Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to J-Claud. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi J-Claud, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on so far is the “I AM J-CLAUD” album that I recently released. Back when I was finishing up my last project “In Plain Sight” which I recorded during Covid and released on New Year’s Day of 2021, I started making the beats for this project. I really didn’t have a time frame of when I wanted the album to be done because I wanted to make sure that it flowed naturally. Also one of the things that made this project one of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on so far is the fact that this would be the first official album released under the “Hiyer Learning” label, which is my own music company that I started. The reason that this album is called “I AM J-CLAUD” is because on this project I was making a statement about who I am as an artist and what I’m contributing to music. I blend so many styles in my music and I think a lot of times we get caught up in trying to fit in one genre or another, but I am J-Claud so to hell with your classifications. I’m making music that speaks to me and I’m on a journey to express myself through my music as genuine as possible.
J-Claud, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I got into the recording arts when I was in high school. Before that I was just more of a writer than anything else, and I would sing in the choir at church. Once I got to high school a lot of things in my life changed and music and sports became my outlet. I think because I grew up with such a diverse surrounding and welcoming people from all walks of life is a normal practice in my family, this allowed me to be open to so many styles of music. I’d say that’s where my versatility comes from. With Hiyer Learning we want to champion versatility and how all the many different pieces of a puzzle come together to make one image. Integrity, Passion, and Courage are three of our core values, which is some of the reasons why I think we are a great brand to connect with.
What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?
I think one of the things we can do as a society is truly stand behind small business. A lot of us know someone with their own business yet we fail to support them. We are quick to complain about large companies but we have a hard time putting the work in to support up and coming small businesses.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
I think my main mission is to provide options and opportunities while making a positive impact on the community around us. I want to provide more options musically for people to listen to, and also create a space for other artists/creatives to display their work.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jclaud37?igsh=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-wiggins-ill-9a339a25?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@JClaud?si=9VQYlm2HNKGQdvhx