A Conversation with Music Artist Janelle Sy’mone

With her single and music video, “All Night,” out now, we took some time to hear more from Janelle Sy’mone. Read below to learn more about Janelle Sy’mone, the story behind her latest single, and what’s to come.

Hi Janelle Sy’mone! Let’s start with how did you get your artist name?

Janelle Sy’mone happens to be my legal first and middle name. I wish I had an interesting story behind it though.

What city are you from and where are you based now?

Atlanta, GA is my home, but I’m now based in Charlotte, NC.

At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?

I started pursuing music after my divorce. I was hurt. I needed a distraction from the hurt, so I put an ad out on Craigslist: “Singer Looking For A Band.” I didn’t know how far I’d go or all the things I’d be doing, but that was the seed that started this whole thing — a divorce and ad on Craigslist.

Has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your sound today? If so, how?

Honestly, my upbringing wasn’t the best. It was hard, really hard. You see, I come from public housing and domestic violence, so that alone shaped my insatiable drive because I was so determined to never live like that ever again. Although, my childhood did have some beautiful moments like my mother being the first person to introduce me to real music. She used music as a form of expression and escapism — life for her was so painful at times, so that pain coupled with the undeniable need to survive shaped my experiences which in turn shaped my sound. My sound is soul, and survival and triumph — that’s were soul comes from.

How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?

My sound is loud….it’s soulful…it’s powerful…it’s ancestral and contemporary. Yeah…my sound is Pop Soul.

Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?

Can food be considered a hobby? So listen, I’m a vegan and if that doesn’t get the creative juices flowing, I don’t know what does! But, I love to cook. I love to read. Barnes & Noble has my heart! I also love to write short stories and poems based on my life.

Who are some of your main musical influences?

My “Sirius A” or my North Star has been the talent of Ms. Jill Scott. Her writing, her story telling, her voice…all of these things make her a force! It goes without saying that I wouldn’t be as passionate as I am about music without the voices of Anita Baker, Nina Simone, Sade, Toni Braxton, and that instrument pretending to be human, Ledisi. These women have given me the blueprint to how singers sing, writers write, and givers give.

What are some of your future music career goals?

There’s a list, and they’re all very specific. Let’s see…I want to perform during the Jill Scott Tribute for the Bet Awards whenever that happens. If I had my way, I’d sing “It’s Love” or “He Loves Me” — two of my favorites!

I’d like to be an E.G.O.T recipient and perform all over Europe. And honey, that’s just the appetizer.

Now onto your release, “All Night.” What inspired this song?

“All Night” was loosely based on a guy that I dated briefly in 2011. He was a musician, and we had a short-lived moment that we had to keep secret because we worked together. We didn’t want any tension in the band. A love story huh?

The lyrics are pretty simple — took only an hour to write, but what’s so intricate and complex about the song can be found in it’s music, which of course, is inspired by 80’s Pop classics and artists like Michael & Janet Jackson, Roger Troutman , The Mary Jane Girls, and Prince.

What is “All Night” about in your own words?

“All Night” is unofficially about a one night stand that lasted too long, but officially, it’s super superficial, fun, flirty, and exciting.

How did the music video for “All Night” come about? What was your vision for the video?

I literally saw a photo of Janet Jackson standing in be middle of two guys striking a pose and the photo was in black & white. That was the influence for the entire video.

What message do you hope fans take away from your music and from “All Night?”

“Life shouldn’t be hard” is the message. Life should be filled with a combination of things…love, lessons, and libations! Honey, all this heartbreak stuff is good, but my music is telling you that it’s ok to put on that sexy dress, call up your girls, go out, and flirt with the cutie at the bar!

What’s one of your proudest moments of your music career so far?

So far, it has to be winning the 2019 Carolina Music Awards! It was so unexpected because I had little no music out at the time, but I compensated by doing as many shows as possible and asking everyone at those shows to vote for me; it worked!

What would you say are the greatest lessons you’ve learned so far?

My greatest lesson is “love acts like love in the face of everything.” It may be narcissistic to quote yourself, but no joke, I’m learning and relearning that lesson everyday.

What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects that we should be on the lookout for?

I’m currently working on putting the finishing touches on my debut album as we speak. The released date is June 2022! I’ll be doing major festivals and performances until then, and also touring on the east coast in the latter part of next year. I’m truly excited for everything that’s about to happen!

Where can we follow you on social media?

You can follow me:

Instagram: @therealjanellesymone

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/54FacLWPiRSTEAbbCiDYXP

Facebook: @Janelle-Symone-168454583911419