Today we’d like to introduce you to Joycelyn Ofori

Hi Joycelyn, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?

Where to start… I’ve always loved music. From singing to writing songs even though I was not aware it was songwriting at that age, music has always been a constant in my life. I grew up listening to different genres and artists from ABBA, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion (my mum’s favourite), and Bob Marley. Celine Dion’s songs A New Day Has Come and My Heart Will Go On were the songs that inspired me to become a singer. I knew from a young age that I wanted to be a “pop star.” I wanted to be on stage, have fans, sing, and perform. But I also wanted to be an artist, have my paintings and drawings showcased in museums.

With this new found goal, I went on to continue singing when I moved to Canada. I joined art class, choir and chapel team, fueling my love for singing and art even more. All throughout, my knack for writing stories and poems slowly started morphing into songwriting, with most being about heartbreak (never having experienced it hahaha). I performed at my school’s talent show as well, conquering my fear of performing in front of people.

After graduating highschool, I joined the choir group in university, only to quit after two sessions. My main reason for quitting had to do with conflicting schedules of my classes and practice and my other reason was simply fear. I was not quite confident despite knowing I wanted to be a performer. My love for music took a hit after quitting choir and I buried myself in work and school, resorting to listening to my favourites and wishing I could be on the stage too.

Ironically enough, in the darkest time of the world – the pandemic – was when I started to reconsider diving back into music. I started with piano lessons, quitting after I could no longer fund it. I set up an instagram account dedicated to my music and started the search for a group that needed a vocalist. Thus began my music journey. A lot of trial and error within groups until I decided to take a shot at going solo. Genuinely my best decision as a future singer/songwriter. I went on to sign a contract with YNA Entertainment and began to take my music in a more personalised direction. I’m challenging myself every day in all aspects and looking forward to what’s to come.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

When it comes to obstacles and challenges, I am my biggest critic and in a way, my own obstacle. My confident used to be at an all time low for quite a long time. I knew what I wanted to be and do but I was too anxious about things out of my control and that remained my roadblock for a long time. Other obstacles included (unfortunately) my parent’s distate for performers and their constant reminder that there were better paths than being a musician/artist.

As for challenges, I think it is a collective of a few things. Keeping up with trends but also staying unique to my sound, finding an audience, and being comfortable enough to engage with my audience. I have always been reserved, only comfortable when I’m with family or in friend settings. My adaptability comes in handy when I’m amongst people I do not know. So being in the spotlight is definitely an adjustment. Filming myself for music videos, tears, pictures are all big challenges that I’m still learning to overcome. I know I can if I keep going but it is still very much something that stands in the way.

Gaining engagements and followings has also proved to be one of my biggest challenge yet. I’m still coming up with ideas and hashtags to get my music noticed, but with a low following on my socials, it’s a challenge yet to overcome.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?

Currently, I am working on a rebrand for myself. After a few trial and errors, I was able to settle down on an artist name and the song I want to release. I have a single and a remix of it, on the way this summer. At this time, I am playing around with genres and different kinds of lyrics and singing styles to find my colour. I hope to release more music this summer and hopefully in the fall as well. While preparing for my releases, I will be working on some covers that will be released on my tiktok and instagram account. I have selected songs of different genres and languages to challenge myself and also engage my audience.

As of now, I am still working on the things that set me apart from others. The answer is not an easy one to give, and I do not want to say something that would come across as cliche or ingenuine. I will just say that I’m still learning and working on the special thing that sets me apart.

I’m most proud of how far I have come so far. From loving music, to leaving it behind only to realise it was the path for me all along. I’m proud of my confidence and my willingness to give things a try and look at what works for my brand and what does not.

What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?

As an underground artist, I hope to break into the industry, not only in popularity, but also in genuineness. I want to be able to make music that not only relates to people, but to also share my life and the experiences I have gone through, turning poems and stories I have written into melodies for people to listen to. Be able to collaborate with other likeminded artists all across the board and experiment different styles of music, including different languages for lyrics.

In the next 5-10 years, I want to have made an impact on people for the better. Just as my favourite artists made me feel with their music, I want to continue doing that for my fans and audience. Looking from the outside as a fan, I see what the audience looks for. I want to be able to incorporate that with my work and make people’s voices heard. I want to set the trend of opening up the door for underground artists like me to get their chance at being on the stage they dream of.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.instagram.com/yna_entertainment/?hl=en
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/l.y.n.ca/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LYNdotca

Image Credits
Canva

Joycelyn Ofori