Jamison
The first time I heard of Jamison was with the song “Monster” with the brilliant Skyler Cocco. I already enjoyed what she was doing but I got to study her music a bit more after listening to her latest release “Queen” with the amazing Kimmie Devereux. Co-produced with Zach Miller, “Queen” is a pop female anthem highlighting catchy melodies and Kimmie’s stunning vocals. The single already reached over 198 000 streams on Spotify and is currently gaining attention on TikTok, especially among the LGBTQ+ community. And I’m sure the song will keep receiving more love worldwide :)
Thank you so much Jamison for this conversation, you are awesome !
“Queen” is now available :)
Photo credit: Adrieana Blazin
Introduce yourself - what's your story?
Hi! I’m Jamison Fox aka Jamison. I am a pop songwriter, manager, collaborative artist, and multi-instrumentalist born and raised in Wyckoff, New Jersey, now based in Nashville, TN. I began playing trumpet at the age of 9 and writing poetry and songs when I was a teen as an outlet for my angsty, but mostly emotional self. If you’re into astrology and personality types, I’m a pisces and an 8. I was/am a proud band geek, first chair of my high school wind ensemble, and marching band section leader two years in a row. After high school, I studied Music Education at The College Of New Jersey followed by a graduate degree and certification in Music Therapy at Montclair State University. During my senior year at TCNJ, a friend encouraged me to pick up the guitar again and I haven’t stopped creating since.
What did you grow up listening to?
My mom always put on the classic rock stations and top 40 as well. When I think back to the music I held close in middle school I think of Michelle Branch, Avril Lavigne, Alanis Morissette, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers as well as whatever was playing on Z100. I also grew up listening to the music of the 90s including Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Backstreet Boys, N’SYNC, and my favorite, the Spice Girls.
When did you start making music? What was the biggest challenge when you first started?
This is a tricky question because I’ve been in music since I was 9 years old and first started playing trumpet in school. I dabbled and self taught myself keyboard (mostly chords and simple melodies) and later picked up guitar in college. However, if I relate this question to the type of music I’m making now, I would say I started making music about 8 years ago and then seriously considering it as a career, about 6 years ago. The biggest challenge was and continues to be finding a fanbase and audience and the big question “how can I make a living pursuing music full time?”
What gave you the confidence to be an artist and release your original music?
I laughed a little reading this question because I’m not what you think of when you think of a “typical” artist. In my early 20s I had an alt pop band and we recorded and released music but those projects never felt authentic to me. What really gave me the confidence to release my own original music was when I realized I could have someone else sing/perform my songs. This representation of my music now has never felt more genuine to me and I absolutely love sharing my music in this way!
"Queen" is your latest single - what's the story/inspiration behind this single?
The details are a little fuzzy now, but I had brought this concept about confidence and already having a “queen” to a co-writing session with local Nashville artist/writer MAYLYN that I connected with while I was still in NJ and she loved it. We originally wrote this as a topline for a smaller producer but after the session I couldn’t part with it and luckily her team was on board. Fast forward a few months later, a manager friend of mine suggested I reach out to Kimmie Devereux and we connected around April. I loved her music and that she was also LGBT. In May, I asked her if she wanted to be the voice of “Queen” and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have her as my co-artist!
Could you describe the songwriting/production process for this song? How was it like to work with Kimmie Devereux?
The production on Queen was a collaboration between me and Zach Miller. I produced a demo and sent it his way with references and then we got on a zoom call to elevate and amplify my ideas. He’s a phenomenal guitar player and producer/engineer and really understands my musical visions. Kimmie is nothing short of incredible! She’s so intentional when it comes to music and content and I could not ask for a better co-artist! We had a lot of fun cutting these vocals together in Femke’s studio here in Nashville and have plans to do a lot more with this song in the new year which is also very exciting!
What's your favorite thing about this single?
My favorite thing about this single is the support we’ve been getting. We both had no idea TikTok was going to be so hugely influential to the song and its audience. The amount of videos that have used our song to share loving relationships with their significant other but also as an anthem for female empowerment is incredibly beautiful and rewarding. I am so grateful for the overwhelmingly positive responses!
What made you want to release "Queen" as a single?
There was something in my gut that said “this song is yours and it's special” so I went with it! I’m glad I did, because it seems that “Queen” has really resonated with its listeners, especially members of the LGBT community.
What are you looking for in artists when collaborating with them?
I look for a few things. First I look for a great voice and if I personally feel drawn to and connect with the artist’s music. Next I look for drive because a song doesn’t end after it’s written, and it definitely doesn’t end after it’s been released. I want to work with artists who have the same burning desire and passion to create music from start to finish. And thirdly, I look for reliability. Being reliable in this industry (and of course life) makes all the difference. Someone’s ability to commit and follow through says a lot about them and the likelihood of success.
As a producer, what equipment and softwares do you usually use?
I mainly use Ableton, which is where I create my demos. Many of the producers I co-produce with also use the same DAW. It’s really cool to watch them take what I’ve done and build it out together even further.
As an artist, what is the hardest part? And what is the best part?
For me, the hardest part is figuring out what music to share and when to share it 1. because I’m always creating new content and 2. because I work with different producers and writers/artists so putting it all together and getting a project finished can sometimes be quite the challenge. Then there’s also the possibility that a song I’ve put time, money, passion, and energy into might not get the attention I’m hoping for. The best part is creating! I love everything about the writing/creative process. It’s really cool to reflect and look back on how a song came to be once it’s finished and out in the world.
What are your thoughts on today's music industry? If you could change one thing, what would it be?
My thoughts on today’s music industry is that it is extremely unbalanced. Royalties are a mess. Songwriters are undervalued. Labels take and control too much. On the other hand though, we have an incredible amount of freedom to create and do whatever we want. As mentioned above, we need to even the playing field for songwriters who are still being paid based on a law from 1909.
What biggest lessons have you learned since the beginning of your career?
This is a tough one! I’m going to share two different lessons. The first is balance. I want to be successful in this industry so badly that I’ve often sacrificed my own mental health to reach my goals. I’m really now just learning how important creating balance is because burnout and stress will eventually wear you down and also make you unhappy. The second lesson I’ve learned is to educate yourself. We all learn by making mistakes, but there are a lot of loopholes in an industry like this. It’s so important to learn your craft but also the business of your craft. I recommend that everyone take the time to educate themselves on the basics about publishing/writing/master royalties, how to read a contract (unless you can afford a good lawyer but even then), how and when to send your songs to an industry professional, appropriate production/mix/master rates; I could go on and on but I think I’ve made my point!
What advice would you give to artists?
There is no right or wrong way to navigate the music industry. It’s a lot of learning and experience and you are going to make fleeting connections and spend money you wish you hadn’t. Don’t sweat it, it’s all part of the journey! As long as you can recognize what feels good to you, sounds good to you, and who you feel good being around, keep moving in that direction. Listen to your mind and your body, they’re always right. And don’t try to control everything, the universe is on your side if you let it be!
What message do you want to deliver to the world?
This is kind of a threefold but interconnected message -- Stay true to yourself, if you love something never stop working towards it, and remember to take the time to appreciate friends and family in the process.
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