Jacob Interviews….R&B singer Jori

By: Jacob Elyachar

A lot of singers got their start in Atlanta.

The Gate City’s native sons and daughters Usher, India.Aire, Ciara and rockabilly singer Brenda Lee have won numerous awards and dominated the music charts over the universe.

Another Atlanta native who is ready to continue Atlanta’s legacy is singer-songwriter Jori.    Influenced by Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey and the late Whitney Houston, Jori has competed in multiple talent competitions across the country and has started working with Grammy-nominated producer and songwriter Calnon Lamb, who has recorded tracks with Monica, Jazmine Sullivan and Alicia Keys on a debut album.

I recently had the chance to talk to Jori and we talked about how she got interested in music, her work with Calnon Lamb and her thoughts about trying out for shows like American Idol or the Voice…

Jacob Elyachar: How did you get interested in music?

Jori: When I was young maybe around three or four-years-old, my uncle was perusing music and he is seven years older than me and we are really close and I used to go with him to watch his shows, performances and used to do a lot of competitions and open up for a lot of big people and it was so exciting.   So when I found out that I could sing myself and it was something I really wanted to do.

JE: Who are your musical influences and why are they important to you?

Jori: My musical influences as far as singing goes has to be the late Whitney Houston.   I loved how she sung and her vocal deliveries she gave touched me as a young child and I remember playing Whitney’s “Saving All My Love for You” on my grandmother’s record player.    Even as a child in my own household, my mother listened to some old school music that influenced me too including Bootsy Collins all the way up to the Bee Gees.    I really love all of their music.

JE: You mentioned that Whitney Houston was one of your biggest inspirations and if people go to your YouTube page, they will find a lot of covers of Whitney’s songs.   I know this is an emotional question but where were you when Whitney passed away?

Jori:  I was at home and when I found out about her death, it really shocked me but it did not sink in when it happened and still has not sunk in yet but I have tried not to think about it because she was always someone I wanted to meet and when you think that Whitney Houston was 47-years-old and that’s real young and very shocking.   I was taken aback by it.

JE: You have performed in multiple talent competitions across the country.  What have you learned from your experiences with them?

Jori: The biggest lesson that I have ever learned from these competitions was to be resilient because you don’t win every time so you need to learn how to pick yourself back up again and keep moving.   Also know that every competition is not for you but God does have a plan for you and you need to follow that plan and stick with it.   I also learned how to remain humbled throughout no matter how good I get or how many good things happen to me I just want to remain who I am and remember where I came from.

JE: Currently, you are working with Grammy-nominated producer and songwriter Calnon Lamb.  What is it like working with him?

Jori: He is very laid back and is super fun to work with because we makes jokes in the studio but even when he is laid back, he knows what exactly what your want as far as the sound and the harmonies that he wants on the music.   He’s very smart but he is also allows me to be myself and contribute what I want on the album.

JE: A lot of aspiring singers have auditioned for shows like “American Idol,” “The X Factor,” and “The Voice.”  Have you considered trying out for those shows and why or why not?

Jori: Yes I have.  I’ve tried out for American Idol and the Voice.  I’ve tried out and I feel though that even if I didn’t get in it was a good experience and you will never know when your break is going to be and what the heck…if you are a singer, you should try out for singing competitions.

JE: If you had the chance to collaborate with anyone, who would you record with and why?

Jori:  It would be two people.   I love Stevie Wonder and I love Prince.   I think that they are musical geniuses and I feel like making music with Stevie Wonder would be the greatest thing ever.  To me, both of them are like Mozarts of their time.   They have made so many classic hits.

JE: Have you thought about traveling across country to tour?

Jori: It has crossed my mind but touring takes a lot of money. (Laughs) So that is the only reason why I have not toured yet.  One thing about me is that I am really particular in what I put out and very anal about making sure that I always give my fans my personal best.   People call me a perfectionist but I really think people deserve my best material.

To connect with Jori, visit her website: http://www.jorionline.com/

To watch some videos of Jori, visit her YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/missjori411