Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jasmine Diane. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jasmine , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

Yes, definitely. Although, a career in the church scene is a bit different than what I’ve experienced outside of that world. In that world all you have to do is be committed to to God and the church. Through community there is elevation. I didn’t have a real understanding of what career meant outside of that environment until I was much older. It was a difficult adjustment; I had to fight for my voice more and be strong in spaces I didn’t expect. But once I realized that you could get paid to play music, I was like bet, that’s it. I want to do to this.. Forever. If they pay, even better. But even now, money is secondary to me. The love of craft is first for sure.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Like a lot of musicians in the south, I started in church. I played any instrument and sang in any setting I could find. After I came out, there weren’t any churches that I knew of where I could still be in leadership. And that meant I could not play music on the stage. So without really even trying, I was introduced to a local band. After doing a few gigs with them I eventually met a local rapper, and we very quickly began recording and performing together and started our own rap group. I learned a lot in those early days. Now my music is my own. My music is just me being real. I’m at that point in my career where I’m trying to put my heart out there. Lead with love. Push for equality. I’m a lesbian, bi-racial, I’m black and I’m proud.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I want my music to help people like me to not feel alone. Everytime there is a black, gay, female in music, tv or in our government; I feel that. It’s such an exciting thing. I don’t think people outside of the POC community get how much it means. I know we have so much father to go; But, when I see black joy represented in a genuine way it just puts me in a good place. Being gay in the south can be a very difficult. Most of the time when I go out (especially post Trump), there is an interaction where I’m left feeling sad or frustrated when I get home. If putting myself out there with music and being vocal about my experiences, then maybe I can be part the change I am so vigorously behind.

Have you ever had to pivot?

My favorite pivot was going from punk to rap. I love so many genres of music. I have a piano ballad out as a single, it belongs to a much bigger project that will come out when the time is right. I have a few ukulele songs written as well that will be out in a full album next year. So even now I am pivoting in many ways with all of my music. I think as a musician, sometimes there is an assumption that we have been in that particular genre or style forever. But in my opinion, more often than not many of us pivot many times. I started in church, now I am an out lesbian rapper. Now that was a whole ass pivot.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Instagram.com/jasminedianemusic
• Facebook: Facebook.com/jasminedianemusic
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@jasminedianemusic

Image Credits
Destiny Tomes