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

Jetty, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

My debut EP “Take Off” is by far the most meaningful project I’ve ever worked on. I wrote every song from that project when I first moved to Harlem in 2017. Between 2017 and the EP’s release in 2023, I faced numerous obstacles that nearly prevented me from releasing any music at all. As a way to honor all the years spent sitting on those masterpieces, I decided to give each song its own animated character reflective of who I was at the time of writing it. That is what truly makes this project special to me – it is a tribute to all the versions of myself that kept music alive.

Jetty, 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?

For those just tuning in, welcome to Jetty World! I’m a singer, songwriter, video editor, painter, voice actress, and overall creativity enthusiast. I entered these fields by blending creative entrepreneurship with artistic curiosity.
My love for singing really began when I wrote my first song on my parents’ living room piano. While music was my forte, I’ve always had a fascination with everything around me. That’s why my family nick-named me Jet Ray – due to my tendency to whimsically explore different endeavors. They were originally referring to how I played with toys as a kid, but that sense of exploration just grew with me. I went to piano, guitar, and saxophone lessons, attended art and film camps, shot and edited segments for my school’s channel, joined theater, choir, field hockey, band — basically anything I felt drawn to. I never believed that excelling in multiple areas was out of reach.
But once you graduate and have to narrow your interests down to what can sustain your life, it’s hard for the all around creative to find their place. It’s challenging being a Jet of all trades in a world that says you should only master one. Thankfully, the rebellion of that notion ultimately shaped me and my art into who I am today — Jetty.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

As a multi-faceted artist, pivoting comes with the territory. Growing up, my two biggest passions were music and making videos. After graduating from Norristown Area High School in 2013, I moved across the country to study video editing at Columbia College Chicago. Despite fiercely considering majoring in vocal performance, I opted for editing due to its potential job stability. But I couldn’t shake my love for music and even went on to win Columbia’s talent competition with my song “Temple”. After graduating in 2017, and working as a freelance video editor, I was still trying to find my way as a musical artist. I moved back to my parent’s house to regroup, but that lasted all of two months. After persistent conversations about my next steps, I moved to Harlem, New York to pursue a creative life.
When my freelancing job slowed, I turned to walking dogs and selling my paintings — something I had initially done for fun — to pay rent. In just two years, I went from selling paintings for $40 to selling thousand-dollar portraits and doing body art at renowned events.
But a major shift happened again when the pandemic hit in 2020. Being confined to my apartment, I pivoted back to my video editing skills and secured a job at a post-production company. That, in turn, kickstarted my voice-over career when I started recording for their commercials. Within that time, I made it a point to document my journey through my music and artwork, and now the world is finally getting its first glimpse.
I say this to say, I’ve become a melting pot of all the paths I’ve taken. I’ve come to embrace change as a natural part of life – adjusting to challenges that come my way, constantly pivoting until I find a path that works, and being open to new knowledge and experiences that may lead me to pivot again.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My creative journey is just the continuous creation of myself while simultaneously rebelling against forces that seek to change me. My goal is to share that story, and I am grateful to be able to convey it with my art. As I share Jetty World with other creatives who are ready for a journey towards self-exploration, I hope they also find that it is a place to discover and uncover every gem hidden within themselves.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/jettythefinesser
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jettythefinesser/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC27JIea7i1v42ZZSoZNMmPg