We were lucky to catch up with Jp Youniverse recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jp, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

Honestly, I didn’t. I’ve been a full time yoga teacher for 3 years now and that’s been priority these last few years. I just kind of ended up here. I always wanted to box until I had an accident that left me unable. I found music after that and began teaching myself to write and engineer. A few years later, I started practicing yoga. I fell in love so I became a teacher. Fast forward another few years, Im a full time artist/ Yoga teacher. I decided I wanted to help individuals help themselves, Somewhere in the midst of this, my music went public and some of my students came back to tell me my lyrics helped them navigate certain situations. That’s when I really started pushing it. It doesn’t matter if it’s yoga or art, it’s my way of cleaning up the world.

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?

I’ve written lyrics ever since I was 13. It was never a priority though. I spent a lot of my younger life learning to fight. I trained because I always wanted to be a professional boxer. On my 19th birthday, I got shot in the face by a BB gun. It split open my eye and got stuck in the muscle that moves my eye left and right. It did so much damage that the thought of being a fighter was completely gone.

Soon after, I met a guy that introduced me to recording music as well as engineering. That’s when I started making music. I took a couple college courses on recording, mixing, and mastering then went on to make my own things. I never put anything out though. In 2021 I became a yoga teacher. I balanced teacher yoga and working a warehouse job for about 2 years and then I had my first break. With the help of a studio I taught at, and multiple students I moved to India to further my education. I was there about 3 months. I had never traveled before so it was crazy.

I came back to the states with nothing. I didn’t even have savings. I only had a better certification and a hustle. I started building my yoga career and somewhere in the midst of this I began to release music again. Music with lyrics on par with self improvement. I never meant to end up in this industry, but my people help me just as much as I help them. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is simple… it is to unify. To clean up this world one individual at a time through yoga and creativity. This world is so divided. Difference in religion, opinions, politics, gender etc. Honestly, I think it’s ridiculous. We may be different as individuals, but that does not mean we are separate. Mental health is declining in mass it seems. I only want to help.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Brutal honesty.. financial things. People put in so much money to support celebrities but won’t spend $1.29 to buy your “friends” music. Someone would spend $100 on a ticket to a concert but most people won’t come out for free to support a friend. Buy their music. Buy their merch. At the very least, as your artist friends how you can support to actually make a difference.

Be willing to collaborate. I see this world seems to be stuck on competing. I kinda think that’s dumb. There’s enough out here for everyone.. let’s be real. Have more of a collective mindset

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jpyouniverse?igsh=YjM1eXE2aGFrdzhr&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jp.youniverse?mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2XcyC4JpmPBcxLXRyW00Hf?si=Zhg9FKreTliJtYWIOZNyLw