. I see the world through the lens of a songwriter and from my experience it’s easy to be inspired from that viewpoint. Once I have an idea for a song, there are a couple different methods I use to create, but I usually just go with the flow, so it really depends on the situation. It could be anything from sitting down and letting my thoughts flow onto the page, to freestyling over a beat, to going on a walk or looking over journal entries etc.
You just released a song called "She Said". Would you explain to us what the meaning behind this song is?
“She Said” is based off of a text conversation that I had with my ex girl. I was trying to get back together with her and she didn’t want that. We had this text convo where I had all these great arguments on why we should get back together, and she really didn’t want to hear any of it. I remember asking her about what she wanted most and she went in about affection, which is a little ironic considering I’m a pretty affectionate person. Anyway, that was a break-through in the conversation and when she said it, I immediately wrote down “she want that affection/ loving that connection/ won’t get from the next man/ what you had with me.” That’s where the chorus came from. The rest of the lyrics are pretty much direct quotes from that conversation. “She Said” really came from the frustration of lost love. I felt like she wasn’t hearing me out, so I wrote the song to try and communicate through a different medium. Unfortunately, the reality was that she just didn’t love me anymore, and it didn’t matter what I had to say. That’s what the song means to me, but I’m a firm believer that the listener should have their own interpretation of the song based on their life. I want the song to have a positive impact on people, so you should take the song personally. You should take any Jay Berk song personally.
You're from Washington, D.C. How would you describe the general music scene there?
The music scene in D.C. is diverse. You’ve got a lot of Rap & Hip/Hop. There’s an awesome R&B scene. There’s a great Jazz scene and of course the Go-go scene is one of a kind. I love the music coming out of the DMV right now and I’m proud to be a part of it.
What does the future look like for Jay Berk?
The future looks really bright for me. I love what I’m doing as a singer/songwriter and performer, and I’m having a great time studying at Berklee College of Music right now. I’m lucky to be immersed in the best music community in the world, and I’m excited to continue mastering my craft. I’m going to be releasing more new music this spring along with video content and merch, so I’m excited for that in the short term. In the long term, I’m excited to make a positive difference in the world, and to continue on the incredible journey that life is.
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