Jay Legaspi always had a song in his heart; he was just waiting for the right time to sing it. Jay’s experience with music starts in junior high during the 8th grade when he began playing the guitar. Officially he did not start singing seriously until his college years. In fact he only wrote his first song during freshman year at college, and that was during a holiday break. What is interesting he only embarked on a musical career after he graduated. 

He has a voice that is so soothing, I describe it like warm cocoa on a drifty snow day (especially when I heard the song Maggie). His Vocal stylings have a very youthful quality but its combined with unencumbered-poetic-mature-intricate lyrics and it’s his lyrics that always tell you a story. His ballads especially have this deep, zenful, mellow soul.

One song of his called ”High School” is just so relate-able, but my favorite song is the ballad called ”Maggie”. I got to correspond with the up and coming crooner for interview about his family, music and being Asian in the music business (in specifically Filipino). Born and Raised in New York Jay says he relocated to New Jersey as soon as he cut the cord, but even though he is on his own he still loves his family dearly. ”I have 2 brothers, one named Kuya, which is the Tagalog word for older brother and although he has a real name, but I’ve never called him it; and a cousin named Brian who is really a brother in my eyes …My father plays classical guitar and is one of my biggest influences” he says.

The quirky crooner admits his first time performing for a big audience was at NYU’s Mr. Philippine’s pageant  “…Mangeant as I like to call it…” he day and I won.”

 You can find Jay’s music on Myspace and on his own website , Jay is performing tonight with many others at “The Shine for our People” event, which all proceeds go to people in the Philipines that were displaced by a disaterous the Typhoon Frank.  I really suggest you check it out.

When did you start singing?
I’ve honestly been singing for all of my life, but under my breath. I was (and unless I’m on stage, still am) a pretty introverted kid, and I didn’t let anyone really hear me sing. My first memory of singing out loud was when I was about 6 or 7, and I was in front of my fridge and started singing about Kool Aid. I believe my mom and brother were in the room, were quiet for a moment, and continued going on with their conversation. 

My first real experience with singing out though was in college. I remember seeing signs for acappella group auditions, and thought it would be fun to try. I remember sitting on a big hill (I went to Cornell… we had a lot of those) and just singing to myself there. I didn’t make it first semester, but made it the second, and from there I just kept singing as much as I could. I don’t know what it was, but I felt that once I was in college, I didn’t have to be quiet anymore, much less listen to what anyone (including myself) said I could and couldn’t do. 

What part of creating music is the best for you?
I love writing lyrics. I obsess over syntax and word use. I love playing instruments too, be it guitar or piano or making beats, but at the end of the day, it’s just a landscape for words to walk around.  I think it’s because i started off as an emcee.
 
Who are the artists that inspire you musically?
Even though I’m a singer songwriter, I tend to look towards Hip Hop for my inspiration.  My favorites are Jay-Z, Aesop Rock, and TI.  I think it’s because of their ability to twist English that draws me to their styles. Sonically, I’m a big fan of John Mayer (also of his lyrics).  But other big people I look to are Indie groups like Death Cab for Cutie, Bloc Party, Bic Runga, and my musical contemporaries (Matt Sia, John Flor Sisante, John Violago– all Asian American Musicians in the NYC).
 
What else, if not people or feelings, inspires you to create your songs?
I find it really hard to write about things I’m not familiar with.   I’ve always wanted to be like Colin Meloy of the Decemberists or even folks like Ben Folds who can craft stories and write songs about fictional characters or people, but I think it’s because I was a quiet kid when I was younger that I feel like I have to finish writing about what I was quiet about before I write about other people.

That’s not to say that I’m just bleeding real life onto the page, and that every song is directly attributable to a person I know in real life (although that type of “song blogging” is incredibly, INCREDIBLY therapeutic).  However, if I can’t see myself in the situation, I’d find it incredibly hard to extend myself to write in that perspective…I guess songs about coke benders and shoplifting aren’t going to be on any of my albums…: :P

Have you had any obsticles in choosing a musical path?
The lure of the paycheck is an incredible thing.  At the moment, I have a full time job as a full time sales analyst at SonyBMG.  Growing up Filipino American, it’s really difficult to overcome that obstacle of security over adventure.  Additionally growing up with a strong family ethic (that I love and will never deny), it’s even harder choosing what is essentially (at least at first) a selfish path, when all I’ve been taught is to choose what will be the best for everyone you love.   With that said though, I majored with a double major in Asian Studies and Government at Cornell, with an initial career path to be a diplomat.  I guess things don’t always go the way even you yourself expected them go.  I should have known music was always my calling… my thesis at school was on Japanese Hip Hop… …I guess what I’m trying to say is that there are always obstacles, with my pragmatism being my biggest one.  But, I think eventually I’ll win over myself.

Many Asian entertainers do not have the support of their families when they choose this feild… Has your family been there for you?

At first my parents were skeptical.  I remember feeling so incredibly down when they had their doubts about what I wanted to do.  What I love about my family though (and where I lucked out) is that they have always had a “show and prove” mentaility.  After I showed them how much I wanted to perform and be an artist, they couldn’t say anything anymore.  And to this day, they are my biggest critics.  My mother always tells me to shave before shows, my father tells me to stop mumbling my lyrics, and my brother and cousin tell me when things I do sound wack. In a sense, their initial fear sparked exactly what I needed to move forward with it.  Honestly, all I need is something to tell me I can’t do it, and my stubborn side will do it’s best to prove that person wrong.
 
Has being Asian hindered or helped you in the music business and if so how?
Being Asian in the music is (for lack of a better phrase) a double edged sword (insert Katana jokes here). For every reason I’m sure you’ve heard before, it sucks:  I’ve been told by people they believe in my talent, but maybe songwriting is the way to go.  I’ve had people not take me seriously because on the surface I’m a pale Filipino kid with triangle eyebrows.  We don’t have to get into it, I’m sure you know it.

It’s amazing though, because being Asian has so many benefits.  In a similar way that African and Latino American music scenes have a built in niche based on shared cultural experiences, Asian artists can claim the same.  Yes, this “box” is fragmented, but because of tightly knit pan-Asian Cultural Groups in college and throughout the US, artists are blessed to have a place to share their art.  There’s already a niche for the Asian/Asian American artist to share their art with. Also, in a strange advantage, Asian artists have the ability to be completely fearless, because 9 times out of 10, no one outside the Asian community expects us to be performers.  There’s a certain wow factor when people see an Asian artist pouring his/her heart out on stage that ultimately gets people to go, “Wow I never expected that from you ( you being an Asian person)”.

Of course, that has it’s own stigma, because at the end of the day, music and art should be judged on its own merit, above the ethnicity of the person who created it.  I think though, it’s up to that artist to prove to the audience that they’re more than that initial superficial spark that caught their attention.
 
Has having your songs on your website or internet (myspace, imeem) helped your career? or get your music out to your target audience?

It is my honest opinion that the internet is the greatest thing to happen to indie artists, particularly for Asian artists.  I don’t know if it’s just me, but the majority of people posting videos of them singing covers and originals on YouTube are Asian (including Passion (passionsf), Gabe Bondoc (GabeBondoc), Kina Grannis (kinagrannis), David Choi (davidchoimusic), and the always lovely HappySlip).  Why I haven’t completely worked my YouTube is beyond me (but just wait… muahahah). 

Being on both sides of the music industry fence, I can tell you for a fact that MySpace, iMeem, YouTube, and the other user driven sites has the Business rethinking their plans.  The Net has equalized the playing field–making million dollar music videos comprable to someone’s viral video that took them all of 5 minutes to make or post.  Charice Pempengco and Arnel Pineda are key examples of this. The net is also the great equalizer in the sense that it has given everyone, for better or for worse, a sense of legitimacy.  No one has to wait for a big label to release a record, or even for a publisher to run an article.  Everyone can be an authority.  And that’s a great thing I believe, except when people use the anonymity just to be haters, but that’s a different rant i guess.

What genre(s) of music would you say describes the Legaspi sound?
Haha , back in the day I used to refer to myself as GuitaR&B or Acoustic Soul.  I guess Indie R&B would be the best way to describe it, but honestly, I’m just hoping people would take the time to listen :).

What are the 3 things you want people to know about you?
Hmm….
1.  I love my family
2.  I’m kind of a dork.  But I’m proud of that.
3.  Music is the only way I know how to really communicate to any human being (I think you can tell from my ranting that it’s true).