June 24, 2024 • 5 mins
Jay Sean talks new music, new record label and more!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Mario on with Mario Lopez. It's Uprian Mario Lopez joining
now on Zoom Singer songwriter Jay Shawn. Welcome to the
show Man. What's up, bro?
Speaker 2 (00:11):
How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:11):
I'm doing well, Bud. Congrats on the launch of your
new label, three AM Entertainment. Yes, I like that title.
What are you hoping to achieve with this business?
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Yeah, so obviously it's a brand inventure for me. Having
been an artist myself for twenty years now, right, this
is sort of alex the next step in my career.
And the reason why I set up three AM was
because twenty years ago, when I started as an artist,
I was the only South Asian doing mainstream music, which
is crazy because we're the biggest demographic on planet as
(00:45):
at one point four billion, and yet there were so few,
if any South Asian artists in the mainstream music industry.
So I didn't really see that change over the last
twenty years much, right, So I guess my thought process was,
if the spotlight is not on us, then you have
to create the spot like you have to be the spotlight.
So I set up my own label in order to
(01:05):
promote more South Asian talent in the mainstream music industry.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Good for you. How are you discovering these artists.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Loads of different ways? Man? I mean nowadays of course
the most you know, it's insane, but it's it's social media,
you know, it's tik tok, it's real. It's it's places
where people are recording in their bedrooms. You had to
go to showcases first, you had to la yet, you know,
and now the access, yes, exactly so. And also we're
affiliated with with a huge label where ourselves are affiliated
(01:37):
with Virgin Music Group and Range Media who are huge, massive,
you know, uh behemous in the industry. So to be
able to have them with us together as well, it
really helps.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
You got a new single that blends different cultures, Heartless.
Tell me about that song.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Yeah, so, Heartless is a song which I did with Ikey,
who's a he's an Indian producer from Toronto. But what
he does also is blends you know, hip hop, R
and B with South Asian music and that's something that
I did twenty years ago. That's how I began my
you know, my music. It was always by sort of
integrating the cultures. And I grew up an R and
(02:17):
B hip hop boy, but also like you, know, growing
up in an Indian household, we have Bollywood music, a
bang of music, and so it was very easy for
us to blend those genres. And that's sort of what
we did back on this song Heartless And actually the
new one just dropped picture Bitcher, which is bitcher bitch
is like a Hindi Punjabi word which means, I guess
it's like you know, when you're trying to max someone,
you know what I mean, You're like trying to spit game,
(02:39):
and so it's like a flirtatious R and B joint.
But I'm singing in English and I co wrote this
with Eric Beninger, who's a huge of course R and
B artist legend, and so it's a fun song. Man.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
That's cool, man. I like what you're doing with the
culture is right there. That's cool. And this is all
part of the new album called Last Call. What can
you tease us about that?
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Yeah? I mean, Mario, you know what it is. Bro.
I didn't do an album for a number of years
because I saw the industry changing. I saw how it
became all about content and consistency in content rather than
oh I loved your last album, I guess I gotta
wait another four years until you find inspiration for the
next one, you know, And it wasn't, and I thought,
forget that. Let's just put out content, put out songs,
(03:20):
and I can put out anything I want in any order.
I can skip genres, which I do like to do.
But on this album it's like a body of work.
It's me almost returning back to my origins and doing
what I do best, which is knowing how to blend
these these beautiful genres and putting them onto one body
of work.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Yeah. No, I can appreciate that. And I know you
just wrapped up a series of dates in the UK. Yeah,
what were your favorite What were your favorite parts of
doing those shows?
Speaker 2 (03:47):
And it was amazing. So obviously London is where I began,
you know, It's where it all kicked off for me
and going back because since then, I you know, I
broke America in two thousand and nine when I signed
to Cash Money and I had obviously the huge hit
down which launched me straight into I just couldn't go home.
I remember calling my mom once and I was like, Mom,
(04:07):
I don't think I'm coming back. I think I kind
of live in America. Now, what do you mean. I
was like, Mom, you don't understand how big America is.
I was like, each state is like our country, and
so like, I was in America so much ended up
living here, so now I live in New York. So
to go back home was really really nice to be
back where it all began.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
So you mentioned down. It's funny it's turning fifteen years
old this year, and I don't know why I remember this,
but fifteen years ago, I'm interviewing Taylor Swift on the
Red carp that I forgot what Award show was. To
be honest, I think I think it was a gram
as a matter of fact. And I said, what song
was currently stuck in your head right now? And she
said down, Oh wow, I.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Never forget that.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
I don't know why I remember that, but I thought
that was it, and she's saying it for me, and
she's saying it for me for long. She did the
whole thing. She goes, I just can't get it out
of my head.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Oh that's amazing, man. It was an incredible moment, you
know it was. It was an amazing time for me.
And to be honest, I didn't expect much when I
came to America. I was like, it's so big. Hardly
anybody breaks America from overseas. If I don't do it,
at least I've got everything else I've managed to achieve.
But when your first song goes number one Billboard, Bro,
I was like, Okay, how do you want of this up?
(05:17):
But we did. We parted it up. What do you remember?
Which was another smash and then went on to twenty twelve,
lots of other good stuff. But it's been a wonderful journey, man,
just looking back.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Good for you, man, Yeah, American Dream right there. Well,
you can listen to Heartless on iHeartRadio or wherever you
get new music. Jay, good luck with three AM, and
thanks for hanging out today.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Thank you, Bro. Good to see you man, you too.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Take care, Take care, Buddy Lou with Mario Lopez
Mario on with Mario Lopez. It's Uprian Mario Lopez joining
now on Zoom Singer songwriter Jay Shawn. Welcome to the
show Man. What's up, bro?
Speaker 2 (00:11):
How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:11):
I'm doing well, Bud. Congrats on the launch of your
new label, three AM Entertainment. Yes, I like that title.
What are you hoping to achieve with this business?
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Yeah, so obviously it's a brand inventure for me. Having
been an artist myself for twenty years now, right, this
is sort of alex the next step in my career.
And the reason why I set up three AM was
because twenty years ago, when I started as an artist,
I was the only South Asian doing mainstream music, which
is crazy because we're the biggest demographic on planet as
(00:45):
at one point four billion, and yet there were so few,
if any South Asian artists in the mainstream music industry.
So I didn't really see that change over the last
twenty years much, right, So I guess my thought process was,
if the spotlight is not on us, then you have
to create the spot like you have to be the spotlight.
So I set up my own label in order to
(01:05):
promote more South Asian talent in the mainstream music industry.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Good for you. How are you discovering these artists.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Loads of different ways? Man? I mean nowadays of course
the most you know, it's insane, but it's it's social media,
you know, it's tik tok, it's real. It's it's places
where people are recording in their bedrooms. You had to
go to showcases first, you had to la yet, you know,
and now the access, yes, exactly so. And also we're
affiliated with with a huge label where ourselves are affiliated
(01:37):
with Virgin Music Group and Range Media who are huge, massive,
you know, uh behemous in the industry. So to be
able to have them with us together as well, it
really helps.
Speaker 1 (01:50):
You got a new single that blends different cultures, Heartless.
Tell me about that song.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
Yeah, so, Heartless is a song which I did with Ikey,
who's a he's an Indian producer from Toronto. But what
he does also is blends you know, hip hop, R
and B with South Asian music and that's something that
I did twenty years ago. That's how I began my
you know, my music. It was always by sort of
integrating the cultures. And I grew up an R and
(02:17):
B hip hop boy, but also like you, know, growing
up in an Indian household, we have Bollywood music, a
bang of music, and so it was very easy for
us to blend those genres. And that's sort of what
we did back on this song Heartless And actually the
new one just dropped picture Bitcher, which is bitcher bitch
is like a Hindi Punjabi word which means, I guess
it's like you know, when you're trying to max someone,
you know what I mean, You're like trying to spit game,
(02:39):
and so it's like a flirtatious R and B joint.
But I'm singing in English and I co wrote this
with Eric Beninger, who's a huge of course R and
B artist legend, and so it's a fun song. Man.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
That's cool, man. I like what you're doing with the
culture is right there. That's cool. And this is all
part of the new album called Last Call. What can
you tease us about that?
Speaker 2 (02:59):
Yeah? I mean, Mario, you know what it is. Bro.
I didn't do an album for a number of years
because I saw the industry changing. I saw how it
became all about content and consistency in content rather than
oh I loved your last album, I guess I gotta
wait another four years until you find inspiration for the
next one, you know, And it wasn't, and I thought,
forget that. Let's just put out content, put out songs,
(03:20):
and I can put out anything I want in any order.
I can skip genres, which I do like to do.
But on this album it's like a body of work.
It's me almost returning back to my origins and doing
what I do best, which is knowing how to blend
these these beautiful genres and putting them onto one body
of work.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Yeah. No, I can appreciate that. And I know you
just wrapped up a series of dates in the UK. Yeah,
what were your favorite What were your favorite parts of
doing those shows?
Speaker 2 (03:47):
And it was amazing. So obviously London is where I began,
you know, It's where it all kicked off for me
and going back because since then, I you know, I
broke America in two thousand and nine when I signed
to Cash Money and I had obviously the huge hit
down which launched me straight into I just couldn't go home.
I remember calling my mom once and I was like, Mom,
(04:07):
I don't think I'm coming back. I think I kind
of live in America. Now, what do you mean. I
was like, Mom, you don't understand how big America is.
I was like, each state is like our country, and
so like, I was in America so much ended up
living here, so now I live in New York. So
to go back home was really really nice to be
back where it all began.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
So you mentioned down. It's funny it's turning fifteen years
old this year, and I don't know why I remember this,
but fifteen years ago, I'm interviewing Taylor Swift on the
Red carp that I forgot what Award show was. To
be honest, I think I think it was a gram
as a matter of fact. And I said, what song
was currently stuck in your head right now? And she
said down, Oh wow, I.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Never forget that.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
I don't know why I remember that, but I thought
that was it, and she's saying it for me, and
she's saying it for me for long. She did the
whole thing. She goes, I just can't get it out
of my head.
Speaker 2 (04:55):
Oh that's amazing, man. It was an incredible moment, you
know it was. It was an amazing time for me.
And to be honest, I didn't expect much when I
came to America. I was like, it's so big. Hardly
anybody breaks America from overseas. If I don't do it,
at least I've got everything else I've managed to achieve.
But when your first song goes number one Billboard, Bro,
I was like, Okay, how do you want of this up?
(05:17):
But we did. We parted it up. What do you remember?
Which was another smash and then went on to twenty twelve,
lots of other good stuff. But it's been a wonderful journey, man,
just looking back.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
Good for you, man, Yeah, American Dream right there. Well,
you can listen to Heartless on iHeartRadio or wherever you
get new music. Jay, good luck with three AM, and
thanks for hanging out today.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Thank you, Bro. Good to see you man, you too.
Speaker 1 (05:38):
Take care, Take care, Buddy Lou with Mario Lopez
Host
Mario Lopez
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