Jarell Perry – Making Moves On His Own
Article By: Waverly Coleman
Photographs By: Janae Jacobs
I love vocalists because you can feel the passion within them. They aren’t afraid to share their thoughts and personal experiences. Most vocalists (and musicians in general) just want their story to be heard; they want to inspire.
Let us introduce you to our newest inspirer – Jarell Perry.
Influenced by industry greats such as John Legend, Alicia Keys, and the legendary Stevie Wonder, Jarell Perry began his love for music. Like many great Gospel / R&B singers, Jarell Perry got his start in the church, captivating and enchanting any and all who heard him. He made a few church CDs, but never thought about making singing his permanent career choice.
Thus, Jarell attended UCLA, graduating with a double major in Political Science and Communication Studies. “I always wanted a back-up plan. I didn’t go to college to do music. I actually didn’t know what I wanted to do at all,” he states. However, music was still a great part of his college career. At school, he was in a few bands and performed for celebrity judges like Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie, and Julie Andrews. Jarell even appeared on an MTV show during his freshman year called “MTV’s Little Talent Show,” winning the entire competition.
His studies obviously paid off as he successfully landed a job working for the Walt Disney Company within their marketing division doing project development. However, we have to say his biggest and most prominent project yet, is his mixtape: On My Own (which can be downloaded for free at jarellperry.com). Jarrell adds, “ I wanted the most minimal amount of barriers for others to download and take the music with them. I want them to help compensate me by telling others about my music. I spent a lot of time on the project…I did the best of what I could with what I had.” And, it shows. The entire mixtape is extremely arousing, causing one to reminisce about past loves, future loves, and about life. My favorite song on the mixtape is conveniently titled “My Life,” and I knew when I asked him to explain the lyrics behind the song that it would be special.
“My Life is a special song to me for a lot of reasons. At a time in my life, I was in a few different relationships with family and friends, and I felt that everyone was demanding things that I couldn’t give. So, one morning, I sat at the keyboard and it just poured out. That song is ALL of me,” Jarrell passionately comments.
Jarell isn’t about wasting his opportunities. Right now, he is working on a four song EP, which will be released on itunes.com to “wet the pallet of the masses.” Once you download his mixtape, you too will see that he has accomplished the start of a second career, on his own.
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Spec Sheet:
Name/Nickname: Jarell Perry
Birthplace: Orange, CA
Height: 5′10″
Random/quirky facts: “I am obsessed with geography and maps and driving directions. Whenever I’m out with friends, I’m usually the navigator.”
Favorite things to do: “Travel and learning new languages. Besides making music, I speak Spanish and know several phrases in Chinese, Vietnamese, and French.”
Most embarrassing life moment: “In the 4th grade we had an assignment where we had to record on a cassette tape. My teacher put the tape in on the wrong side and started playing some explicit 2pac I had ripped from the radio. It was a very conservative Christian school, so everyone was absolutely offended and I got in trouble. LOL”
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