Do you have a particular ritual that brings out your creativity?
Yes, I do have a few haha. The number one thing I do to set the climate is cut the lights. I usually have them off. I’m sane and super concentrated, most of the times I’m very inspired in the dark for some reason. I usually have hoodie on top of my head and if I have shades, I’ll wear them. My phone is on vibration and that goes for everyone in the room. I love carrying snacks and a bottle of water. (Essential to a Jay Willy Studio Session). I usually play the instrumentals ahead of my sessions to keep my mind open. I observe every reality life brings within the day or night along with everything outside. Sometimes it helps with the building of my creation. Once I walk inside, it’s a wrap. My mind starts turning and creating around what I’ve just witnessed or reflexions from the past, and ideals from the future incorporated with my present. I hate having more than 2 - 3 people max in the room and even at that I feel uncomfortable so it always comes down to only me and the engineer or producer together in the room for the most.
Is there a person in your life who helped shape your taste in music from an early age.
There’s more than one actually. But if we’re talking about the entire picture of my taste or who inspires me to get it like that in music, it’s Drake for sure. Growing up I always knew I had a calling for music. I just needed someone or something to spark that fire inside and I remember till this day it was Carter 3 by Lil Wayne for me. After showing so much interest in music, I started researching and surfacing around some greats like Biggie, Hov and Nas. Curtis Jackson was another heavy influence. He just ran everything he touched from music to outfits. By the way, that goes for Kanye West as well. At some point, growing up in my early days of not so serious music, my stage name was “lil50” in honour of both Weezy and 50 hahaha. Soulja Boy had wave that I really liked as well. But I’ve came to realize I had a softer sound, that’s how I slowly turned towards RnB and Pop. Michael Jackson was definitely it!
But it was just so hard and still is trying to imitate his artistry. When it came to RnB, I was all over man, from Usher, Chris Brown, to R-Kelly and many more. I had this one female cousin he constantly played Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Ashanti, Brandy, Christina Aguilera... it was pretty much everything and everyone that was popping in their prime.
What emotion do you feel like your music embodies more than any other?
Authenticity! That would be the perfect word that englobes it all. Me being able to truly feel honest or transparent but most importantly transmitting that same energy to the listeners. In this world of Music, the industry as a whole and even more specifically the Christian Music scene, I find that they’re all portrayed to be perfect.
Besides having that freedom of expression through your art form, It’s like you have to be qualified with fascinating characteristics in which you have no room for flaws and all. I’m not afraid to show my imperfections and who I truly am. However me being imperfect does not mean I purposely chose to live like so or not put in any effort working on myself. Then again I would never change how I feel within the creation of my music because “so and so” told me what it takes or what isn’t needed simply to get the record played... A lot of them want to see you to portray a certain lifestyle in which eventually you begin to develop emotions you know your not suppose to feel cause that ain’t really you.
What is the inspiration and backstory behind your latest EP, ‘7400’?
The backstory behind 7400 was pretty much Jay Willy sharing his every experience of what it was like growing up at home. I tried my best to highlight and incorporate moments involving my family, friends and loved ones who became people who no longer take part of my journey. Although I’ve been living outside my parents house for the past 7 years, eighty percent of the songs were written in house basement. A lot of the sounds, influences and inspirations caught me in my parents basement. In my 22 years or life, I’ve experienced both, good and bad sides of “love” to the extremest in that basement. So I know what it’s like to laugh, cry, get in heated arguments and all because I’ve most likely witnessed it myself in that basement. My two younger brothers and I each have a room downstairs and we’re always down there hanging out, playing video games, blasting music or doing whatever down there. If we had visitors, friends, or lovers, that’s where our spot in the house would be. That’s pretty much where and how it developed
As an artist, when do you know a project of yours has reached completion?
That’s a super tricky question because there’s never such thing as completion when it comes to art. At least in my opinion. It’s like a drawing, you never stop adding details to your “completed” art. It’s funny because I really recorded 7400 EP 4-5 times and sometimes I still ask myself if the message and music could’ve been any better even though to some it seems perfect. Another reason why this question is tricky it’s because you can base perfection on sale units just like you can’t say it’s perfect when there’s so much more you could’ve improve to whatever it is cause some people really don’t even look at quality anymore.
So it’s like the quality good be A-1 but the message isn’t clear or good enough just like you can have right message and best intent with the record but the quality isn’t just popping. So to really answer this I would say as long as you hold good standard of quality in which you know you invested your all as in time and money from writing to production, engineering and all, if the message is out the way you envisioned it with the sound that pleases you at its best, it’s a hit.
Has there been a live performance of yours that has left a special impact on you?
Yes, there’s been one actually, it was in the capital city of Canada, Ottawa Ontario. It’s a pretty quite city but the music scene is somewhat more growing down there. A big shout out to Night Lovell cause he really has it on lock but besides all, they can hang as in turn the shit up! I performed at Mavericks last year around August and the show was pretty packed. I had the place shook but was more shook at myself for being an entertaining artist. Seeing people round up and enjoy themselves by through dancing and yelling to my music was definitely a moment not to forget especially in Ottawa now that I’ve been living there for the past 5 years.
Can you describe the fan that you’d most like to reach and inspire through you music?
Yes because I myself have been reached out through music in many levels and through different ways. The perfect fan would be the one that’s doubtful, somewhat lost or he, she feels defeated by other people’s criticism. More importantly the one that can’t express themselves the way the truly want to or feel like they have no other option but to go through life in the ugliest and toughest ways in all kinds of circumstances.
If you were to parley your music career into another business or charity venture, what would you be interested in doing?
Uhmm that’s a good question, but I’ve always envisioned myself contributing or starting an art academy... something in that sort or even begin a charity in which revives and restores broken hearts with good care, stability and freedom of expression. I wanna be able to show the world that there’s talent in everyone and that involves the unfortunate ones. The ones that can’t chase their dream because they have to go sell either water or hit the mine fields in order to bring change home for food. I really have this as a goal for kids especially back in my parents homeland in Kinshasa, Congo.
You debuted in 2016 with your high-energy, hip hop, single Victorious and since then you’ve shown your skill in the R&B genre with tracks like Options. What led to this versatility?
Its crazy because in 2016 and even around the time I recorded one of my biggest hits “Victorious” , I always wanted to showcase a skill in RnB genre but I just didn’t have it.. or yet. To me it’s important as an artist to express yourself through different forms, some say genre..anyways point is people really admire skill or artistry when it’s divers cause then you become more of an overall element. It’s pretty much like in basketball, your more of a threat when you can play all-around and trust me there will be games where you feel the need to play 2 or 5. All this is talent and the way you manipulate it to express yourself in other forms on different occasions can never be boxed or should never be boxed. We all carry and show different emotions, some find comfort in one but when the other emotions kick-in, it gets harder to express yourself because your limited to that one that you only know. Therefore I always told myself, one who can express themselves very well is one who can speak in different languages and that’s the same thing with music. Rap is a language and RnB is another. Yes, at times hey can also go well together. Although I had friends that were way ahead of their game when it came to RnB genre, I was just held back by fear out of criticism. I was scared people were going to stop rocking with me because of the switched and was going to try to express myself in a different language of music.
On your Instagram, you’ve mentioned there being a process to building confidence in your craft. What has that journey been for you?
That journey is an ongoing journey that can never reach an end goal but continue to evolve. You never have enough confidence but you can have more confidence in yourself today then you had yesterday... It definitely isn’t easy especially if your places in a surrounding that beats you down daily. I always wanted to express myself through RnB or slow jam but was told to never sing because I just don’t have it. But instead what they should’ve said was try expressing yourself through a form in which you more comfortable in, practice and develop it more so you can master it. But yes, this was also around the period I started 7400.
In addition, judging from your Instagram you seem to be something of a jetsetter. What cultures have you’ve experienced and how have they impacted you both personally and in terms of your sound?
A jetsetter huh, I like that word haha. I mean I’ve been blessed enough to visit multiple countries. I’ve traveled across America, obviously growing up in the U.S., one time for North Carolina, Charlotte that’s home.. and now living out here in Canada which has been a second home to me as well.. I actually just got back from a visit tour trip. I started off in Europe, I’ve been to Germany in the past but not this time.. seen France then Belgium and finally touched back in the motherland, Congo Kinshasa in Africa ! YO, THE COUNTRY IS A WHOLE VIBE!
Everything about it is so different. My perspective on life has completely changed after the visit. It’s like at this point I’ve seen the best and the worst this world has to offer. I’ve seen people go from having everything or what we most take for granted to having, to having below the minimum of survival. It’s like I didn’t even have a glimpse of what being less fortunate looked like. It’s crazy because at times for people down there it could get life threatening and trust me things really do get worse.
The experience reminded me how blessed I am. Me saying I never took anything for granted would be a big lie but the trip opened my eyes to an everyday reality on the other of this world. One I could’ve never possibly imagine. I grew up American for most of my life, my parents worked stupid hard for my family, my two younger brothers including myself. That alone is one of the best gifts I could ever ask for. I didn’t know for sure where my perspective was going to completely change but one thing that stuck with me for sure coming back was that I would never take anything for granted nor be ungrateful for the God’s blessing.
Do you have any special projects in the works that you’re excited for?
Yes, I’m currently working on something special titled “A LOVE LETTER 2 U”. I really was on vibe after my second EP and pushed the bar for myself even higher with this one. It’s going to be a full RnB joint, my tone and way of expression is completely new and different. The language is literally loud and clear. As slowly try to find my sound or wave, I’m also excited to see reactions from those that mostly heard of me but only through a rap form. I introduced some super talented artists and guests who slowly ate all catching a buzz and have been their bag in this RnB wave for quite sometime now. So I highly recommend you to stay tuned and aware, this might blow your minds!
Be on the look out for Jay Willys new album coming soon titled “A LOVE LETTER 2 U”, and be sure to show him some love on his Soundcloud which can be found above and as well as on his instagram which can be found here, and his twitter here.
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