ON MOMENTS THAT BUILD INTO MORE THAN A CAREER:
Whew, it’s been one hell of a break. Ave defunct, and life a whirlwind of possibilities and prose. It’s been a restful break, and I thank everyone who stuck around. With that out of the way, a thousand blessings to JT5k for reaching out for the first of a reoccurring series of articles.
Quick and clean, the Zephyr line of articles will house email interviews I do as a stop gap between longer form and filmed interviews. They’ll be quick and dirty, but a great way to find new music, or art to fill a gap or two in your life.
And so, welcome to a brief layover alongside and artist JT5K. Born and bred on the flatlands of Edmonton, Alberta, and inspired by music that run’s through his blood, he’s fueled with a passion few can compare. For, JT’s been crafting for close to half-decade and garnered an audience in the hundreds of thousands. And with a sound continually improving, and a flair for the melodic, JT5k gotta be on your radar.
H: I’m always interested in knowing what music an artist grew up listening to. Whether thrown on by your parents or siblings, what was flowing through the house in your formative years?
JT: Growing up in my house you would hear a lot of the hits of the 2000s. A lot of Britney Spears, B2K, NYSC, Jojo, etc. That was mainly due to my sister being a music nut extremely early. A lot of reggae and Jamaican artists were being played as well. Artists like Beanie Man, Sean Paul, Elephant Man and my mom loved to blast Gospel music around the house.
H: You feature your sister heavily in the interviews you’ve done thus far. What’s a musical moment that stands vividly in your memories that you share with her?
JT: My sister is very important in my music career. She has an ear for music and honestly is the reason I fell in love with music. A memory that stands out so vividly for me was my first show. I’m super nervous on stage and I look into the crowd and see my sister just smiling ear to ear. It calmed me down and I was able to put on a crazy set.
H: You feature your sister heavily in the interviews you’ve done thus far. What’s a musical moment that stands vividly in your memories that you share with her?
JT: My sister is very important in my music career. She has an ear for music and honestly is the reason I fell in love with music. A memory that stands out so vividly for me was my first show. I’m super nervous on stage and I look into the crowd and see my sister just smiling ear to ear. It calmed me down and I was able to put on a crazy set.
H: I’m friends with half a dozen artists from your ends, and I’ve been fortunate to interview a few as well. And while Alberta isn’t the mecca of Canadian hip hop, yall have a significant voice in our great northern scene. How would you describe the changes in the Albertan scene since you began in 2018?
JT: If I’m being honest, Edmonton alone has some of the most talented artists in the country. There are a lot of us from the city that are making big waves and people are starting to notice. I feel like Edmonton alone has such a diverse music sound that is so refreshing when you compare it to other places in the country. The scene has changed a lot since 2018. People are starting to take music here a lot more seriously. It’s not a joke anymore to be looked at as an artist from here.
H: What studio do you call home? Or is your home your studio?
JT: I built my own home studio. I’m not a big fan of going to studios. Obviously it’s great for collaboration and meeting people but I don’t like having time limits on my creative process. Sometimes at 2am I’ll create a melody and just go into my home studio and record a song. I feel more free that way.
H: Of all the varying artistic forms, music is the one you chose; did you feel destined to pick up a mic?
JT: Yes honestly. I feel like it was going to be something I tried either way. There are multiple artists in my family. It was something that always sparked my interest. It was just a matter of time before I tried to record a song or tried to make beats or something.
H: What were some of the tools you used to level up over the years? A word of advice you received from an elder, or a specific realization that brought the most out of the music?
JT: The biggest tool that helped me level up was COVID. I was stuck at home with nothing to do but make music. It allowed me to try different sounds and genres. I released my first melodic RnB song Bubble Gum Kisses in 2021 and it landed on a lot of editorials. This was peak Covid, and at the time it was my first time being on Spotify playlists. That moment was the “I can really do this if I take it serious” moment for me.
My RnB tracks are a chance for me to really play with Melodies and create relatability scenarios. I’m looking for listeners to hear the songs and feel like they are in my shoes or I’m speaking directly to them. Whether the song is about love, bad situations or how to get back on your feet.
H: Your latest EP titled ‘I Know You Still Love Me,’ is a mashup of your melodic sonics you’ve flaunted on a dozen of your tracks over the years. With a sound that edges towards RnB, what kind of facets are you attempting to capture within your tracks?
JT: My RnB tracks are a chance for me to really play with Melodies and create relatability scenarios. I’m looking for listeners to hear the songs and feel like they are in my shoes or I’m speaking directly to them. Whether the song is about love, bad situations or how to get back on your feet.
H: What were some of the tools you used to level up over the years? A word of advice you received from an elder, or a specific realization that brought the most out of the music?
JT: The biggest tool that helped me level up was COVID. I was stuck at home with nothing to do but make music. It allowed me to try different sounds and genres. I released my first melodic RnB song Bubble Gum Kisses in 2021 and it landed on a lot of editorials. This was peak Covid, and at the time it was my first time being on Spotify playlists. That moment was the “I can really do this if I take it serious” moment for me.
H: Of the 5 tracks released on the EP, ‘BestFriend’s’ nearly eclipsed 50k listeners. With its unique bounce, and simplistic styling, the track forms into a catchy track playable at any occasion. Summer time top-down, or alongside your compatriots on a packed club night, the song leaves a lingering presence. And as your first EP, what was the moment like to finally submit the tracks
to your dispo?
JT: It felt good! I have wanted to put together an RnB sounding project for a while and I was able to do that. BestFriend is a song that I got from my boy 11:11 and I was able to put down a solid verse on it. We have some more stuff in the tuck as well.
H: 2023 also marked your first headlining show! Titled 5k and Friends on August 13th and playing in your hometown of Edmonton, the vibe looked electric. Did any thoughts run through your head as the crowd started to gather, and the lights flickered on?
JT: 5K & Friends was my first headlining show, so I was really nervous. There is something different from going to lower eye level stages to an elevated stage. I asked the crowd to turn on their iPhone lights for my song AMG and it was the craziest experience. There is no better feeling than being on stage performing your own artwork!
H: With 2023 coming to a close, are we likely to see any music, or shows pop-up in the coming months?
JT: I have 2 new songs to wrap up the year. 1 song is coming October 6th titled “Icyyy” and the next song is a feature with a multiple time billboard charting artist. That song is coming before the end of 2023. I’m excited for everyone to hear that record.
H: With your ever-growing success concerning your music, what are some goals, or milestones you’ve set for yourself?
JT: Obviously long term goals I want to be able to start a real label for the city. I want to give artists here an opportunity to be signed and reap the benefits of having major support. For the short term (2024), I want to reach a point of 20M+ streams a year. I also want to be Juno nominated and a finalist for the 2024 year. Lastly, I want to get some producer placements, and produce a song of my own from top to bottom.
Interviewed, and written by hashnain
Extra special thank you to Brandon Gill for approaching me for this interview, as well as for providing photos for the post, and the edit. And a final thank you to JT5K. It’s always enjoyable to survey the breadth of talent our country has to offer, and JT5K is an act that’s blipped my Canadian radar. May success hound your steps and zephyr walk besides you.
JT5K Socials:
Brandon Gill Socials: