Michael-Dann Joseph aka MJay
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Up and coming R&B and hip hop artist, MJay, is taking Sheffield’s underground music scene by storm. The 16 year old Myers Grove School pupil has already had songs in the online charts of several underground websites and is currently putting the final touches to his debut album, ‘The Come Up’, due to be released this Autumn.
MJay started writing music when he was 13. By the age of 15 he started focusing on learning to rap and rhyme and last year he released his first single ‘I Get Money’. In the three years since MJay began making music he has become an accomplished performer and producer with aspirations to start up his own radio show, and plans to design his own artwork and merchandise range.
He says: “I’ve been influenced by people like the American R&B singers J. Holiday and Trey Songz, but the most important influence has been my family because without them I wouldn’t be at the level in music that I am today. I offer a different kind of Rap and R&B to what most of society might expect - my music is mainly about life and the things teenagers experience and ambitions that we have.”
Getting to grips with the music business at such a young age has meant a lot of hard work for MJay, and he’s recently gained support from BiG: Make it Your Business to help him with the process. BiG has been able to provide MJay with a range of business support to help nurture his talent.
MJay adds: “BiG has done a lot for me. They have helped me develop my own website, put me in contact with people in the music industry who have helped me, I’ve learnt about running and maintaining a successful business, and I have now got a business plan put together for my music career. So watch out, MJay is coming!!”
Recently MJay has performed in Sheffield at Buzz United and the Aids Campaign Show, and he was a finalist in Sheffield’s Got Talent. Now he is planning to build up his fan base at Britain’s Next Urban Superstar 2008, Idol 2008 and the Music in the Sun festival.
“I love my music,” says MJay “I hope that someday I can be a successful and well known artist all over the world. I would like to be a good role model to people my age and give inspiration to other upcoming music artists. I’m going to keep working hard and have fun making music that people love.”
You can check out MJay’s music at Music In The Sun at Don Valley Grass Bowl, Sheffield on Saturday 2nd / Sunday 3rd August.