Rising talent Jordyn may already have an outstanding knowledge of the music industry, but in his debut EP, ‘Framework’ he is ready to re-introduce himself.

Jordyn grew up in San Diego, California. Adopted into a multi-ethnic family, he was introduced to all genres and mediums, unknowingly honing the tools that would lead to him becoming the multifaceted artist, rapper, and lyricist he is today. After Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records, enlisted him as a songwriter/vocal producer back in 2015, Jordyn shaped his talent further — working with a broad spectrum of artists such as Jordin Sparks, Twista, and Ronnie Devoe. Yet, Jordyn’s biggest hits come from the sync world. Big Up’s, his most popular song on Spotify, was used in viral Tik ok star, Charli D’Amelio’s #DistanceDance campaign, earning it 73.2 thousand uses on the social media platform. With an audience ready to listen, Jordyn is ready to release something fully his own. Framework is a triumph for those looking to claim their space. The 5-track record explores themes of community, success, and identity uniquely only someone that knows music as Jordyn can.

1883 sat down with the artist to discuss his debut EP, being vulnerable, and how it feels to create for himself.      

First of all, congratulations on the EP! How are you feeling about the release?

I’m feeling good. I’m feeling ready. It’s like birthing a baby. I think in the infancy stage of the process, it’s new to you. Now, I’m ready for it to be new to everyone else. Generally speaking, by the time songs I’ve worked on get released I’ve heard them a million times, so I’m looking for that next layer of validation. I’m excited! I’m excited to see how it’s received.

Do you have a song you’re most nervous about, proud of, or excited for people to hear?

I’m excited about the single. I’m really excited for people to hear ‘Multiply.’ I feel like for artist’s choice: I am actually super excited people to hear ‘I’ll Wait.’ I feel like that’s gonna be the first time that people hear me talk candidly about my journey. I think I was very transparent in that song in a way that I haven’t been before by kind of speaking about the fatigue of being an artist. I would say ‘Multiply’ and ‘I’ll Wait.’ But, also the whole thing. [laughs] 

It’s like picking a favourite kid. [laughs]

Yeah! It depends on the day, you know? 

In ‘Multiply’, you sing “Got some voice notes in my pocket/a couple gon turn into bangers/I feel like I was created/So I could be a creator.” While this is your debut EP, you’ve worked with a myriad of other artists. Did creating for yourself feel different than creating for other people?

100%. That was actually the intention behind this project. Since so much of what I do is service-based in terms of “Oh, I’m writing for so and so. What do they want to talk about? I’m writing for this brief. What’s required of me?” I wanted to make sure I checked in with myself and made sure that I didn’t lose my voice. I really wanted to just zero in on what I have to say and who I am in all of this.

Does the creative process feel pretty much the same or is it different as well? 

Yeah, the process is different. You can rest in it a little bit more I think. Being the artist versus being the writer, I understand my register and what I’m saying. I understand all my different vocal tampers. I understand all the different tones and all the different tools that I can use to get my message across. I don’t have to worry about how someone else feels comfortable expressing a message. While I love the challenge of writing for others, it’s nice to have that minute to rest and know I can just do this how I want.

It’s really exciting for you to have something that’s now yours. 

Yeah, exactly. That’s exactly what it feels like. 

‘Framework’ seems to be a body of work that’s quite personal. Do you find it easy to be vulnerable in your songwriting?

Yes and no. I feel like the most difficult decision is deciding you’re willing to be vulnerable. Once you decide that you are, I think it actually makes the process easier because then it’s just about being honest. You’re not trying to do any fancy footwork — you’re not trying to hide anything. You’re just thinking, “you know what? Let me say this.” Once you give in, it’s a flow at that point. 

Was it hard to get to that point?

At this phase in my life, it wasn’t. I think that’s why I was ready to do a project. I’m ready, to be honest. I’m ready to not do the dance and worry about optics and politics and stuff like that. I’m ready to just say, “Hey, guys. This is me. Here you go.” 

Once you hit that point, would you say that songwriting became therapeutic for you? 

100%. This project was definitely therapeutic. As I said, that was the initial intention — let me check in with myself. What is my story? How am I feeling about all this that’s going on? I looked at how I could convey that in a way that’s palatable for my audience.

You’ve been getting a lot of hits for your songs in commercials. Why is now the time to release your debut collection?

I think for that reason exactly. I think people are very familiar with what I do commercially. Most of what I’ve released in the past has been opportunity-driven. Charli D’Amelio selected my song for her campaign. The Walmart placement with ‘Make Room,’ that’s the song they selected for their campaign. I feel like it’s important for me as an artist to let my audience know, “Hey, this is what I want to give you.” Now that I have an audience I want them to know I actually have a perspective underneath the more surface records that serve a different purpose.

What do you think fans will be most surprised to hear when they listen to ‘Framework?’

I think that it’s a hip-hop/soul project. If you have started following me in the last few years, I don’t think people think of me as that kind of an artist. Actually, it’s so funny — I was talking to my brother-in-law, telling him, “yeah, man. I’ll be spitting on this project.” He was like, “really? I just always considered you like the Pop/R&B guy.” It’s so funny because I started off rapping; that was the first art form that I perfected that I used to leverage other opportunities. I think that’s another reason why this project is important — it’s me going back to my roots, letting people know where it all started, giving them a little more context to who I am.

You grew up in San Diego and were adopted into a multi-ethnic family. How did your upbringing shape you into the person you are today, and in turn, the artist you are today?

I think being exposed to various cultures actually helps me as a songwriter a lot. I’m a lot more malleable, I’m not married to a genre. I love writing folky records. They’re one of my favourite things to write. I’ve recently embraced that more because my dad and my mom listen to 70’s folk and then there’s the hip-hop influence from my sisters and my brother. I think being exposed to more gives you more tools to draw from.

Is there a genre that’s your favourite to write?

That’s hard. I think anything that’s lyrically driven is my favourite to write, so maybe singer/songwriter. Honestly, just a guitar and vocals are some of my favourite stuff to write. You can really zero in on the narrative. I like the way that makes me feel. I like beautiful music. I would also say hip-hop because I think rapping gives me a platform to get all my thoughts out. I don’t really have to worry about how. I think that the nature of rap is or how creative can you get or how bold can you be. There’s a liberating element to it. So, I would say I like singer/songwriter for the challenge of simplifying the message and giving it to people in a more easily digestible way and hip-hop for being as complicated or as simple as I want to be.

Who are your musical inspirations?

For this project, specifically, pulled from Lauryn Hill’s ‘Miseducation.’ If there was like one album that I could take on a desert island, it would probably be “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill’ just because I feel like she gives me hip-hop, she gives me soul, she gives me everything. Other than Lauryn Hill, I would say Michael Jackson, first and foremost. He’s definitely the person who captured my attention as a kid. He was this bigger than life, superstar artist. Michael Jackson was the initial spark, I would say. And then I love India Arie — I love her message and her intention behind what she creates. There’s just purity in it. It’s meditative.

Finally, what do you hope your debut EP conveys about you as an artist? 

It’s funny to think about this question. I tried my best not to get too wrapped up in what my project conveys. I think that’s very personal to the listener and they’re gonna make of it what they want to. But, I will say one thing: a lot of my audience are up-and-coming artists as well. I’m definitely an artists’ artist. I have a lot of people reach out to me asking “how do I maneuver in this industry” and “what is this process like.” I think, if anything, I hope that they can listen to my EP and maybe understand a little bit more of the reality of navigating this industry and what it’s really like. The fatigue aspect of it because it’s not all glitz and glamour. Sometimes it’s “dang, when is it gonna happen?” I hope it also suggests that it’s okay to keep your integrity in that process. I think that I’ve done a lot of the “falling for people” and all of that. I would hope other artists can listen to my project and know that you can actually be yourself and stay true to yourself and make your dreams come true.

Interview by Sydney Bolen

Jordyn’s EP Framework is out now.