What’s your stage name and where are you from?
I go by ‘J-Reflection’ and I’m from Torbay, Devon UK
What’s the story behind your stage name?
My mates call me ‘J’ and my music is a ‘Reflection’ of my consciousness. Just like how our lives are reflections of our inner state. Your perception colours your reality and so I choose to view the world with a positive energy, hence the lighting symbol on me logo! 🙂
Describe your musical journey in three sentences.
Started through 5am coked up kitchen freestyles.
Music became the focus, swapped the drugs for the music.
Is fuelled by self development, internal work, trained my vocals, rap flows and now have a more developed understanding with music both creatively and practically.
Share an interesting experience you had while creating your latest track.
Wrote the whole thing in a day, whilst thinking I had to get the message in it to a loved one which i had written it about in order to help give him the motivation to save his own life from alcoholism.
What message do you want to convey through your music?
That you ARE the matrix. Your internal outlook shapes your reality and by choosing to control your mind, you can overcome your environment and live a better life, no matter what cards you’ve been dealt.
Tell us about a challenge you faced during production and how you overcame it.
Fitting in the words in some of the fast flowing verses. With this song I had so much on my mind when writing it that I felt I had to put it in a verse. But there is also a thing called ‘breath’ which if it were up to me, I’d like to live without it so I can say what the f**k I want, but in reality ya need to take em lol. There was also difficultly in staying on beat whilst recording because of me being a live-wire and trying to fit all these words in, so I overcame it by biting the bullet on some of the words and cutting out a few by either shortening the syllables or taking out lines in general.
If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?
Bugzy Malone. I don’t think many rappers come close to his ability to make a banging motivational song with both hard hitting rap flows and singing on the hooks, with the real messages embedded in them. I would want to collab with him not just because he’s an inspiration but because I know he’s his own kind and doesn’t sell people dreams in his music. He inspires and is an example of overcoming environment, and that’s exactly what I’m all about!
Where do you see your music taking you in the next year?
I see my music gradually getting noticed more not just locally, but around the world. On top of this, my life has been more intense recently, with me being ill for a year and just a week ago I lost my Dad to a sudden death. So I see nothing but passion coming out of this. I have a new found clarity which will go into my music, with endless inspiration and drive to create more songs, music videos, and events in the South-West music scene.
I also work with disadvantaged youth for a charity called ‘Sound Communities CIC’ teaching rap but also being there as a positive role model. With the music I’m working on this year, I see the production improving and therefore the inspiration I can offer these young people will become stronger. I am grateful to have making inspirational music as my purpose in life, and this year I see big things.
What’s the next big step for you as an artist?
Outsourcing production on music videos, and getting more creative with the promotion of them. I believe the next step is making a larger presence online with my music.
Where can we hear/watch your most recent work?
You can listen to my latest track which I talked about earlier, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkiP-wY5qus
