Jamalia Scott

How did you get your start in music? Did you come from a musical family?

I started out singing in church. Both of my parents are pastors and we sung in the choir and worship services. 

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Who are your influences, and how do they have an impact in your music? 

Clark sisters, Kim Burrell, Brandy, Beyoncé, Jazmine Sullivan, Whitney Houston, Lizzo.

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You’re  known for your  incredible voice. Did you take lessons and how do you keep it in great condition?

 I never took any voice lessons. I have just had a passion for singing since the age of three. I take care of my vocal cords and work hard to stay hydrated. I am looking to take vocal lessons to learn more technique 

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What made you decide to pursue music professionally? 

In 2022, I got a chance to play a leading role in Dreamgirls at the Titusville Playhouse. I was in awe of the response to my rendition of “And I am Telling You”. People were moved to tears and I could not believe how well received it was. I began watching Lizzo and seeing her perform. That lit a spark in me. I decided that I did not want to live my life not trying. I was also heavily encouraged by a dear friend and fellow Artist Kristen Warren. She, along with my husband, really encouraged me to go for it. It has been a whirlwind ever since. 

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What has been one of your biggest obstacles in your career and how did you overcome it? 

Balancing work and family life. I am a mother and also a full-time banker. It has been challenging managing the schedules. I truly am passionate about music, performing, and recording and I don’t get to put as much time into it as I’d like to. I want to be able to work at my music career all day every day.

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I see you're an actress as well. What led you to start acting? 

I have always enjoyed being on a theater stage and even attended a school of arts for a brief moment. I was in the middle of a career change and was encouraged by my husband to audition. I landed the understudy role on my first audition and got to experience a glimpse of being in and actual production. I really enjoyed it. Later on I was recommended to audition for the leading role again and the rest is history

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You wear many hats and juggle many gigs. How do you stay organized and afloat each day? 

Sometimes I am not that organized. My husband is very supportive and he has helped me to make things happen. It can really get crazy at times. 

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Tell me about your organization, Jah Kee Productions LLC? How did that start and what does the company focus on? 

Our company focuses on realizing the dreams and goals of people aspiring to create art to the best of their abilities. I found it difficult understanding how to get started with recording and learning about some of the business tactics of the music industry. We work with artists to provide them with training and knowledge and to help them with recording, mixing, and mastering. These can be costly, so we allow them to make incremental payments to help them realize their recording dreams and get music out. We do not care about image, marketability etc.We want to give all artists a voice and space to create. 

 

The entertainment industry can be difficult for many artists. How do you keep faith in yourself and stay motivated to accomplish your goals? ​

I believe in what I do. I keep going and I let the music guide me. I understand that there are wins and losses when you are an artist, but the love and passion I have for music outweighs any difficulty.

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What is your writing process? 

I am a true empath. I feel the pain, hurt, joy, and  excitement of other people. I tend to write about true feelings and expressions. Simple things that resonate with the everyday person. I also write in response to events or things that may have happened and I did not address at the time or with the person. I address many issues in song. 

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What is the backstory behind “My Blessing” and how was it put together?

 I wrote the song about two things.

1) As I began to perform in public more, I started to receive a lot more attention from men. It was very interesting because they were DMing me and texting me and many knew I was a married woman. I thought about how disrespectful that was. I was basically telling myself, don’t fall for that mess. You have a beautiful family and loving husband and you don’t want to miss the blessings of God being distracted by those men.

2) I never pursued music as an artist because I felt like I did not have a favorable image to promote the music and be well received by an audience. I was very fearful of trying and failing, so I just sang at church and at home. Once I changed my mindset and began having the confidence to push past my insecurities, I began to pursue it with no expectations and simply because it brought me so much joy. It became one of the most rewarding blessings of my life. I would have missed the chance to record music, perform live performances, and act in stage plays if I hadn’t pushed through. The song is a reminder to focus on doing what you love so that you won’t miss the blessings behind it. 

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If you could give any advice to an aspiring musician, what would it be? 

Do what you love with authenticity and do it for yourself and not others. Doing what you love will inspire people to follow you and your audience will build from there. Slowly building your audience will ensure a good fan base that will show up for you. Do everything in excellence and to the best of your abilities. Enjoy and savor every moment on your way to success. 

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What project or music can we look forward to in the future? 

​I am featured on a Jah Kee Production track entitled “Runnin.” I will also be releasing a video for “My Blessing” on June 14. And I’m currently working on releasing a new  single called “Pressure.”  I am featured on another collaboration with Jah Kee called  “Tell Me You Love Me.” And l am hoping to release an album by the end of the year. 

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How do you think the music/entertainment industry can create a better environment for women to flourish? 

I believe the industry should focus on talent first. I believe with respect to women, it’s important to understand that we need to see different women represented in music. Other aspiring artists seeing someone that looks and sounds like them inspires and that is what music is meant to do. Women have a voice that is different from men and we need to be seen and heard. There is beauty in everyone so we should not limit talent to looking a certain way. Judge artists on their growth and development over time. The industry truly underestimates the power of authenticity and how valuable that is. You see it in artists like Lauryn Hill, Mary J Blige, and Tracy Chapman.