Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jonathan Bryant. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jonathan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
It is an interesting story because I had always been in the arts since I was little boy. If you ask my mom, then it would be when I was in the womb because I would dance in belly. I started with visual art in terms of drawing and painting. I also am a creative writer so I would write poems and song when I was a child and continue to write. When I was little boy, I wanted to be a recording artist because I love to sing, dance and perform. I said that all to say, I didn’t take it serious and really have the drive to start my career until I was 14/15. I was living in San Antonio and I was a dance competition. I was competing with my team as well as I had choregraphed part of our piece. I was the only boy on the team and I didn’t care because I loved to dance. After the competition, a man approach my dad and I to say that he noticed me and the competition and thought I was a good dancer. We talked and my dad explain that we would be moving to Atlanta after my freshmen year (which I did’nt want to leave at all but glad we did). The man said that Atlanta would be a great place to start my career and to found out what was going there once I moved. I did just that. Once we got settled in Atlanta, I was researching and look for auctions everyday. I wanted to find my tribe and start my career and the rest is history.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hello readers, my name is Jonathan Bryant. I am an artist and entrepreneur. When I use the word artist, I use it because that’s what I am. I don’t only do one thing or focus on one aspect of creative artists. I am a singer, dancer, actor, choreographer, teacher, writer, painter and thinker. I love being a creative and expressing myself through art. Creativity has been apart of my DNA since I was a child. I really didn’t have any other choice but to be doing what Im doing now. I am a lover of music, it is in my blood. The way I listen to music is different. I don’t only hear the singing or the production behind it; I hear how they are singing, what they are singing about, what instruments are being used, the production quality, everything! Music is my happy place. As a business man, I own a lifestyle and creative shrives brand names JAYBSMOOVETHEBRAND! ( IG @JAYBSMOOVETHEBRAND, FB @JAYBSMOOVE). The brand consist of three values: MOVEMENT, STYLE AND PERSONALITY. Movement consist of choreography, teaching, and artist development services. Style consist of my styling services for photo shoots, videos, events and also offer personal shopping and closet cleaning. Personality is probably the most important because it consist of my interaction with people. I have been working on my own IG talk show called “Just Be” (IG: @justbetheshow) where I wlll discuss topics that interest me and also things “real” people think about in their daily lives in a Daily Show type of way. The idea for the show and my mission with my business is fro everyone to “Just Be” you! You don’t have to change who you re because life and society are tell you you should. be the best YOU, you can be. I take pride in the unique individual that I am and I want everyone to JUST BE their unique selves and stop trying or wanting to be life everyone else. We are all good enough and that’s what I bring to any and everything I do. I am post proud of my career. Not solely because of the thing I have accomplished but for how I achieved those moments. I never had a mentor to guide me or someone to take me under their wing, I have worked and hustled to make the things happen. I am a Christian, so I give honor to God and him blessing me when these talents and experiences but I have done the work ignorer for him to bless me. Being in entertainment business is not easy. Gratifcation is about of the job and what makes you successful but it can also destroy you. When you have a firm understanding of yourself and what you are on this Earth to do, things will happen to you to destroy you because you have purpose. I know what my purpose is and I want everyone to know that they have purpose and are meant to be on this Earth.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I think my entire journey illustrates resilience. Being an artist comes with criticism, with heartache, with denial but its what pushes me to be better, not for anybody else but myself. A good story though would be when I started doing musical theatre. Now, in real life and if I had the guidance, I should already been working in that space but I was focused on the commercial side of dance. I was in my mid 20s and I was at a point where I need something new and something that I could still perform and be the artist that I am. I wasn’t working in terms of gigs and I wasn’t be looked at for the jobs I thought I should’ve got. I was at a low but I was down. I saw that a regional theatre in Atlanta was having auditions for “Dreamgirls” and I want to audition. I barely had a book which is why we call all of our music and I hadn’t really sung in awhile although I has always been a singer. I auditioned anyway and got a callback. a few days later another theatre was having auditions for In The Heights”. I went, still not having an idea of how the musical theatre medium works but knowing that it was right for me. I ended up booking both shows my first year doing professional theatre. What this story represents is that sometimes what you think you want or deserve isn’t always whats right. Sometimes you have to take a chance and even you feel like you have no idea what you are doing, having the faith to believe you can and pushing through is what makes a true artist.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding for me honestly is performing. I love to perform. I am a natural performer. I like attention. I am a tranparent person and as an artist you want attention. You want the gratification. You want people to acknowledge your work and respect it has worthy. This may sound superficial but the underlining reason is that as a creative, you pour so much of yourself in your art that it I is a piece of you. The someone/people acknowledge that and understand your view, its acceptance. It makes me feel like Im not alone and what I do and how I do it does makes since and their is an audience for me.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @jaybsmoove @jaybsmoovethebrand @justbetheshow
- Facebook: @jaybsmoove
- Twitter: @jaybsmoove
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/sattownboi/videos
Image Credits
IG: @charmservices313