Armed with the brand new album Breakout II, genre-fusing songwriter, artist and Christian Deejay Wells kindly took part in an interview. We talk creativity, vocal strength and training, inspiration and intentions, plus much more. Here’s the conversation in full.
Hey Deejay – great to chat, thanks for the opportunity. For those new to your music – who or what first inspired you to create?
Growing up, I was always into kid TV shows dealing with music and entertainment. Alvin & the Chipmunks, California Raisins, and especially a show called Kids Songs that came on television where the plot of the show was about it being ran by kids: the cameramen, singers, musicians, hosts, all were kids.
Secondly, I was a Prince fan since I was young and was always intrigued with how he wrote all of his songs, did all the music and vocals.
Where in the creative process does Faith impact things, and how easy or difficult has it been to fuse these traits of Hip Hop, World Rhythms and Soul with Christian sentiments?
My faith is my foundation for I wouldn’t have the talents to give to others without God. We all have a purpose to pour into others with our talents. However, though I am a man of faith, I’m still a fan of all genres of music and I’ve always been creative, so I implement them all in conjunction with inspirational lyrics, and it has never been difficult. It flows naturally because it’s authentically me.
Let’s talk about Breakout II – What does this project represent, and did you always intend to make a follow-up / sequel when making the first Breakout?
Breakout II is indeed a sequel to the first Breakout project. Both projects represent breaking out of stale, traditional mindsets and also breaking out of a traditional mold that “Christian music is supposed to sound like this……”.
God is creative and created all types of music so Breakout II represents a further exploration of different styles. You will hear 90’s R&B, reggaeton, soul, and Latin sounds on the sequel project.
Why did you choose to open with I Remember (Notepad), and have the more upbeat and retro 90s Joint as a closer?
I Remember (Notepad) was the first song I recorded for the project and thought it would be a great way to start, and I thought it would be a great idea to end the project with a bright, fun and encouraging song like 90’s Joint and leave that last imprint on the mind and heart of the listener.
The vocals are beautiful throughout, are you vocally trained or self-taught – what’s your background there?
I’ve never had a vocal class or coach a day in my life. It’s years and years of persistent studying great vocalists like Prince, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald and many others. While most people were out doing different things, I spent a lot of time in my room listening to the same records and cassettes studying great albums and the artists’ vocals. Weird at the time, yes, but I am seeing the fruit of it all.
How important is versatility for you as an artist?
Versatility is very important for me and should be for many artists because the more you’re flexible, the more you can be a resource. I want to reach many types of people because inspiration has no limits or boundaries, because everyone needs it. It also opens doors for more opportunities. I like to reach many people so being versatile should, in my personal opinion, be a requirement.
Do you perform live much, and if so, what can listeners expect from a live show?
I perform live very often and listeners can expect me to sound as close to the record as possible or better. I’m also a sound engineer so I’m very serious about great sound and great vocals. I’m also down to earth and I have a strong gift of humor so I am very engaged and vulnerable with the audience.
What’s something about you that might surprise listeners?
I’m a huge Sinatra fan and I have performed at events for senior citizens and karaoke and I can actually sound like him.
“The looks on the faces of people to see an African-American guy that wears baseball hats & sneakers singing Frank Sinatra is hilarious.”
Within 5 seconds, I see everyone pulling their phones out to record. LOL. I also watch old shows like Lawrence Welk and Antique Roadshow.
Is there anything else we should know?
My music is authentic. Breakout II has no features. All vocals, lyrics, vocal arrangements solely done by me. I rarely have features or collaborations on my projects except for small speaking parts of my closest friends and nephew on the last project.
I genuinely like to encourage people, which is a burning passion of mine. Last but not least, both albums were recorded in my bedroom. 🙂
Find the music on Bandcamp & folllow Deejay Wells on Instagram.
