[EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW] Jhameel “Into the Lion’s Den”

Jhameel the singer-songwriter, producer, linguist, and occasional Italian food aficionado, is preparing to release his 3rd full album titled, “Lion’s Den.”

Jhameel’s music style is a rich fusion of Indie and Pop, mixing his narrative lyrics and innovative production style, creating a unique sound all his own. He garnered a large following sharing his music on sites like Hype Machine and creating partnerships with Forever 21, H&M, and even Verizon. Jhameel’s new album was made possible thanks to his dedicated fans, who for his recent Kickstarter, surpassed the $10,000 donation goal and reached $12,000+!

The “Lion’s Den” era begins tomorrow with the release of the first Music Video for the first single “Feisty” from the upcoming album, so be sure to get acquainted with Jhameel in this interview!

Check out Jhameel’s interview with HypnoticAsia below!

HYPNOTICASIA: Please introduce yourself to all of our readers out there.

JHAMEEEL: My name’s Jhameel, I’m an indie-pop artist from the Bay Area now based in Los Angeles.  I’ve been known to cook lasagna pretty well.

HYPNOTICASIA: We heard you are releasing your third album in spring 2013, how is your third album  different from your first, “Jhameel” and second, “The Human Condition”?

JHAMEEEL: My first album “Jhameel” was very introspective.  It was me exploring and experimenting with my vibe, my sound, and trying to understand myself and the people around me.  My second album “The Human Condition” was about solidifying my style, giving voice to louder and more relateable emotions but keeping the artistic integrity of instrumental diversity and exploration.  My new album “Lion’s Den” is no longer experimenting, but defining exactly what my music stands for and who I am.  It’s been tested with pain and time, it’s been honed with trial and error, it’s been shaped by everything I’ve been doing and have experienced and channeled into what I finally see as most definitively “Jhameel.”

HYPNOTICASIA: What inspired you to call the album “Lion’s Den”?

JHAMEEEL: I think the strongest, most beautiful things in life come out of darkness.  It’s through difficulty and struggle that people find their most powerful attributes.  That’s what I want people to feel in this album.  “Lion’s Den” is a metaphor for the ugly parts of life, the harsh unmerciful periods when you’re really tested.  I want people to know that when you come out of the lion’s den, you may have a few scars, but you will always come out better.

HYPNOTICASIA: How many tracks can we expect on your upcoming third album, “Lion’s Den”? 

JHAMEEEL: Nine tracks.

HYPNOTICASIA: Which track on your upcoming album are you most excited for your fans to hear? 

JHAMEEEL: “Take Me Now,” really shows my skills as a sound engineer.

HYPNOTICASIA: Do you have a music video planned for any of the songs on “Lion’s Den”?

JHAMEEEL: There will be three new music videos for three singles spread out through the next 2 months.

HYPNOTICASIA: This year you’ve collaborated with DWNTWN and Giraffage for “Move Me,” and released your song “Come and Lie,” are these songs indicative at all of the themes/sounds of the upcoming album?

JHAMEEEL: “Come and Lie” is remastered and will be on the new album, but otherwise the new songs are a lot more upbeat than what I’ve been doing on the side.  Expect more left-field Michael Jackson with a modern production.

HYPNOTICASIA: You’ve partnered with Forever 21, American Apparel, H&M, Verizon, and even Kitsune Shop to put your music out to the masses, are there any similar plans for the music on this new album?

JHAMEEEL: Definitely looking into more avenues like that, none I can talk about yet. 🙂

HYPNOTICASIA: If you had to describe your new album in 5 words what would they be?

JHAMEEEL: Funky, Dark, Stylized, Mature, Poppy.

HYPNOTICASIA: You’ve said that your vocal influences are Michael Jackson and Prince, who are your influences in composing and producing music?

JHAMEEEL: Oo good question.  The Beatles for writing, Ben Gibbard for lyrics, and Daft Punk for production.

HYPNOTICASIA: Have you ever been approached to produce a song for another artist? 

JHAMEEEL: I’ve produced a few songs for J-Pop artists, and I’ve also done a little work for some underground hip-hop artists but nothing major.  I’ve recorded a few indie-bands as well.

HYPNOTICASIA: What artist, alive or dead, would you like to produce for?

JHAMEEEL: Eminem.  I think I can come up with a really cool sound for him that will work well for him as an older artist.

HYPNOTICASIA: How has your background in multiple languages influenced your songwriting?

JHAMEEEL: Music is very very much like a language, so I think learning languages has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to communicate an idea, story, or emotion.

HYPNOTICASIA: Is there an artist you would like to collaborate with that you haven’t had the chance to yet?

JHAMEEEL: I think it’d be a lot of fun to collaborate with Macklemore.

HYPNOTICASIA: What are your hobbies aside from making music?

JHAMEEEL: I’m an origami master.

HYPNOTICASIA: If you weren’t making music, what do you believe you’d be doing instead?

JHAMEEEL: I’d be looking to get into tech design.

HYPNOTICASIA: If you could give advice to an up and coming singer, what would it be?

JHAMEEEL: The most important thing is to be dedicated and not be afraid of failure, because failure is a very very common aspect of pursuing any dream.  The second thing is to figure out your style and sound.  You can have a great voice, but no one will care unless they understand what that voice represents.  Then you need to find friends you love, trust, and want to succeed and fail with to be part of your team.  You are nothing without your team. After that, everyone’s path is different. 🙂

HYPNOTICASIA: Have you ever gotten sick after recording your drunk YouTube performance videos?

JHAMEEEL: hahah yes.

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