Article By: Waverly Coleman
Photograph By: Janae Jacobs

“Ike didn’t need to hit Tina. Tina had so much in her. Tina had the gift. Tina had the look. All she needed was somebody with her to keep her motivated and keep her pointed in the right direction. With that, I cross reference it and tell my manager, ‘I got the gift, stay with me, and make sure we don’t get bamboozled in this.’”

Sophisticated, driven, and vocal describe the R&B /Gospel singer Stacy J. It’s Sunday evening, and The Terrace restaurant in Pasadena, CA is packed with power executives and a hyped crowd waiting to hear talent from all over Southern California. While some singers did not seem to have “their eye on the prize,” Stacy rocked us with two ballads; and they were perfect.

Stacy reminisces, ”I remember singing my ABC’s in my kindergarten class. The teacher would look at me and say, ‘You know what? I’m going to sit down, and you teach the class.’”  Stacy became inspired by his peers, his church, and the season three American Idol winner, Fantasia Barrino (he even wrote a song for her). He felt her fire, intensity, and passion that more than likely all of America has felt from their favorite singers at one point or another. “I tried out for American Idol because of her, and it was such a learning experience that was drawn out over a span of three years. The first year I went my godbrother went with me to San Francisco. We didn’t have a radio in the car, so we had a boom-box in the back seat.” He laughs and continues, “I sang ‘Superstar’ by Luther Vandross, and I didn’t know all the words. I didn’t think they were going to let me keep singing, so when it came to the part that I didn’t know, it snagged my audition.” They told him to come back to the Chicago show… there his luggage was lost and his hotel room was cancelled. When it came time to sing in front of the judges, his voice closed up. After the third time, he passed! He didn’t quite make it to Paula, Randy, and Simon, but through this experience, Stacy believes that this process has built up his perseverance and tenacity.

Growing up, Stacy’s grandmother raised him. When she passed, he walked away from the church for two years, thinking that after you die you’re supposed to have eternal life. “She was supposed to live. She prayed day and night, and then she came across this sickness which took her out. I didn’t understand because she was supposed to have eternal life, so I shut down.” What brought him back was his grandmother’s sister. She pushed him to keep going to church and pursue his relationship with God.  Stacy writes about his past loves, his future, and questions that he has come across. He tries to keep his lyrics real and relatable. In all of his songs, he says, “[there is a] hidden message that people think are geared towards a certain person, but they are geared toward God.”

8403, The Prelude, is the album to look out for. The title originates from the house where he spent numerous nights writing in his mother’s home. “This is not going to be a one-hit wonder. This is not going to be just one album. I’m setting myself up for longevity. This album is going to allow the country to hear my story.”

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Spec Sheet:

Name/Nickname: Stacy J. aka Stacy Bynum

Birthplace: Los Angeles, CA

Height: 5′10”

Random/quirky facts: “Makes the best fried chicken, LOL I love Tyra!”

Favorite things to do: “Produce, read, write, shop, perform, spend time with my G-momz.”

Most embarrassing life moment: “Not being chosen at American Idol Semi-Finals”

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Connect with Stacy J:

MySpace