Genre:Pop
Flaunting a wide-brimmed fedora with a multicolored half moon design and wielding a robust, raw, and real voice, it’s hard to forget Jay Watts once you see or hear him. However, this singer, songwriter, and producer wants to make more than just a musical statement. He says so with his very moniker…
“Well, Jay is because of my first name,” he explains. “Watts means energy and electricity. I’m trying to create an energy so powerful that it causes people to unite and be colorblind. I want to bring everybody together. That’s my purpose—and to put on an awesome show too!”
He definitely possesses the ability to accomplish those goals. Jay got his start early. After mom heard him making music on the family karaoke machines in their Penns Grove, NJ home, she started personally calling record labels on his behalf at just 15.
“It’s funny to think about now,” he smiles. “My mom literally called up Universal Music and told them she needed to talk to somebody because if they didn’t listen to me, they’d be losing money someday. She actually made it pretty far, but it wasn’t the right moment yet.”
He built towards that “right moment” organically, steadfastly honing his craft. Pushing towards “10,000 hours” in the studio, he caught the ear of multi-platinum producer Reefa [Lil Wayne, Rick Ross] who signed him to a production deal. Jay’s first official single “Millionaire Club” saw him receive coverage from XXL, MTV, and more. In between working on more music, he shared the stage with everybody from T-Pain and Meek Mill to Diggy Simmons and Flo Rida. His next release “My Dreams” continued to make waves eventually landing him a deal with LAVA Music. Personally signed by Jason Flom, he’s fashioned a singular style that’s about to get everybody talking.
“It’s soulful,” he declares. “It just comes out. When I hear beats, I grab the microphone, record melodies, and then write words. It’s a fusion of hip-hop, rock, pop, country, and more. I bring everything into my music.”
That’s certainly the case with his single “How You Feel.” Co-produced by Jay Watts, Reefa, and 12 Keys, the singer’s voice swings from a groovy croon into an unshakable refrain chock full of soul and swagger.
“In college, I was in a relationship,” he recalls. “All of the girl’s previous relationships were with professional athletes. She dated one guy who was in the NBA and one guy who was in the NFL. I was the first regular guy she dealt with at the time. She loved me, but she loved money more, so she couldn’t deal with the situation. The relationship ended because of that. I fell in love with a gold digger! The song essentially says, ‘Okay, you don’t appreciate everything I do for you, so this might be the night I go fuck somebody else.’ I wanted to talk about the subject in the coolest way possible.”
“How You Feel” just kicks off a bright future for Jay Watts. “I want to show people it doesn’t matter where you’re from, you can accomplish anything, if you work hard towards it,” he leaves off. “I want listeners to look at me and know they can do anything.”