Jai’Len Josey on stage/ Def Jam
East Atlanta-bred singer-songwriter Jai’Len Josey has released her debut album, Serial Romantic. Backed by Def Jam Records, the album features some of the biggest names in the industry, including producer Tricky Stewart. Josey did the writing herself.
Josey has spent a better part of her adult career on Broadway, with appearances in The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage! She has written for other artists and also made multiple indie releases that built up to Friday’s debut.
In an interview with Essence, the rising star said that she has always wanted to tell her own stories, hence her decision to become a recording artist. After joining Def Jam, Josey’s sound evolved into a smooth amalgamation of house, R&B, and soul influences.
Serial Romantic is everything the name promises. It’s a narration about relationships and love, as captured in songs like Wont Force You and Housewife. The songs showcase not only her talent but her willingness to openly self-reflect and accept judgment.
In her pre-release interview, she described being excited but also overwhelmed, stating that “I’m ready to get in the ring and put up my fist to fight.” Now with the album out, Josey has started a new phase of her career and, by extension, her entire life. From behind the scenes into the spotlight.
Based on her Instagram page, Friday’s debut came after the album had been pushed back many times. She says the most time-consuming part of getting ready for the release was visuals. “We wanted to put out a music video, so we had to pivot and come up with different ways of promoting each single.” They eventually ended up using visualizers, leading to significant project delays.
Josey reveals that her career on Broadway helped with her album, saying that it made her realize she didn’t want to keep singing other people’s songs. She started using her free time to write songs. When she and her mom finally moved back to Atlanta from New York, she decided to finally do music full-time.
Her biggest inspiration for the album, however, she says, came from the legends. Her covers for Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson, and years of listening to Nina Simone, paid off well for her first project.
Her mother planted the first seed for her love of music. Their home was constantly blasting with ghetto tech instrumentals. She credits the songs that her mother played in her early years for awakening the creative genius in her. She admits that living in Atlanta made it hard not to pursue music, stating that hearing loud music at gas stations or going to Westside Motor Lounge makes her music Southern by default.
The artist traces her roots to Tri-Cities High School, which also boasts OutKast, Kandi Burruss, and many Broadway stars as its alumni. In her interview with Essence, she states that knowing that she is part of history makes her life meaningful.
She chose the title for her new album, Serial Romantic, long before she wrote the first song for the album. But she also toyed with the idea of naming it The Heart of Josey, with the album cover showcasing her heart as an external part of her. But she decided to keep it light in line with the energetic nature of the songs in the album.