CLEVELAND, OH – Jay Wells is one of those rare musical prodigies that come about only once in a lifetime, and his most recent single “Open” is just the first testament of that unique talent.
Having spent most of his life training for a career in the arts while attending the prestigious Cleveland School of the Arts, Wells has studied every aspect of the music industry and perfected all the details necessary for a successful career. But training alone isn’t enough to make it big in music, which is why he knows his smooth R&B style and Usher-like vocals will set him apart from the crowd and makes fans flock to his records.
“My sound is a nice combination of some old-school Usher with the pop style of Michael Jackson, and the theatrics and funk and flavor of Bruno Mars,” Wells said. “Being at CSA inspired me to thrive – it pushed me to be better because I was always surrounded by people I considered to be higher caliber and more creative than me. It inspired me to keep working and go hard. And so I took everything I learned from being with other vocalists to chilling with some of the theater department to learn how to act, or hanging with the band people to keep fresh on music theory and chord progressions, or even learning from the graphic designers and writers on how to create good cover art and write better lyrics. I want to model my career after people like Michael Jackson and Usher and Bruno Mars because they were so involved in everything creatively that was happening with their career – even down to the way they entered and exited a stage, every detail was important – and that’s how I am. It has to hit me right and I have to be in love with the music before it goes out.”
His single “Open” is the most recent song that meets his standards of excellence. He describes it as a “smooth R&B vibe” that those who have heard it relate to some of Usher’s early work. The lyrics tell the story of a relationship gone wrong – following a guy who has the opportunity to enter into a new relationship but is hesitant because of emotional wounds from a previous relationship. He decides to give this new person the benefit of the doubt and open himself, even though he knows he shouldn’t.
The single is the first off an upcoming mixtape entitled “Legacy,” which Wells said he plans on dropping later this year after a couple of the singles have gained some traction. “Open,” he said, not only is appropriately named because of the lyrics of the song, but also as an opening introduction to the world of the kind of music he wants to create. And along those lines, “Legacy” is a title that he hopes speaks volumes about the dedication and commitment he brings to his music career.
“Everything on my social media is #thelegacyofjay because that’s what my music career is about,” he said. “I just want to inspire people and use the voice that God gave me. But I also want it to be deeper than that. I want to be able to someday hear people tell me that my music save their life, or touched them, or helped them out of a rough time. My music is all about leaving a legacy, and when I look back on my life I want to see a legacy that I left behind – one where people say my music was phenomenal and the songs had a message and tell a story and touch people. And even beyond the music I want to leave a legacy as a human being who is a great guy.”
Fans who want to sample some of Wells’ music can visit his Soundcloud page, or check him out at one of his upcoming live performances. He’ll be performing at Bowling Green State University Feb. 1, Feb. 22, March 25 and April 20; and he’ll be performing April 1 at the University of Toledo and April 5 at Morehead University.
For more information about upcoming music releases or future live performances, fans can follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
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