Gospel has always been synonymous with dance music. Think back to early Motown or Soul, and you will see the straight line to the dance floor. Now as the world turns and searches for new hope through the Word, Dr Jaymz is bringing that underlying sense of Peace, Love, Unity, harmonies and beats to the EDM experience.
Hi Dr Jaymz,fFor those that haven’t heard of you yet, how would you best describe your sound and who have been your biggest influences so far?
First of all, my biggest influence is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the saviour of my soul. He inspires me with lyrics that give people hope. In terms of musical influences, it’s been artists like Zedd, David Guetta, Tiesto and the late Avicii. My particular sound can probably be described as gospel house, which pivots between UK house and nu-disco.
Do you remember what the first song was that made you want to start a career in music?
Difficult to pinpoint one song, but in the early days it was bands like Earth, Wind and Fire, Michael Jackson and George Benson.
And what other artists have you found yourself listening to lately?
Lately, I’ve been listening to anything from slap house bass artists like Alok, to more eclectic sounds from Jacob Collier.
We admire your single ‘Set Me Loose’. Can you tell us how that track came about? Is there a story behind it?
I wanted to produce a stellar UK house track based on “Bed,” the highly successful release from David Guetta and Joel Corry. So I borrowed ideas for their arrangement and sound designs, but not their lyrics. As with most EDM songs, the lyrics are promiscuous, but I used the music to tell a gospel story of finding joy, hope and peace in Christ.
And was there a particular style you were looking for when you wrote it?
Yes, A UK house sound, which is trending right now
Can we expect a new EP, or even an album from you in the near future?
I recently released an EP so I’m not looking to release another one, or an album anytime soon. It’s a big ask to expect listeners to spend 20-40 minutes of their time listening to your new release. But spending 3 minutes listening to a single is more feasible and is more likely to become chart.
The pandemic outbreak has obviously affected everyone’s plans, but what have you got in store for the rest of the year?
My plan is to release a single every month or two. I have 3 finished masters ready to release with more in the pipeline, from commercial EDM to dope slap house bass.
And finally, what is the best piece of musical advice you have ever been given?
Make music you enjoy and like Quincy Jones once said, ‘Don’t get stuck in one area of music. Be humble with your creativity.’