Meet Jakwellyn Douglas | Musical Artist

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

Hi Jakwellyn, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
Risk is inherent in every aspect of my life. As a black transwoman there is risk every time I walk out the door so honestly its something I’m very comfortable with. My first career was as a circus performer. I was an acrobat and gymnastics coach and risked my life daily doing things that I loved. That led to me becoming quadriplegic and having to relearn to walk and use my body. That changed the way I look at life and at myself. It made me ask questions like “What’s really important in my life?” “What’s worth risking and what isn’t?”. What I learned from sitting with those things is that my health is the most important and risking that is off the table. Not just for my own sake but for my loved ones too. What I CAN risk though is time. I risk my time every time I work on one specific thing because as an artists there’s fifty million things to think about. I can risk being vulnerable. I can talk about the darkest moments in my life on a song and put it out and show that side of myself to the world and maybe people will have something to say about it. Maybe they’ll be hurtful, maybe they’ll think they know me more than they do and that can lead to issues. Either way, I’m going to do it. Reason being that making music that is real and true to myself has led to more happiness and healing than any other time in my life. I take risks now for the right reasons and its imperative to the way I live and the way i do the things I do.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a rapper, producer, and singer-songwriter. My music tends to toe the line between spoken word and high energy classic hip hop. As of September 23rd I released my first album titled “Open Mic Night”. I’ve been working on it since December of last year and I’m very proud of it. My music is unabashedly queer and black. It says things I’m often afraid to say in everyday conversations. And it gives me a place to vent. I grew up in the church and in a family where music was a constant. Multiple family members were apart of choirs or played piano for their local churches so singing in key was kind of mandatory. In 2020 as the pandemic swept the world I had begun to give up on having a career in circus after my accident so I dove into music production. I found community online in music themed discord servers and continue to have most of my connections there although I’m beginning to branch out more in real life. I think what i want people to know the most about me and my story is that I’ve spent a lot of time in situations where it feels like everything is over and there’s nothing you can do but stop fighting and give in to whatever pressures are currently pushing you down. Whether they are physical like a disability, mental like neurodivergence, or societal like most gender issues you can always decide for yourself what’s the best route to take to fight for yourself and your needs.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There’s a few places i think are necessary. I’d take them to little five points and see a show at 7 Stages. I’ve performed there many times and it holds a special place in my heart. I’d take them to any waffle house at 3am. Id take them to R Thomas as its my favorite restaurant. I’d bring them to a party that some friends of mine are throwing because house parties are what Atlanta is best at. And maybe just for a walk in piedmont park because its a staple.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I wanna dedicate my shoutout to the Atlanta queer community. All of them. Every time I’ve met another gender non-conforming person they showed me that there’s room for me to be myself. There’s space for me to be louder and there’s a need and desire for me to share my story. So I do.

Instagram: @jay_kwellyn

Twitter: @jakwellyn

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaykwellyn

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrpu1Xl32DtaJdfOeDgEHig

Other: https://linktr.ee/jaykwellyn