Meet Jay Holland | Musical Artist

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

Hi Jay, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
As a kid I only had 1 thing I really truly connected with. It was playing the piano at the age of 9. I found so much joy and pride in hearing the music as I was playing it. As a kid it was a big moment for me. From then onwards I enjoyed progressing and showing my family the songs I learned. When I moved onto guitar playing this feeling was amplified to an extent where I realised I really connected with something I would love for the rest of my life.

The career side of things weren’t really on my radar until my 16th birthday. On that day my parents asked me if I knew what I wanted from life, what I wanted to study, where I was heading. Slightly hesitant I said that music was really the only thing I could see myself doing. Being lucky enough to be born in to a super supportive family, they told me that if that’s what I wanted, I could achieve it. And they’d support me wherever they could.

Fast-forward a couple years, I’ve played in multiple bands as a guitarist / singer, released music on spotify, got a degree in songwriting, and am now aiming to start my solo career this summer. The source of energy is still the same as when I was 9 years old sitting behind the piano. Playing music is so pleasing, it’s like meditating.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My music is a mixture of soooo many influences! Growing up there was such a wide variety of great music, I feel like I’ve just been soaking up inspiration for years and I’m slowly bleeding it out every track I do. The most exciting thing coming up for me is my debut single release. It’s a track called Dazed, produced by George Holliday and myself. The track is a mix of disco, trap, soul and pop. You gotta hear it, It’ll be the very first sound you hear from Jay Holland as an artist, super excited to get it out there!

I’ve definitely had struggles to get to this point. Most of those struggles were in my mind. When you decide to pursue a musical career, you know you’re aiming really high. The industry can be brutal, it’s saturated with loads of talented people. The main struggle I think for all up and coming artists is keeping the belief in your own ability, believing you can do it might be the first step but also one of the hardest ones. And it’s like a muscle that you gotta keep training otherwise it grows weaker over time.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Too many people have been a part of where I am today, even if I still feel like I’m at the very beginning of my journey.

But if I really have to choose I’ll shoutout to my producer George Holliday. He’s not only made my very first song sound popping, he’s also my mentor and navigator within starting my career and the music industry. He’s crazy knowledgeable, honest about what you bring to him, has eye for opportunity and is surrounded by his own aura of positive energy. One of the most pleasant people to be around and work with. Thank you George!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jarreaumusic/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jarreau.wetzels