Today we’d like to introduce you to Tina Jay.
Hi Tina , thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started singing around the age of 6 years old. I sang in church, small talent shows and in my free time with friends. It was always something I loved to do and knew I was great at, but didn’t realize I could make a career out of until my late teens. In my early teens, around 13 years old, I attempted to audition for Americas Got Talent, but after that fell through due to having no adult that wanted or was able to be present with me, I became discouraged. I went from being a confident kid to a timid teenager. It was something I just did for fun until I went to college and met some musically inclined friends. They inspired me to take it seriously and break past the fear I developed over the years. So in 2018, during the end of my sophomore year at Morgan State University at the age of 20 years old, I decided to drop out and pursue music full time. I was in school for journalism and felt I was wasting time and money on something that wasn’t my passion. Since then, I’ve performed locally and collaborated with close peers. I have a good amount of music out that I feel showcases the evolution of my sound and voice over the years. I have plenty more music in the vault that displays my ongoing growth and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. This journey has definitely had its ups and downs. 8 years later, I’m still figuring things out, but I know my voice will be heard one way or another. Trying to navigate this industry hasn’t been easy for me, but I have faith that as long as I stay consistent and fully authentic, my dreams will come into fruition. I have the talent and drive to back it up.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. I think my biggest challenge is marketing and finding ways to be fully seen and heard amongst such a vast number of artists. Building a team has also been pretty challenging. I had a manager around the start of my journey but he ended up ghosting me about 3-4 years in. It was right before a trip we were planning to New York to record a project of mine. He never gave an explanation so I assumed my development was too slow for him. He’s made a name for himself and has very strong allies and connects in the music industry. We started our musical journey’s together. So his belief in me most likely faltered since I didn’t pop off as quickly as he thought I should have. That’s just what my intuition is telling me. That situation did burn a huge hole in my confidence and I felt foolish for trusting him, because the signs were there. Late responses, inconsistency, and ghosting for a few months at a time prior to the ending. I even turned down other industry contacts who wanted to manage me because I thought the relationship we built was a reliable one. But that situation taught me discernment and now I’m very careful with who I trust with my career. I’ve worked with and spoken with a few managers since then but I’m still looking to find the people who truly align with my dreams. That hasn’t happened yet but I know it’s coming.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a singer/songwriter, rapper, and dancer. I’m known for my sultry but powerful vocals backed by my strong lyrical abilities. My music tells my personal stories and narrates real expierences I go through. I talk about love, life struggles, my mental health and my career as an upcoming artist. My lyrics encourage fully embracing the full spectrum of your emotions, not hiding from them. Learning to overcome distressing situations instead of drowning in them. I strive to be as vulnerable as I can be because I feel that’s how connections are made with the listeners. I want them to feel seen, inspired and comforted. I want to give others going through a similar journey something to relate to. I started off doing R&B but I also specialize in pop, alternative, and hip-hop music. My music holds a lot of explosive energy that emphasizes my passion for creating. I feel my raw emotion and intentional writing skill sets me apart. I feel I have a very keen ear for distinct beats and melodies that are bound to catch the hearts of whoever hears them. I try to create an atmosphere that draws people into my universe. I want it to feel other worldly. Music is a language and I use it to speak fluently to the core of my listeners souls. It’s spiritual, which is why it’s so important for me to speak truth in my words. It brings us all back to oneness. Although I’m not where I want to be yet, I’m proud of my perseverance and resilience to stay the course. This mission is not just for me, but it’s for everyone out there who needs motivation to never give up despite discouragement and adversity. It’s my divine duty to make it for myself and for my loved ones. It gets hard when you can’t see the outcome but I truly believe God can make anything possible and I want to show the world that with my story. Overall, I’m proud of my growth, as I move forward, the only way is up.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success to me looks like stability. It’s about reach. Really building a community and a solid fan base that care about the work I’m putting out into the world. Having solid ground and a solid foundation to express myself fully with no limitations. Success is having full artistic control of my work but still having help executing visions that always allow me to be me. I want to be able to make music comfortably without worrying about how I will be able to fund my ideas. I want music to be able to pay the bills while still being able to help others. If I can inspire at least one person to push through their current life challenges and give them hope, that’s success to me. I’m here to wake as many people up as I can. We are all here for a reason. Pursuing my purpose allows me the chance to display what it looks like to overcome hardship and that will ignite a fire in others. I will lead by example.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itstinajay?igsh=MWE2Z3IzNXd3OHFlaw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@itstinajay?si=f4WwNWwDp0iMjx_l
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/wCIaIUefDaOnICdD7a
- Other: https://linktr.ee/ItsTinaJay_?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZnRzaAS5TKpwZG9mAmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDzEyNDAyNDU3NDI4NzQxNAABp6n2JYd58RcIzxAQVM6wGO7fjFdaY5RFUvyjqzbIEolArN–YU7qBgFG43SS_aem_uAF_NwTtbZVZcFtV3JKygg
