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Interview: Stephanie Jeannot Share Insights About Her Musical Journey

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Stephanie Jeannot joins us again to discuss her new single ‘Haitian’, her inspirations, and what we can expect from her in the future! Make sure to check out our interview below:

Welcome – Thanks for sharing your music with us! How has 2020 been for you?

2020 is an experience. It started off with me thinking that it was going to be one of the greatest years because of how it came in. But once the truth settled in about how the rest of 2020 was going to be, my entire view of it changed.

I lost many people to this awful disease including my drummer, Richie Johnson, who I adored. That was my boy and he is so missed. I also lost a friend, Linda Bekham who was an amazing promoter for jazz events who helped me to put on a really nice live jazz birthday event last year.  Both of the aforementioned died days apart and the more the days progressed towards the end of March, the more people I was losing.

I decided to use my emotions productively when my Instagram friend, John Mueller from Chicago, IL and I started doing Zoom songwriting sessions which lead to the idea of putting together a musical project and giving ourselves a deadline to finish it.

Every night after that, I wrote a song or two with piano, drums, lyrics, lead and background vocals. I would send them to John as a rough draft and ask him to add him bass lines.  There were a few songs where he also created the musical melody and I added piano, lyrics and vocals.  Between the end of April and May, I composed over 25 songs of which, 13 is featured on the album we released on October 10, 2020 entitled, “The Stephanie Jeannot & The John Mueller Project”

Interview: Stephanie Jeannot Share Insights About Her Musical JourneyCongratulations on your new album “The Stephanie Jeannot & John Mueller Project,” Which song was your favorite to put together?

Thank you so much. I feel like with nine months, the project was like giving birth. We conceived and gave birth to what we had been doing the entire year. I have a lot of favorites on this album for a few reasons.

One of my favorites on the album is “Intoxicated By Your Love” because I was coming from church one Sunday afternoon during the quarantine and while I was driving, the song lyrics started to come to me so much that I had to tell Serie to open up my Voice Memo so I could record my thoughts. “Intoxicated By Your Love” is some of the ideas I would put down in reimagining Aretha Franklin’s tune “Respect.” I also love it because was able to not only play all the piano parts but also come up with a really cool piano solo and also chart the notes I was playing. I also love it because John Mueller was right there with me, riding tight to the waves of sound that was present in the tune. We make a good team and I love that. I originally wanted to name it 95 Proof thinking back to a time when I was a lush and drank 95% alcohol with my friends at the dorms and we all got sick off that 190-proof bottle of Grain alcohol. I have been sober for 7 years now but the experience of having been someone who used to love to indulge so much that I had a trophy case of empty bottles, gave me the words to be able to write this song and created the vibe that it needed.

Another of my favorites is “Haitian” because I am able to more express myself in Haitian Kreyol which I have been trying to do forever. I laugh because I used a translation book to create the hook which is 95% in Kreyol. But to get the point across of what I was trying to do which to meld my Americanism with my Haitian, and I did it; both musically and lyrically.

I love the song “Brooklyn” because it was my first time being able to be free with my poetry and actually spit it out without stumbling. I started writing poetry before I started writing songs. This song was kind of cool because John writes this funky bass line, drum groove and guitar riff and sent it my way. At first, it was going to be a song entitled “I write in Brooklyn.” But when I heard John’s bassline, I realized that it was meant to be an anthem of some sort and changed the entire lyrical content already drafted to … “Ain’t no other place like, ‘Brooklyn,’” and that in itself brought the beauty and culture of the unique borough of Brooklyn to life.  But what give is even more of that lovability is Bruffdacrowdpleaser adding his wit and character to it. This is the first song that I ever wrote a piano solo for.

I love “You are the One” because it is the first jazz song I ever wrote and I love “Rise Up” because though it has political context in its lyrics, it is the first ballad that I have ever written and I love “Moving Forward” because it was a song written to celebrate my nephew and my students graduating and running towards the next chapters of their lives.

How would you describe your music to a first-time listener?

My music is something to take your time to listen to because there is a story in every song that every person could relate to. The first two tracks are relative to people who work a 9-5 for a living. There are a few songs that amplify the idea of agape love, equality in justice and unity for the world. I wrote my first jazz piece and ballad ever. My music is familiar yet different. There is a song on there for everybody.

What is your creative process when creating new music?

My writing process varies. Sometimes I am sitting somewhere, and a song comes to me that demands me to write it. Other times, I am practicing my piano playing and I play a series of chords that inspires a song, which forces me to open my Sonar Cakewalk DAW to start layering my ideas down.

With this particular album, John and I came up with a few prompted titles for future songs to be written and many of the songs were written around the title idea. I was doing a lot of reading at that time and if I saw an interesting phrase that fit the topic, I wrote it down for future use. I was also entering a few 2000 words or more prompted short story writing contests, which helped me a lot with the art of telling stories in musical format.

Once I come up with an idea, I write the song until the entire draft is completed which includes music, lyrics, lead and background vocals. I was up until about 3AM every night from the end of April through mid-May, just writing and coming up with song ideas.

“Haitian” is beautiful! Tells us what you love about your culture.

Thank you. I love the language a lot. I think it is really nice and I love having something such as a foreign language that differentiates me from the bunch. I love Haitian music because it is jazzy and funky all at the same time and the dances that people do to it because the movements to the Kompas sounds are so graceful and beautiful. I love the food because there ain’t no cuisine like Haitian cuisine.

I have been to Haiti and so I appreciate the atmosphere and the people. The waterfalls, the mountains, the Greenland; all worth seeing.

Interview: Stephanie Jeannot Share Insights About Her Musical Journey

What would you say has been the single most influential factor in your success?

My most influential factor in my life is not allowing anyone, anything or any circumstances to take away the joy I have for being a musician who writes songs and performs music. I realize at the end of the day that I could let life break me and make me not want to participate in the very thing that brings me joy, or I could just work with what I have, where I am and put forward what was in me meant to take flight.

Plus when you have people like your parents, good friends and John who was such a motivating factor in this entire songwriting/album writing experience, helped to push me to just give my all and not allow anything to stop me.

Thank you for speaking with us! Is there anything else you would like to add?

Thank you for providing the platform for me to just share my story. I totally appreciate this experience.

 

MUSIC

King Jay Da Blountman Turns Versatile Into A Day Off Fantasy With The Easygoing Pull Of “Fish’n”

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King Jay Da Blountman Turns Versatile Into A Day Off Fantasy With The Easygoing Pull Of "Fish’n"

When a former football player tosses the rulebook for modern music, the results can feel braver than any tidy genre label. That is the lane King Jay Da Blountman keeps choosing, a Florida based St. Augustine artist with one foot in hip hop, one in country, and both planted in sheer hustle. His 2025 album “Versatile” has been picking up momentum as one of the year’s more convincing independent releases, partly because it refuses to sound like it is trying to fit a template.

A clear highlight is “Fish’n,” a 2-minute-and-54-second feel good cut that shows how naturally King Jay can blur styles without turning it into a gimmick. The track grabs you fast with a cadence that feels lived in. Instead of sitting on top of the beat, his voice folds into the groove, so the vocals and the production feel made for each other.

That ease matters because “Fish’n” leans into the space where singing and rapping overlap. King Jay slides between the two with a smooth rap sing touch that keeps hip hop and country in the same frame. The song lands like a snapshot of a mood, one that pulls you outdoors and away from the buzz of everything else.

The imagery is simple and it works. You can picture the fishing gear, the boat that is ready to go, the cooler packed with beer or whiskey, and the sun hanging in the sweet spot. “Fish’n” carries that particular kind of freedom you only get when the day is yours. It makes a fishing trip feel overdue, along with the permission to take a real day off. The music stays relaxed while still earning repeat listens.

There is crossover charm here that recalls Shaboozey’s 2024 hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”. The difference is that “Fish’n” stays unmistakably King Jay. It draws from lived experience and unfiltered real talk, and it keeps its own shape even as it nods to multiple worlds. The hookiness is the point, a cadence that lingers after the last note fades.

The best moments come from the tight fit between performance and production. King Jay’s vocals lock in with the beat, reinforcing the track’s quiet confidence and natural flow. It is the kind of song that belongs on open roads and open water, and it rewards listeners who like their playlists with fewer walls.

“Fish’n” sits on “Versatile,” a nine track project that earns its title. The album has been performing strongly, with several songs quickly becoming fan favorites, including “Whisky Man,” “Respect,” “Blue Cheese,” and “Kings.” Each cut shows a different angle of King Jay’s approach, yet the project holds together through a consistent sense of authenticity and risk taking.

You can hear how this run builds on what came before. “Versatile” follows the success of Jay’s 2022 album “Level Up,” which included the track “By the Water,” now with over 104,000 streams on Spotify. That earlier momentum set the table for what he is doing now, expanding his reach while sharpening his sound.

King Jay Da Blountman has always moved across lanes, from drums to raps, funny videos to serious storytelling, and the streets to global streaming platforms. His story reads as growth and openness, an artist still stretching toward the next version of himself. With “Versatile,” and with a standout like “Fish’n,” he shows how music crosses borders through heart, honesty, and a beat you can live inside.

As King Jay keeps spreading his wings globally, one jam at a time, “Versatile” works as both statement and invitation. Come as you are, grab a drink, and press play.

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Omaye keeps it brief and hits hard on “Tell Them”, a focused Afrobeats and Amapiano promise of what is coming

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Omaye keeps it brief and hits hard on "Tell Them", a focused Afrobeats and Amapiano promise of what is coming

Fast-budding Nigerian artist Omaye’s single “Tell Them” arrives with assurance that usually takes artists a few releases to earn. He keeps it tight, too. The track runs 2 minutes and 17 seconds, and it uses every second with purpose. In a lane where bigger often gets mistaken for better, Omaye shows how far a clear idea can travel when the writing and performance stay focused.

“Tell Them” plays like a self-empowerment chant built from a hardened, never-say-never mindset. The message is straightforward: put in the work, stay locked in, and trust destiny to meet you halfway. Omaye delivers it with a calm steadiness, the sort of quiet confidence that suggests he already sees the finish line. You can hear the belief that his moment is on schedule, and that nothing is going to shake him off course.

The sound matches that mindset. Omaye’s Afrobeats foundation gives the record its swing, while gurgling Amapiano synths bubble underneath and add a subtle lift. The production stays clean and restrained, leaving plenty of air for the vocal. Omaye’s delivery is crisp and polished, gliding over the beat with clarity. He never rushes the pocket. Each note feels chosen, each inflection considered, as if he’s more interested in landing the feeling than showing off technique.

What makes “Tell Them” linger is its emotional balance. It’s catchy and undeniably infectious, yet it carries weight. The hook sticks because the sentiment does, and the track rewards replay for more than its bounce. Omaye isn’t reaching for drama or putting on a persona. He’s capturing a mindset shaped by struggle, resilience, and self-belief, then letting that honesty do the heavy lifting. By the time the song ends, the confidence feels earned rather than advertised.

With “Tell Them,” Omaye comes off as a storyteller who knows what he wants to say and how to say it. The track reads as proof that he has the tools to connect with fans of Afrobeats, Amapiano, and Hip-Hop alike, and to do it without diluting his voice. The direction is clear. The hunger is right there in the phrasing.

Now streaming on Apple Music, “Tell Them” lands as a statement of intent and a clean introduction for anyone meeting him for the first time. If this single is a preview, the question around Omaye’s rise is timing, not possibility. Time feels like the only gap between him and the next level.

The release is also a milestone: “Tell Them” is Omaye’s first professionally recorded single, and it sets the stage for his upcoming EP “17EEN,” which is close on the horizon. Keep the name Omaye in your head. You’re going to hear it again.

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IurisEkero turns “AURA” into a sunset ritual of cinematic pop, where synths hold your feelings close

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IurisEkero turns "AURA" into a sunset ritual of cinematic pop, where synths hold your feelings close

IurisEkero has always had that producer aura where every synth feels like it’s holding hands with your feelings. On AURA, that instinct expands into cinematic storytelling. He even marked the release with a sunset ceremony at the base of the Andes, like he was unlocking a secret level in a music RPG. You can’t fake that kind of commitment. It gives the album a clear vibe: this is meant to be lived, not treated like something you leave running in the background.

He stays in a contemporary pop lane, polished but heartfelt, digital yet soft around the edges. The textures are warm. The vocal layers feel like a hug. And there’s a sense that each song stands as its own emotional chapter. The point is mood-building, not novelty. AURA ends up feeling like 16 different emotional passports, each stamped with a slightly different shade of hope, doubt, desire, or relief.

The album kicks off with “The Password Of My Heart,” a title that sounds cheesy until the production hits. Then it turns into a confession wrapped in shimmering synths. He moves gently, almost whisper soft, and the chorus floats in like he’s opening a door you weren’t sure you should walk through. It’s a smart opener because it sets the standard early: sweetness, yes, but with detail and control.

“Didn’t See You Today” brings the jolt. It’s dance pop in full gear, bright, jumpy, and built around a beat that sounds designed to rescue someone from a bad mood. The female vocals glide across the instrumental with precision, as if they arrived already locked into the same emotional tempo. The track is glossy, but it keeps the album’s softness intact, the warmth never drains out.

In the middle, “Aura” sits like a breathing space. It’s modern pop with emotional density, yet airy enough that you can drift with it. This is the one you play while staring at something far away, pretending you’re in a movie even if you’re just sitting on a bus. The hook doesn’t have to shout. The feeling does the work.

The crown jewel is “We Are All In One,” the single that has already pushed past 222k streams on Spotify. The appeal is immediate. The lyrics read like a sunrise pep talk from your favorite person:
“Woke up dreaming. Sky is clear, got the world beneath my feet…”
“Every moment, every glance feels like magic.”
“You’re my fire, my best friend.”
It’s warm, melodic, and sweet, and it carries an electronic bounce that keeps it from getting too soft. Romantic, yes, but it avoids the clingy tone that can flatten songs like this. It lifts you up without turning into a self-help poster. This is the track for the walk home after a long day, the moment you need a reminder that life can still glow.

The deeper cuts give the album its emotional spine. “Even Miracles Take a Little Time” and “Invisible Gravity” lean into introspection with an almost therapeutic honesty. Then he pivots into higher energy with “Let’s Ignite the Night” and “Cut Loose,” tracks that feel like the soundtrack to the moment you decide to stop overthinking everything. The shifts don’t feel random. They read like a real emotional arc, the way a night out can start with doubt and end with release.

As the album closes with “Don’t Get Your Hopes Up,” he returns to vulnerability, the real kind, not the Instagram caption version. The yin and yang in his music stays front and center, joy alongside uncertainty, light alongside shadow. That duality is what makes AURA feel human.

And that Andes launch seals the whole concept. He turned an album into a communal moment. As the sun dropped, each track played like a ritual chapter, a shared breath between strangers. It transformed AURA from a playlist into a lived memory. Artists talk about unity. Here, he actually staged it.

If you want more than background music, AURA is a recommendation. Each track is layered with feeling, melody, and energy that makes you hit replay before the last note fades. Stream it, share it.

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