Here at Fuzzable, we love introducing you to exciting new artists who deserve a spot on your playlist. Today, we’re here to shine a light on contemporary RnB pop singer Justin Joyner, aka JSTYC.
JSTYC, which stands for Just Singing Things You Care-About, recently released his new single ‘Divided’. Produced by Morgan Matthews & Robodruma, ‘Divided’ is a dreamy offering which showcases Justin’s soulful vocal perfectly. The track has a slick vibe and is already a favorite of ours.
We recently had the chance to quiz JSTYC about his brand new single, his future music plans and much more.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjfEGigHTVE/?taken-by=creatingjustin
Welcome to Fuzzable JSTYC! For our readers who many not have heard about you yet, please introduce yourself with an unusual fact.
Thank you for the warm welcome! Hey everyone I’m JSTYC; I’m really excited and grateful that Fuzzable has been gracious enough to have me for an interview. One thing you may not know about me is that I am a self proclaimed “closet movie-whore”. I am often in a movie theater by myself with my feet kicked up watching the latest and greatest movie! I just love the film industry and I really appreciate the artistry that goes into everything that is film production so the theater is like my safe space.
Congratulations on the release of your new new single ‘Divided’, we love it! Can you talk us through the inspiration behind it?
Thank you so much! I’m really glad that you all liked and related to it! I think it’s a pretty fun song! Divided is about about a break up, but it’s not about your typical breakup. It’s about me breaking up with an old version of myself to become a new, better version of myself.
I was inspired to write Divided because I was so tired of writing slow sad songs! I’d just finished picking songs for an EP and I looked at all of my music and I didn’t feel like I had anything that had that “cool” factor. My EP needed some fun; it had so much soul, artistry, and feeling, but it felt a little bit angsty to me. I didn’t want to be that “sad” artist; though there’s nothing wrong with writing sad songs, we all do it; I wanted to write about my experiences but from an empowered place. Divided really made me feel like I wasn’t a victim, and it challenged me to make more music like that.
What was the creative process like? How long did it take to create the finished song?
So as soon as I heard the production for the song I was inspired to start writing. I immediately pulled out my phone and opened up my voice memos; that’s how I write; and I started creating a melody to go with the music. When I got to the hook “Divided from the fighting” I thought, “hmm I might have something here”, and then it took me a couple of hours to write and record it. It’s one of the quickest songs I’ve made, but I love it when I write a song like that because there’s just a great feeling that comes from knowing that you like a song and not questioning it too much.
What’s your favorite lyric from the song?
My favorite lyric from the song is actually the first, “Maybe I’m broken, maybe I’m open, if you get close you’ll know”. I love this lyric because it speaks to people from my past, present, and future. It’s saying that you can’t really know me without getting close to me. It’s saying that the superficial pre-determinations that we make about each other are silly because it takes a lot more than a “first glance” to really understand someone.
Are there any plans for a music video for the song?
I want to do a music video for this song; so we will definitely see!
What’s next for you in terms of music? Are you working towards an EP/album?
Yes, I’m definitely working towards an EP! I’m creating so much music now and working with a lot of great producers and we are really evolving my sound; so I’ve got some exciting things planned.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BXBCWGyhm5C/?taken-by=creatingjustin
Your name stands for ‘Just Singing Things You Care-About’ – why/how did you decide on this as your artist name?
Yes it does! So my name; Justin; means just, righteous, justice, and I’ve always really related to that. So much so that at one point I wanted to be a lawyer. So I knew that I wanted my name to relate to that a bit. I’m a huge fan of not spelling things out completely when it comes to branding and names so JSTYC was born. I thought the name was silly for a while but then one day I looked at the name and I just said the phrase, Just Singing Things You Care-About, and I knew that the name came to me for a reason!
Seeing as your focus is on singing about things that are important to you, what kind of themes can we expect from your forthcoming music?
I’ve had so many interesting things happen to me in my life. I’ve experienced massive successes, devastating failures, and heartbreak when it comes to family, friends, and relationships. I’m just going to be honest about those experiences and tell the stories from my unique perspective and voice. I’m betting some people will be able to relate to my experiences. I love writing about love as well; so you will hear a lot of songs about that too!
What do you hope people will take away from your music?
That it’s ok to be yourself; no matter what that may be! So many of us don’t fit into the pre-made molds that society creates for us, and I’m here to create a space where uniqueness is the new status-quo.
Who are your musical inspirations?
I’m super inspired by James Blake, SZA, H.E.R., Daniel Ceasar, Miguel and BANKS; they all have such a unique sound and they let me know that it’s ok to have your own sound. I also love the queens Beyoncé and Rihanna; both of their work ethics and artistry are impeccable!
Here at Fuzzable, we’ve been celebrating Pride month with numerous articles and we know that you’ve also showed your support on social media. What does Pride month mean to you?
Yeah I definitely proudly support the LGBTQ+ community! Pride to me is about being and celebrating your unique self unapologetically! It’s about being comfortable with who you are and being comfortable in your own skin. It’s about self-love.
There are a lot of great quotes of positivity on your social media. What’s your favorite piece of advice that you’ve ever received?
I’ve received a plethora of great advice over the past few years. I think there are two things that I am practicing religiously currently; “be a good steward over the small things” and “if it wont matter in five years don’t spend more than five minutes on it”.
What are your plans for the rest of the year?
I’ll be working on music and film for the remainder of the year! I’ll be in the trenches!