Artist Feature: Jace June
Adorned with a pearl necklace, silver rings, and a bead bracelet, Jace June gives the impression he just arrived after bumming it on a beach for a couple hours with his guitar. With a sunny smile, Jace June melts any awkwardness and radiates “good vibes” turning our “interview” into more of a conversation. Despite the music scene being competitive, music is not simply a means to an end for Jace; it is an end. He made it clear that it is a privilege to create and make music. Jace June isn’t concerned with any level of fame or recognition, he’s just here for the music and to do it for as long as he can, simply because it makes him happy.
With a set of musical parents, Jace grew up and around music but did not really consider it to be anything more than something to enjoy. He didn’t take to an instrument with a virtuosic grace or hold any wild notions of becoming a Rockstar. Instead, Jace simply enjoyed singing, free of any expectation or pressure to perform for anyone but himself. His naïve joy for music did not manifest into anything more than a hobby until just a few years ago.
In an off-chance encounter with a friend who had a makeshift home studio, Jace became enthralled with the process as a whole. He voraciously familiarized himself with Logic Pro X and setup a recording space in his bedroom to flesh out his ideas in entirety. From that point on, Jace made the commitment to himself to pursue music with a cheerful devotion and throw the full force of his energies behind a persistent pleasure in his life.
Learning to produce was tedious, seeing as Jace was just a novice and self-producing a project poses a daunting task to even professionals. His first projects were raw and unpolished, butserved as the catalyst to what Jace now considers his career. He recalls how excited and proud he was of his first works, showing them to all of his musical friends and anyone willing to listen. But listening back now, he hears plenty of “spots for improvement” to put it kindly. In good spirits, Jace described this time as necessary to his artistic development and encouraged him to improve. He’s clearly made strides and progressed in his skills with a number of his songs racking up hundreds of thousands of streams on Spotify.
Jace described his decision to embrace the arts as liberating and allowed him to embrace “a more authentic version of himself.” In watching his video content, one can recognize how Jace’s creativity translates seamlessly from his music to his promotional strategies. Jace utilizes his interest in cinematography to make unique short-form and even occasionally does fun pop-up concerts that take place in a variety of locations ranging from Trader Joe’s to his school bathroom. His content accurately captures his personality and authentically builds his brand as an artist. What can be seen on Jace’s socials are equally apparent when meeting him; his spontaneity, creativity and light-hearted nature.
Jace is always looking to build new relationships within the arts communities that he finds himself in. Eager to learn from others and try new things, Jace notes that there are so many talented people that he wants to learn from. Jace maintains that doing your best to always learn preserves the joy of it all and allows Jace to continue to be himself, a person many people enjoy, but importantly a person he enjoys.