We were lucky to catch up with Jay Khosla recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jay, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I started BlueJay Records when I was in 8th grade, living in San Antonio, Texas. At the time, I was just getting into playing music and learning instruments when I had just started my very first band called The Devoid. I was obviously quite new to the SATX music scene and wasn’t sure how I was to go about getting my band gigs. I figured that if my band was not well known enough to be getting asked to play shows, I would seek out venues or oppourtunities to get my band gigs, just to start out. I began my efforts to put together a first show for the new band I had started with friend of mine, Sam Godoy called Helix Theory. This first show was actually the first of the SA annual music festival Z Fest, of which I have continuously put on each summer since 2017 and am currently in the process of planning for 2022’s Z Fest.

I have always had a love of connecting with new people and I figured that half of learning about this music scene and getting started had to be just getting in touch with the right people, so I began researching about local businesses or companies that worked in the SA music scene that would be willing to collaborate on my music festival idea. It was not long before I came across a local company called San Antonio SoundGarden. After pitching my idea, and scheduling a meeting to discuss further details, I specifically remember the excitement I felt sitting in my 8th grade classes in school that day, knowing I had a meeting after school to discuss Z Fest. To be honest, it still astounds me to this day just how open-minded and accepting the people at SASG, specifically Edwin Stephens and Adam Tutor, were when they were discussing things with my 13 year old self. Especially because in those days, the emo hair had not yet left the picture haha.

To find artists for Z Fest, I puruesed Instagram and local open mic nights at Sam Ash Music, which is where I met the members of Beachside Manor, then called Moonscape, particularly Brandon Huertes, Ashley Flores, Kevin Rakoshi and more. I also met the night I had met the members of Moonscape Hunter Billingsley who I had invited, in addition to Moonscape, to be a part of Z Fest. Much like with SASG, thinking back, I am just so grateful that these musicians took such a gamble on me at that age and really worked with me to create what was truly a wonderful event and a beautiful, beautiful memory for me.

Post Z Fest, I was still in Helix Theory, trying to determine between the band and BlueJay Records, what my calling was. I knew I enjoyed performing and being around the music scene but in what capacity? During my time in Helix Theory (2017-2019), I continued this idea of BlueJay Records as a functional booking and management agency of sorts for anyone that would be interested in working with me. As the years went on, I began to broaden my roster of artists, most notably in bands like Noise Quota, Aztec Eagles, Space Wlvs, Xenobia, River Tones and more. Near to when Helix Theory ended, I began to contract with El Luchador Bar as an outside hire of sorts, crafting events and shows with El Luchador from 2018-2019. It was during this time that I realized my true passion for working with bands and artists and doing whatever I could to help them and also the music scene. It was then that I realized that I felt most called to do BlueJay Records full time. However, life had other plans. In August of 2019, I moved to Mons, Belgium for familial obligations. The new challenge was now to functionally run a record label from 5000 miles away with a 7 hour time difference to boot while finishing high school. But the struggles didn’t stop there, with Covid-19 dealing a massive blow to every music scene, everywhere. Regardless, I, and like the rest of the tenacious SATX music scene, pressed on. I moved back to San Antonio in June of 2021.

Since then, I have put my heart and soul into the label, continuing events such as Z Fest for 6 years now as well as our returning event, the Singer/Songwriter showcase for 3 volumes. We have signed over 3 dozen artists and bands from all over the world and have been working with many of them for over 4 years now. I am massively proud of BlueJay’s accomplishments and we truly have only scratched the surface as to what we have hopes to achieve in the years to come.

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 background and context?

BlueJay Records essentially is a management and booking label that works out of San Antonio, TX. Our main objective is to work with bands and artists from all over, primarily SA, that are new or old and help them achieve their goals in ways that not only nurture them as musical endeavors but also help foster a better connected, more vibrant, and positive music scene in San Antonio.

What I believe sets BJR apart from other companies is that we don’t charge to collaborate. Our focus is, and always has been, to work with new people and build connections. That is honestly my favorite part about getting to do BlueJay. It is the very reason that I still have friendships with musicians in New York or Germany or Belgium still.

Out of everything, I would want new readers to know that not only is the SATX music scene present and still thriving, but it is also still growing and evolving. Furthermore, I would love for everyone to know that whilst BlueJay Records is a passion project for many, it still has the spirit of an excited 13-year-old kid who was blown away by the compassion of the SA music scene when he wanted to get involved.

I’d like to take this moment to give a shoutout to all of the wonderful bands and artists that currently are on the BlueJay Records label.

Chasing Paradise

Aztec Eagles

Wiley Martinez

Nebulous Music

Jeremy Brosch

No Surprises

River Tones

Fauxster

Exit Gate

Theatreclass

Space Wlvs

Silver Lync

Astro Current

Emile Lantana

Glass Jungles

Life Underfoot

The Lemon Trees

Xenobia

Sedulous

Casanova Flip

Chillxzion

Momarazzi

Sage Motel

Nuclear Nation

Broke in China

Murdered Out

Lemon Disco

Vince Spano

Cyan Drive

Kings of New Ground

Eyes like Fire

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I would say the most effective strategy for growing a clientele in this line of work is to not be scared to get to know people and to make friends with new people. To be honest, that’s really all I’ve done, is get to know the right people and they have been gracious enough to collaborate right back with me. I immediately think of Chris Blakey, a local booking legend in the SA scene, who I have known since I was 13. When I met him all the way back then, he was one of the first people who believed in my potential and helped me get to where I am today. I owe a lot of counsel and so many opportunities to him and I wouldn’t have had the chance to work with him had I not just tried to make friends in the scene by getting in touch with bands, artists or venue owners, or even fellow booking agents. BlueJay lesson #1: Don’t be afraid to make friends!

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

One of my favorite memories with BlueJay is a rather recent one with Z Fest 2021, the 5th year anniversary held at Brick at Bluestar in August of 2021. I remember I had just moved back to San Antonio from Belgium in June of that year and I was still getting my lay of the land. With graduation and moving and the summer already going to be very busy, I wasn’t even sure I was going to put on a Z Fest that year. However, at the last second, I decided to go through with and I was ecstatic to be able to work with Brick at Bluestar to put together a very last-minute Z Fest, of which they were amazing to work with, specifically MJ and Mateo. Even though it wasn’t as planned out in advance as other Z Fests have been, Brick and all the bands and artists involved made it such a fun and wonderful year that really made me welcomed back to the scene with a big hug.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jaykhosla.wixsite.com/bluejayrecords
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluejayrecords/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BJRsatx/

Image Credits
Photos by Circustank Photography, Oscar Moreno Photography and Lopez Captures