[Kinky Premiere] Jovan Landry celebrates Valentine's Day with 'Give U My Luv' instrumental
By: Zach “Goose” Gase
Chicago’s Jovan Landry has long referred to herself as the “One-Third Emcee,” as in she’s one-third rapper, one-third filmmaker, and one-third photographer. Though recently, she’s added a fourth discipline – producing.
Landry has linked up with Kinky Elevator Music to premiere her debut instrumental single, “Give U My Luv,” right in time for Valentine’s Day. She first gave her fans a sneak peak of the track when she released a beat video of her dancing and chopping up the beat on her Maschine Jam.
“Give U My Luv” has that classic boom bap feel, with warm vocal chops and hard-hitting drums and keys. While Jovan she’s been toying around with producing since 2008, when she would make beats on Fruity Loops, she said she’s still coming into her own as a producer.
“I feel like, within the last couple of years, I’ve gotten really comfortable and confident in my sound as a producer where I can release them online as mini beat videos or produce for other artists,” she told Kinky Elevator Music.
Landry notched five production credits on her 2019 album, Synergy, which was entirely created by female artists, including rappers, singers, producers, and engineers.
“Give U My Luv” shows Jovan’s growth as a producer, as the beat is richer and more fleshed out than the high energy, but raw, production on Synergy.
Jovan briefly chopped it up with us to explain her growing interests as a producer and her plans for 2020. Check out our Q&A below:
Kinky Elevator Music: How do you think you’ve improved as a producer since the Synergy album?
Jovan Landry: Listening to music, getting feedback on my music, working with my live band, as well as continuously creating, I feel that I have a better ear for music in terms of blending sounds, arrangement, even building harmonies.
KEM: What inspired the idea to make these recent beat videos?
JL: Producers BeatsByJBlack, as well as STLNDRMS are always putting out beat making videos where they’re finger-drumming on Instagram and I really love how they’re utilizing the platform where we can see them playing live. With my filmmaking background, it would be a disadvantage to me if I don’t use it to make creative videos of me making beats.
KEM: What equipment do you use when you produce?
JL: I currently use the Maschine Jam, which I was introduced to at the A3C Conference in Atlanta in 2016. I’ve always heard good things about Maschine, and so I fell in love with the many ways you can utilize the hardware, from live FX, chord mode, guitar mode, octave mode, etc. I feel like Maschine allows me to experiment and brings out my potential as a producer.
KEM: Are you working on an instrumental project?
JL: Oh yes, I’ve kept it under wraps, but I think it’s safe to say that in 2020, I will be releasing my debut instrumental project “The Initiation” which will tap into catapulting myself as a producer, and the steps that I take to get there. It’ll be a fuse of Hip-Hop, Soul, R&B, Trap and AfroBeat instrumentals.
KEM: Are there any local artists would you like to produce for?
JL: Well, once I allow myself to let go and not rap over my own beats (lol) I would love to produce for my friends FURY and Mykele Deville, and I just started listening to Nnamdi, and I love his sound as well. I love Saba as well, so I’d love to sit on his session as well as vibe out with him. I would love to collaborate with my live band who I perform with on the co-producing tip. I also would love to get my music on TV and Film as well (sync licensing), so that’s my priority as of now.
KEM: What producers have influenced you?
JL: KAYTRANADA, Timbaland, Tall Black Guy (Detroit), KMB Sounds (Columbus, OH), _Qisum (DMV), Missy Elliott, J Dilla, Swizz Beatz, 9th Wonder, Jordan James (London) MXXWLL (Sydney), African Drumming, Kanye, Salaam Remi, Saba, No I.D, and ADD-2… The list goes on, but these stand out to me the most in the moment. All of these producers have different sounds, but I feel like this is exactly me.
KEM: What else do you have planned for 2020?
JL: I’m plotting and scheming lol. I don’t want to say too much just yet, but I do have an international performance opportunity next month, working on another rap album, and strategizing how I can fuse my performance into an interdisciplinary art show. I also just started up at Patreon Account (patreon.com/jlesliemonique) where you can support me for these future endeavors in exchange for some dope incentives such as free music, master classes, one-on-one photoshoots and much more!
Photos: Jovan Landry