Meet Jay Deréon | Musician/Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jay Deréon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi JAY, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Staying true to myself and the vision is definitely the key to my success. I have had plenty of opportunities to throw in the towel and give it up. There have been many times that people have tried to count me out or claim that I wasn’t cut out for it, but this is what I want to do and I have my mind set on it so I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get to the finish no matter what anyone thinks. You have to be driven and disciplined enough to put in the work and make it happen even when there are obstacles. There can’t be any room for a plan B. If you love yourself, love what you do, and are willing to put in the work, you won’t fail. You only fail when you quit.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
The best way that I can describe the music I make is an alternative blend of Dance, R&B, and Hip Hop. I am a very out-of-the-box person, so naturally my music reflects that. I’ve always been attracted to songs with different and unique soundscapes. My sound as of lately has been a little more moody and I’ve been experimenting more with electronic influences. I’m very inspired by club culture and nightlife, so there’s always a tinge of that energy in the music I make. I’m a very avid songwriter and I take a lot of pride in my songwriting. Telling stories and creating worlds through lyrics is how I add my signature to a track. I found songwriting when I was younger and used it as a way to process my emotions and cope with my reality. All through junior high and high school, I wouldn’t say that I was unpopular, but I was definitely more on the notorious side. Being a black, eccentric, queer person that didn’t fit the mold made me stick out like a sore thumb to others and I turned to art forms like theatre, music, and songwriting to escape from those feelings of being outcasted. I eventually decided that I wanted to take music seriously while I was in college and started dropping short videos of me singing original songs and or covers on Twitter that would get a little traction. I would work on music for the next couple years after that, but nothing would come out until this year when I dropped my debut single “BEEN LIKE THAT.” I went through a lot of life changes and difficulties during the time that I was trying to get my music out there. There were many moments where it was extremely hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. The circumstances made it easy to let doubt in and hold myself back. It was rough because the main thing that haunted me the entire time was the fear of running out of time and missing my mark. If I could tell anyone that wants to be an artist one thing based off of my experience so far, I would tell them to just go for it. Don’t allow fear to stop you from being great. Music is the one thing in this world that makes me feel fearless and I want people to feel the exact same way when they listen to me.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Oh we would definitely have to start each day with a brunch moment! Chilosos is one of my favorite brunch spots here in Houston. My bestie put me on! We would get a breakfast taco with a frozen mimosa and sit outside in the sun. One of the days we have to go shopping on W 19th Street! There’s an antique store, a couple boutiques, coffee shops, a record store, etc. My friends and I have spent many afternoons checking everything out over there. On Thursday, we definitely have to do a museum crawl through the museum district. There are so many cool exhibits to check out, especially in the Museum of Natural Science. For lunch, we could do a seafood moment at Goode Company Seafood. I’m always in the mood for oysters. Half of the restaurant is made out of a railroad car; it’s pretty dope. We can keep dinner casual and get Star Pizza. I tried them for the first time with my dad a couple weeks ago after hearing a lot about them and they did not disappoint at all. The salsa verde pizza is my favorite so far. On the weekends, I like to be out with my girls so we would definitely have to check out what’s happening in Montrose (A.K.A the fruit loop, the gayborhood, etc.). Houston has a huge queer community and Montrose is the main hub for queer nightlife. Barbarella is also a fun time and they have cool theme nights. If we’re feeling a little more classy, we could stop in The Heights at Johnny’s Gold Brick for some cocktails and a friendly environment. The staff there is wonderful and the drinks are great. There are other spots that my friends and I go to, but I can’t tell you about those, haha.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I definitely have to shoutout No Followerz Records, the creative collective/label that has been helping me make my music come to life. Conor Rotundo, the founder of the label and a fellow artist, has been so supportive of my talent and expression. Being in the studio with him is so much fun and he never makes me feel like I have to compromise who I am or my art. I can tell that he genuinely wants to see me win. I’ve learned so much from him and he’s just a really great dude. It’s a great partnership and I’m very excited to continue working with No Followerz.

Website: https://linktr.ee/jaydereonmusic

Instagram: http://instagram.com/thejaydereon

Twitter: http://twitter.com/thejaydereon

Youtube: http://youtube.com/@jaydereonmusic

Image Credits
Dela Acolatse