We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Justyn Cairo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Justyn thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

Ever since I joined middle school chorus, music has been an integral part of my life. Like many others, I grew up in a negative environment, so music became my escape. Whether I was listening to Future or singing in choir, I realized that music can be comforting to people who are dealing with struggles. I decided to become an artist in order to give back and help people realize that they are not alone. Music has a unique ability to elicit emotions and truly affect people’s lives, and I hope that my music can help people in that same way.

Justyn, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Born and raised on Long Island but with connections to Miami, I create music that is as diverse as my background. I developed my technique by studying classical vocal repertoire and by listening to contemporary artists, including Young Thug, Pop Smoke, Future, 21 Savage, Chris Brown, Post Malone, and Flo Rida. I pride myself on my versatility, combining modern rap styles with my own musical influences to develop a unique sound. Since I was just ten years old, I knew that I wanted to help people around the world, and now I have the opportunity to do so through music. For me, music is an outlet as well as a form of self-expression that provides comfort to people through tough times. I hope to inspire listeners in the same way that music has inspired me to overcome various struggles in my life.
At the age of sixteen, I began to see professional success with the release of my self-produced debut single “Forget About You.” In November 2020, I dropped my debut mixtape, Heart of Gold, featuring the hit song “Alex French,” which garnered over three million views on TikTok and attracted the attention of multiple celebrities, including its namesake. Recently, I have been expanding my musical horizons and experimenting with a variety of different genres including drill, grunge, and old-school R&B.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The best part about making music, aside from the creative process, is seeing how people react to the final product. There’s no way of telling how many people will enjoy a song before it’s released, but when strangers tell me that my music really moved them, that makes me feel like I’m doing something right. It’s the most rewarding feeling in the world to see people genuinely enjoying and singing along to songs that I created.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Opportunities in the music industry are difficult to come by. Unless you’re already well-connected or established, it takes a lot of willpower and sheer persistence to get that first break. It might take 100 posts on TikTok just for one to go viral, which I can attest to personally. Similarly, I applied to perform at countless venues before I booked my first gig, but once I got that one, I was able to book more. Never let rejection stop you from pursuing your dreams.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.justyncairo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justyncairo/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/justyncairo
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnO_FBW_J1NKDDwAOcHqoaw
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@justyncairo?lang=en

Image Credits
Sydney Billings, Reese Putnam, and Nicole Yarling