Jay R. Stephens

My love for songwriting began at age 13 when I wrote my first song, but my love for music began well before that. I remember being so excited to get in the car as a child because that meant I could possibly hear my favorite artists on the radio. Even though I may have been too young to understand the subject matter, whenever my favorite song came on, those three to four minutes were absolute bliss. It was a euphoria that I had never experienced before. The combination of emotion and adoration for the creativity and vulnerability from the artists that somehow felt was being disclosed only to me made me feel special. It made me feel understood, and hopeful. I would always dread the end of the song because that meant I had to wait at least another hour, or maybe another car ride to have that feeling again.

When I saved enough money to purchase my first CD, it was heaven for me, but likely torture for my mom and our neighbors above us. I remember going into my room, and closing the door, anxious to hear the the latest album from my favorite artists for just a little while. It would usually be a school night and close to bedtime, so I had to be very selective in choosing the song(s) that I wanted to hear that day.

What connects me to my favorite artists' is their ability to convey their emotions, telling a story that could perfectly describe how I'm feeling as a listener as if they are my best friend. My goal as an artist is to do the same for those who listen to my music.