JGrrey
JGrrey has been described as the neo-soul sound on the rise – but much more fitting is her own identification of ‘smoky.’ She describes her creative process as something which is constantly evolving, and that she can create a song out of anything. Seeing something fall off her windowsill recently inspired her to write a song about falling, specifically ‘the romanticised idea of falling in love, and wanting to fall.’ She explains to me that ‘there is nothing you can’t write about.’
How would you describe your sound?
I would describe my sound as laid-back, almost lazy at times, just smoky. Sometimes it can be quite fun, songs like “Pretty Insane” are fun in the production and the way that I’m writing, but then I have songs like “Feelings” or even “Something” which are lazier and more down-tempo.
When you have interviews like this, do you find that journalists want to describe you as an RnB or hip-hop artist? Do you find this to be self-serving?
Yeah, just to make it easier for them. I don’t know what my genre is. For the past year I’ve been non-stop making music and I’m at a point now where I could make two albums with the amount of music I have. “Don’t Fade” is such a different song to “Feelings” or “Growing” or “Ready 2 Die”. I’ll make any music I wanna make. Genre to me is completely fluid, it shouldn’t exist.
Who do you get compared to in the music industry?
I get compared to Erykah Badu because a lot of my stuff is really soulful, and the structure is quite similar. Lily Allen as well, just because I sing in an English accent, which is probably the only thing that draws us together.
I’ve heard a lot of people compare you to Jorja Smith as well, does that bother you?
I don’t think it’s a case of being bothered by it – it’s Jorja Smith. I work really hard on my songs, and when I write them they’re coming from a place that I thought only I knew. So it’s frustrating when someone says ‘that sounds like a Jorja Smith song’ because me and Jorja are two very separate people with very separate lives and two very different sounds and experiences. A lot of the time I think that comparison comes from being lazy, and that we’re both women of colour who write love songs at certain beats per minute.
Do you find that people try to pit you against other female musicians?
I very rarely hear in an interview with, for instance, a male grime artist, being compared to another male grime artist. You wouldn’t do that, it’s almost disrespectful. But with women it’s; ‘you kinda sound like’ or ‘you’ve got a similar style to’ and a lot of the time people do it with the intention to compliment, but actually it can feel like now that’s my direct competition, because you’re essentially saying that we are making the same music. So it turns into: who’s making the same music better? I don’t think it’s done intentionally, but the music industry is a harsh place to be.
That harsh environment puts a lot of women, particularly women of colour, off from putting themselves out there creatively. Throughout school even, girls are brought up in a culture of competition where we compete for opportunities or men, or that it’s desirable to not be a ‘girl’s girl.’ What advice would you give to women who want to put themselves out there but are apprehensive about the misogynistic tendencies of the music industry?
Speaking from experience, I know I could give the best advice in the world but if you’re in a place where can’t or you won’t, or you don’t want to, it’s not going to help. I feel like everyone has a moment, and you can be reluctant because of those [misogynistic] reasons, but if you can see a door opening, or a moment that is just looking to be taken, take the moment, open the door and let people hear your voice. I’ve been in situations where I’ve held back, and I think now ‘why did I not take that moment?’ ‘why didn’t I release that track?’ But of course, it’s easier said than done.
Do you feel like your COLORS session was one of those moments for you?
I very nearly didn’t do COLORS. If I didn’t take that moment I would have been such an idiot! But I did, and I’m very thankful for it. COLORS came out like two years ago, and I’ve only just now found comfort in performing. It was the most gut-wrenchingly nervous thing I’ve ever done. It was horrifyingly scary for me and that’s why I nearly didn’t do it – it’s easier to just not feel those emotions.
What’s your creative process like?
The more I’m writing, the more I’m surprising myself with my process. It used to be, when I very first started, finding an instrumental, then finding a melody and fitting words into it; simple as that. Whereas now, the process behind a lot of the songs on my EP has been really strange. For instance, ‘God’s House’ was a poem I wrote and the last track off the EP (‘Something’) was a voice note and the weirdest process ever. Now, I’m just always looking for the next process and how I’m going to surprise myself.
What’s next for you?
Right now I’m in a mindset, but not necessarily a position, because that would sound arrogant, where I can go anywhere with my music right now. I think that’s a really nice mindset to be in because I’m not a naturally optimistic person. The feedback I’ve had from my EP, the music I’m sitting on right now, the people I’m surrounded with and [those] who support my music make me genuinely feel like I can do whatever I want to do with [it]. As long as I can help my parents the way they’ve helped me, and live a happy life while I carry on making music, that’s the goal.
Words Abigail Popple
Photography Omar Khaleel
Fashion Phoebe Butterworth