Folks that are inspirational have been the driving force behind Women Crushing It Wednesdays.
I have known of Jäjé since 2019.
She came off as shy originally.
And then, she performs on a MANIFESTO stage. Incredible!
She has an infectious personality that makes it hard for anyone to have a bad day around her.
She’s a multi talented artist who is bound to make waves in the entertainment industry.
I present to you this week’s Women Crushing It Wednesday… JÄJÉ!
Every SuperHero has an origin story. What is yours?
I am CHUCKLING, that is one hell of a first question! I guess you could say my origin story is rooted in the pursuit of my purpose, which ultimately led me back to myself!
What were your aspirations growing up?
When I was really little, like 7/8, I 100% wanted to be Beyoncé (as in I wanted to wake up in her body and be her)… until I realized about a year later that, due to the laws of this universe, that would never happen! Past that point I was always unsure. I always knew I wanted to positively impact the world and loved mostly anything arts based or adjacent, but I never really saw myself being a full-time professional artist. For one, I perceived artists as airheads… I genuinely thought all they did was make art and look cute. I never really saw them doing anything of genuine substance or significance. To me they largely appeared to just be real life Barbie's & Ken's, but of course I’ve grown to realize that while that’s true for some artists that’s not the case for all of them. Plus I thought I wouldn't be able to "make it" in the industry, which to me now feels like a thought born out of pure insanity. Needless to say I guess I’ve always wanted to be an artist but never really had the gull to do it before now!
If the little girl you were was to see you now, what would she say? What would be her opinion?
The little girl in me is right here, she never left! I regularly check-in with her, so in terms of my music career I know she’s extremely proud of me and thinks I'm pretty cool! Admittedly, she's also a little taken aback by every aspect of this journey, she definitely didn't expect to have such a beautifully warm reception into the music scene here in the city! Especially because as a young kid and even as a dancer, I always felt out of place for various reasons. Nevertheless she's proud of the person I've become as I continue to grow into myself! I'm truly grateful to be able to show her what she's always been capable of!
I am witnessing a progression from 2019 up until this year where you went from a shy poet to being featured at MANIFESTO! Can you describe your progression from your beginnings until now?
The only way to describe my journey would be with the words; Belief & Alignment. Beyond that, I would find it difficult to say simply because those were key components to my journey. Any time I reflect on how far I've come, I get giddy! I’ve been blessed to be able to live out some of my biggest dreams AND release an amazing body of work, all while everything in the world has been happening! My journey as a whole has really taught me that once you believe in something the universe will align it to be so, if I’ve learned anything in the past two years it's certainly been that!
You have released your erotica project before your Manifesto feature. What is next for the artist Jäjé?
You know me, I'm always up to something! For now it's back to my usual grind, but I've got some exciting things happening behind the scenes so stay tuned!
What is a misconception people have about you?
Hmmm that's an interesting question! I think people assume I'm always loud, confident and outgoing, especially if they've met me in real life! Now I ain't gon hold yuh; these things are true about me, most especially when it comes to anything public-facing, BUT I'm also simultaneously someone whose healing wounds of deep insecurity, learning how to not be an avid overthinker and so much more. So, yes I'm loud but any of my close friends will tell you that I can be just as equally quiet and unassuming at any given point. And yes I am extremely confident, now, because I had a lifetime of feeling miserable for not being able to please everyone! Some days I catch myself having to work extra hard to maintain the mindset that I am always my first and top priority, people pleasing is not what I was sent here to do! Plus, I'm not always out going because when I don't feel comfortable or I haven’t gotten the bearing of my surroundings my mouth stays on mute and I turn into a shy lil turtle like the person you met at Loose Lips!
What would you like people to know about you?
Hmmm, beyond the fact that I'm not always loud and boisterous, I don't know! I feel like I'm such an open book that anything I want people to know about me they already do!
What is the legacy you want to leave?
Hmmm, this might be semantics, but I don't necessarily care to leave behind a legacy of accolades or specific achievements. That said, I'd be a liar if I said I didn't want to be remembered for the things I've done and will do in the future, but ultimately I believe that my purpose is far bigger than being remembered. My mission is far more important than being revered once I've left this physical form, but I know that the impact I have on this world will be something very special that will be felt for generations to come!
If you were to meet an 18 year old Jäjé, what would you give her as advice?
Chile, I would tell her so much! I think the main things I would say, in no particular order, would be:
Do NOT go to university straight out of high school, even though that's what your mom wants. Respectfully decline and figure out what you actually want to do!
Slow down on the running back to people who've hurt you (friends, lovers, family or otherwise), you’ll just end up repeating a lesson you’ve already learned.
Stay single until you find yourself and figure out who you want to become. Dating right now is simply going to be a tedious, heart wrenching task.
Believe in yourself. Even when no one else does. Trust your vision. Even when no one else can see it. You are intelligent, possessing an never-ending abundance of brilliance and talent, so trust your gut! Doing that will take you very far!
