We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jordan Yewey. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jordan below.
Jordan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?
Oh man, what a loaded question… but one I have contemplated many a time. To give you some back story, I have always been drawn to music. As I have mentioned before my dad bought me my first guitar when I was only 4 and the first time I remember actually sitting down, putting pen to paper, and formulating lyrics I was only 8. And when asked what she wanted to be when she grew up 12 year old me was most definitely quoted in her 6th grade yearbook proclaiming, “I want to be a Rockstar, despite my advance math skills which will never help me in the real world.” This just proves that 1) Yes, I have always been hella sassy (tiger can’t change her stripes ya’ll) and 2) For as long as I can remember I have known in the depths of my soul I was meant to be a songwriter. Ironically it wasn’t until recent years I fully began pursuing music full time.
I have very thankfully seen success in pursuing my music and I often used to find myself thinking “Just imagine where you could’ve been if you started pursuing your music sooner.” However, I am a big proponent in everything happens for a reason and looking back on my life I can see that every moment, mistake, and detour, no matter if by choice or accident, led me right to where I am now. I spent a lot of years working meaningless jobs and dating ass holes and propelling myself in every other direction besides the one I undoubtedly knew I should be headed down, but thank the universe I did because it made me a much stronger person. Because of the things I have been through I have a lot more confidence and conviction in who I am and the decisions I make.
Beyond that, I may have written my first lyrics at age 8 but it wasn’t until recent years I feel my songwriting and my delivery became as strong and emotional as it is. I look back and I can see that after my first real heartbreak at age 18 I started writing stronger songs. Songs that actually meant something and were relatable. And with every hardship or joy that has happened in my life over the course of the last decade since then, I can see those moments and the lessons I have learned reflected in my songwriting. So could I have pursued my music sooner? Yes. Would I have seen some success? Possibly. However would I be as steadfast in my beliefs and intentions? Would I write the type of music I do now? Would the emotions behind my music be as strong? Most definitely not. I’m sure Dorothy would have loved to skip right to Oz, but she had to waltz down the yellow brick road first, and in doing so just look at the people she met along the way, the lessons she learned, and all that jazz. I think that analogy sounded better in my head, but you get the idea.
So anyway, I am very thankful for the years it took me to get where I am because not only am I who I am (say that 3 times fast haha), but I write better music. Music I hope people enjoy and can relate to because they too have experienced the pain, the happiness, and just the sheer emotion that I try and capture in my music, whatever it may be. And to all those out there running down a dream just know no two people’s paths look the same. There is not a manual on how you need to navigate your life and get to where you’re going. As long as you stay steadfast in your dreams and do your best in each moment you are sure to get there. And always remember if you don’t like the path you are on or the direction you’re heading on, you always have the capacity to change it. You are the curator of your own life and don’t ever let anyone tell you any differently. That, and all things happen for a reason.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
As I mentioned in the last section, music has always been in my veins. I honestly cannot remember a time when I wasn’t singing or performing. I mean even before I can remember I was doing so… my mom even has a picture of me at age 2 or 3 on top of the kitchen table singing into a turkey baster. I feel very blessed to have that love and passion for music ingrained in me. However, it wasn’t until age 8 I started writing and age 12 I started learning how to ACTUALLY play guitar (I would always mess around but had no clue what I was doing and this was way before youtube tutorials ya’ll!) When I was younger I performed in a few talent shows, and I definitely was known amongst my friends and family for my singing and songwriting. I was even voted “Most likely to win American Idol” by my classmates my senior year which at the time I thought was so cool cause I beat out all the theater and choir kids, which was a big deal to me since I actually was turned away form those programs since I couldn’t read music. I’m not actually formally trained in anything, even vocals, and the years of guitar I took was super untraditional and very off the cuff. I only know the little piano I do because my best friend in sixth grade, Sammy Puccini, showed how chords were played, and I was able to piece together how to translate my guitar to the keys. In the end this actually made it kind of difficult for me because a lot of the traditional routes a decade ago, at least that I was aware of, required you to have that skillset, so I always kind of felt like I was on the fringes. This especially came to the forefront when I was heading to college and I really wanted to pursue and study music but I wasn’t accepted cause once again I didn’t have that formal training.
When I went off to college I had really hard time because I had NO IDEA WHAT I WAS DOING. All I’ve ever wanted to do is be a musician and there I was at age 18 an astronomy major, heartbroken (shout out to my first love), and I think this is really when I retreated into myself and struggled because I did not know how to make my dreams a reality. It’s really easy to say you want to be a rock star, different story when you are actually faced with reality and how you’re going to pay your bills and all that bull shit. I still remember being 21, about to graduate and I was hell bent on moving to Nashville but I was SO AFRAID to go it alone and it seemed like such a pipe dream. But as I mentioned before all things happen for a reason, and ironically this was really when I started crafting songs that meant something and I began perfecting how I write music.
After college I started working immediately… seriously like 3 days after graduation, and although my singing and songwriting was still well beknown to my family it somehow became this sort of secret thing I knew I was good at but seriously… no one around me had a clue I was a singer-songwriter. All the while though I was always writing, always practicing, and pouring myself into my craft, no matter how secret it was at the time. This period of my life was so odd looking back, but honestly it gave me some of my best songs so hallelujah!
Fast forward I really only started performing and gigging somewhat coincidentally, though ya know I really don’t believe in coincidences… but that’s a story for another time. And years later here I am, gigging full time, with more songs written than I know what to do with, and working on putting out my first EP. Life’s weird.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
I think when we are young we have it all figured out. Yes as kids we are childish and naïve, but we also have a very strong sense of self and we have the capacity to dream impossible dreams with such conviction. It’s only as we grow older our impressionable selves are told to make ourselves smaller, be more realistic, fit in and conform to what everyone else expects of us. This is how you’ll survive. This is the only way to be happy. This is one of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn. When I was younger I wore whatever I wanted, I spoke my mind, and I dreamt such vivid, beautiful dreams and I really feel like as I grew older I was taught it was weird to dress differently, inappropriate to be loud, and stupid to think I could do whatever I wanted with my life, no matter how deeply I felt that was my sole purpose for being and no mater how much I loved it. It took a lot of deprogramming and hard looks in the mirror over the last few years to really nurture my inner child again and become the version of myself I wanted to be as opposed to what everyone else expected.
I really feel like if we started fueling kids dreams instead of stifling them with age we would be living in an entirely different world. One with more love and acceptance, less hate and injustice, and just brimming with a bunch of humans that are being exactly who they are and doing what they love. Wow I sound like a hippie, but I damn I mean it haha.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
Support your local artists! Like in the case of music per example, there is SO MANY amazing musicians and bands out there and by showing up and supporting smaller concerts and showcases you are really nurturing that creative ecosystem. This goes for all types of arts and creative pursuits as well. This may mean sitting and listening to songs you’ve never heard because they are not big name artists per say, but by listening and fueling those artists pursuits you are really buying into a much bigger picture. I think that’s what makes the arts so great… it’s subjective and there is so many different types of art, music, etc etc and by supporting local artists you are really helping feed that diversity and creativity. Not to mention, it’s hard to make it as an artist! I don’t mean in terms of fame and notoriety, but just in terms of making a living. When you tip someone at a gig or buy someone’s art not only are your fueling that artists creativity but you are fueling them financially and helping them make a living and keep pursuing that which they love. I can’t even imagine how many amazing artists are out there in secret or who give up pursuing their craft because they can’t afford it. Just showing up and supporting local artists honestly makes a world of difference.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/Jordanyeweymusic
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordanyeweymusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JordanYeweyMusic
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@jordanyeweymusic
Image Credits
Rylee Fagen