I knew j. roosevelt's music way before I knew... j. roosevelt. If that makes any sense?
The first time I stumbled upon her awesome beats was back in August last year when we started our Songs To Wake Up To playlists and her track (with awesome name) "when i run, don't chase me" made it onto the 2nd edition. Months later I found out she was following us on Twitter and explored in depth her SC feed. The production was basically flawless and few tracks later I was sold - her profile became go-to place when it came to chilled / out-of-the-box beats. Not sure how it all happened, but we had a short chat on Twitter and... well, here she is - our newest guest in the mini mix / interview series.
Hope you guys enjoy her soothing 20+ minutes mix and if you want to find out more about Jena - read our interview below.
TRACKLIST:
Hi, Jena! Excited to have you onboard and for the interview. Before anything, could you share some information about yourself?
My artist name is J. Roosevelt - I’m a producer from Los Angeles. I grew up playing drums, and fell in love with Ableton as a teenager. These days, I’m just trying to grow as a musician and songwriter as much as possible.
Is Roosevelt your last name or moniker. Probably you get this a lot, but any connections to the Roosevelt family?
Roosevelt is a moniker—no connection to the family. I actually used to produce under the name “Eleanor Roosevelt” because her philosophy on life really resonated with me. As I progressed as a producer, I changed my name to J. (initial from my first name) and kept the Roosevelt from my previous moniker.
How does your average day looks like? Is music a full time thing?
I split my time between music and my day job. I’m a professional researcher so I end up spending a lot of time on the computer. I would love to be able to spend more time in Ableton! :)
You did a release with one of our previous guests Alex (madijuwon). How was working together, where did you meet, was it more one of those online friendships/collaborations kind of thing?
Alex & I met through SoundCloud. Unfortunately we weren’t able to collaborate in person because he lives in France. I sent him some synth chords/melodies and he turned it into something amazing. I would love to work with him again - I really dig his sense of groove.
What's on your playlist right now? Any artists we should be checking out?
I would definitely recommend checking out all the artists on my minimix. St. South has new music on the horizon, and I can’t wait to hear it! Medasin, Moglii, and kev are three of my favorite producers right now. I’m also working on more music with both Nick Shattuck and Lea Beiley, but you should check out some of their solo stuff in the meantime.
The LA producer scene is seriously booming right now. Do you think that's a good thing in terms of people pushing each other forward or there might be the case that it just becomes too much too quick thing and somehow dies out?
I heard a quote once— “More things happen by accident in Los Angeles than on purpose anywhere else.” As a producer in LA, I’ve found this to be true. There are so many talented musicians here, the collaboration opportunities are endless. I’m currently working with a songwriter/artist named Thomas Johnson who I met at a local open mic.
I love being around people who inspire you to work hard and become a better musician. I find myself working with a lot of folks who prioritize the final song over ego, etc., and I’m really thankful to have found that energy in LA.
Your merch has a super cool palm tree. Did you do created this yourself and where's that coming from... the LA roots?
One of my friends was generous enough to design that shirt for me. The palm trees in Los Angeles are iconic and I really feel they capture the essence of what I’m trying to convey with my music.
What's next for you? What do you wish yourself to happen in the next few years (music/life-wise)
I’m currently working on my live set. It will be a combination of live keys and electronic drums. Beyond that, I hope to continue collaborating with dope songwriter/vocalists and to keep improving as a musician.
Any last words of wisdom or shout outs - Anything you’d like to just put out there?
The first song on my minimix, “The Storm” is a previously unreleased collaboration with Nick Shattuck and Lea Beiley. I can honestly say it’s my best work yet, and I really hope you enjoy it! Be on the lookout for the Soundcloud release this week.
Make sure we'll be featuring that track and until then - explore the music of Jena - someone I was really excited to have onboard with our mini mix series!
If you want to grab a free download copy of the mix - click here.
