Interview: Jai’Len Josey Talks Cynthia Erivo Collab and ‘Serial Romantic’
- Sarah Tan
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
If you’ve heard Ari Lennox’s gold-certified hit “Pressure,” you’ve already sung along to Jai’Len Josey’s lyrics. But while her pen has shaped chart-topping tracks for major names in the industry, she’s stepping out from behind the scenes to claim her own crown.
The East Atlanta native possesses an earth-shaking voice and combines her author's eye for detail and a gift for raw and expressive storytelling in her music. These are skills she sharpened early on, performing on Broadway stages in The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage! as “Pearl Krabs” in 2017.
Following the independent success of her 2020 Illustrations EP, she caught the attention of Def Jam Recordings. Under the major label, she continued to climb the ranks with her 2023 project Southern Delicacy, earning widespread critical acclaim and landing a spot as the opening act on Ari Lennox’s Age/Sex/Location tour.
As a magnetic singer-songwriter and Broadway star, she’s now embracing her moment, leveraging a dramatic flair, theatrical edge and deep Southern roots to create music that feels intentional.
Via @jailenjosey official Instagram
Jai’Len dropped her highly anticipated 13-track album, Serial Romantic, on April 24 via Def Jam Recordings. For this full-length debut LP, she teamed up with Grammy-winning producer Tricky Stewart, who served as the project’s executive producer, and other collaborators including Theron Thomas, THE-DREAM, Leon Thomas, and Ben Parris.
While the record’s title was playfully inspired by the “Serial Romantic” aspiration from the popular life simulation game The Sims 4, Jai’Len’s personal interpretation of the phrase runs much deeper than just being a serial dater.
“The album is definitely about being selfish after being selfless for so long,” she shares. “And I think being a serial romantic, yes, in The Sims means being a serial dater. But in my aspect, I feel like being a serial romantic means all of the trials that you go through, through different relationships and through different experiences, whether it’s with family or people or whoever you give your heart to—knowing that at the end of the day, you can’t pour into somebody’s cup if you don’t have anything to pour. And I really do believe that this album signifies the beauty of being selfish for once in your life after you’ve been selfless for a very long time.”
Introduced by a string of brutally honest pre-release singles—like the sultry vibe of “New Girl,” the bold, high-energy “Freak,” the vulnerable boundaries of “Won’t Force You,” and the cinematic, emotionally charged soul of “Housewife”—the record is a masterclass in modern romance and storytelling.
Listeners will quickly notice that Jai’Len refuses to play it safe. The album beautifully pairs rich, moody production with the irreplaceable magic of live music to unpack the chaotic reality of loving without holding back.
On April 17, Mido joined a virtual press conference via Zoom to sit down with Jai’Len, whose incredibly sweet and down-to-earth presence made our conversation feel instantly warm. We talked all about the priceless vocal lessons and life lessons passed down from her mentor, Cynthia Erivo, how she channels her theatre roots into live music, and the way Stevie Wonder’s legendary melodies inspired the heavy Ghettotech (a raw form of electronic dance music originating in the 1990s Detroit that blends high-speed beats with hip hop and house) and dance beats of Serial Romantic.
Watch Jai’Len Josey’s “Housewife” Music Video Here:
Mido: Hi, Jai’Len!
Jai’Len: Hi! How are you doing?
Mido: Oh, I’m doing great! I’m Sarah from Mido, and I have two questions for you today. You’ve mentioned how much Cynthia Erivo helped you move from Broadway into the music industry. Aside from all the business advice, what’s the best tip she’s given you about keeping your voice healthy while switching from theatre to R&B? Also, since you’re both killing it in both worlds, do you think we’ll ever get a collab song or even a project from the two of you?
Jai’Len: [Laughs.] Erm… Yeah… we just gotta pray on that one! She’s definitely like a mentor to me, so I feel like I would get nervous to ask, but I definitely will work up the courage to ask one day.
While a collaboration might require a bit more time, the personal and vocal guidance Jai’Len has received from Cynthia is something she carries with her daily, starting with learning how to protect her peace and her voice.
Jai’Len: And the tips that she’s given me were to be quiet and to just calm myself. I remember she was the producer of one of the shows [called Witness Uganda] that I was in, and she definitely opened up a big door for me. She reminded me that I was definitely obnoxious when I was younger when we met. But she just showed me that you can be calm and that your heart rate can be calm, you can walk with grace and that you can conserve.
For Jai’Len, managing her internal energy directly impacts her vocal delivery and control when she steps onto the stage.
Jai’Len: Because if you're really, really hyped, like your heartbeat’s going really fast, like who knows what’s about to come out of your mouth when you sing. You have to regulate yourself and think before you speak. And that goes with singing as well, so that I’m able to control what I do on stage [or] what I say to the next person. If I can control my heartbeat and my nerves, then I can control the situation [and] the scenario. I can just control what I do and whatever experience that’s happening right then and there. And I think that is something big that she showed me, ’cause she walks with grace. So, you know, she’s my mentor, and I’m grateful for the tips that she gave me.
Mido: That's really great advice, even for, you know, for each and every one of us.
Jai’Len: Yeah, thank you.
Watch Jai’Len Josey’s “Love Ain’t Shit” Music Video Here:
Jai’Len: [Laughs.]
Mido: —and you mentioned that he’s a huge influence on your upcoming album, Serial Romantic. Since Stevie’s the master of making complex music feel really happy and easy to listen to, how did his approach to melody influence the way you produced the Ghettotech and dance elements on this new album?
Jai’Len: Yeah, his influences are so pivotal when it comes to different key changes and just being really smart when it comes to music. And I wanted to outdo myself in that way. I wanted to have different vocal differences.
To challenge herself vocally, Jai’Len further explains how it meant studying the precise ways iconic melodies are put together to trigger a physical reaction from the listener.
Jai’Len: I know in the last song, I believe I do a lot of arpeggios when it comes to runs, and Stevie does a lot of those too. I think his approach to runs in itself is just like the smartest thing ever, like just the cadence of how he crafts a run. And I really wanted to just outdo myself, see if I could challenge myself on my own songs to find pockets of different notes and swings so that I could give myself chills and inevitably give somebody else chills just in the way that Stevie has given to us.
Moving from her vocals to the actual beats, Jai’Len wants her music to feel alive. Even though the album has heavy electronic dance and Ghettotech elements, she insisted on bringing in real, live instruments she fell in love with during her theatre days.
Jai’Len: Musically, when it comes to just production, I made sure that all songs had somewhat a touch of orchestral element or like just an instrument in general, not electronic or just computer-generated. And I made sure that was the stamp because live music is where I live. Coming from Broadway, I used to sit in the pit. When my time was down on stage, I’d go under the stage and just listen to the brass elements and string players, and I was so encapsulated by that, I knew that in every single—anything that I do musically, I needed live instrumentation in it.
Above all else, using live sounds in her production is about creating a rich and accessible musical experience that resonates with everyone, regardless of their musical background.
Jai’Len: I think that Stevie being an instrumentalist and piano player himself is so inspiring that I just needed it for myself. I’m not Mozart, but I know my way around a piano, around a drum beat, around Logic Pro, and I think that's something I want to pass on. Like, just all of my music has to have some touch of an instrument. And I think that Stevie really did something to me in that way. My songs need to sound musically inclined, so that, regardless [of whether] somebody’s smart or somebody who really [doesn’t] know nothing about music, can truly enjoy.
Mido: That's great! That’s it for my questions. Thanks for taking the time to speak with me.
Jai’Len: Thank you so much!
Mido: I'm really looking forward to your release as well!
Jai’Len: Yeah, thank you. Thank you, Sarah!
Serial Romantic is available now on all major streaming platforms.
What’s your favorite song on Serial Romantic? What kind of track do you think Jai’Len and Cynthia Erivo would make on their dream collab? Let us know in the comments or reach out to us on Instagram or X.
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Edited by Michelle Leung
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