In conversation with Willie Jones

As we begin the new decade we often find ourselves reflecting on how the year has gone. An artist who has made consistent moments over the last few years and without a doubt is on his way to further success is musician Willie Jones. Encompassing a sound that is truly unique to him he has orchestrated a fine blend that consists of Country music and elements of Hip Hop. Deconstructing both genres and formulating his own style he has drawn in a fan base that covers a broad bandwidth and reaches an international scale. The Shreveport, Louisiana, native resides halfway between Dallas and New Orleans. With both places having thriving music hubs, Willie gets the best of both worlds and his sound is an amalgamation of influences. To date, he has built an empire of his own and his music has scored an outstanding 17 million streams as well as spots on popular playlist across Spotify, Apple Music and Tidal. He has also kickstarted the new year by collaborating with country rocker Logan Mize on their brand new single‘I Ain’t Gotta Grow Up’ and it’s a must-listen! If you are in the States Willie Jones will be joining Logan Mize on his ‘I Ain’t Gotta Grow Up Tour’ and you’ll be able to soak up the electric atmosphere. I had a chance to chat with him all about his recent shows in the UK, musical influences and more. 

Rewind the clock back to October 22nd, this date is no coincidence, it was the day that he landed in the UK to perform in London as a guest to Michael Ray. Not only did he play Bush Hall in London it was the first of a string of regional dates and he performed in Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow. When speaking about his time in the UK performing he said: ‘it was really cool, I have been out there before but this was my first time coming out there to do original music and booked on shows out there. I opened for a guy named Michael Ray, really cool dude, really amazing country singer as well. I feel the people of the UK just love music. I’m not saying people in America don’t listen but it’s like in the UK they tune in and really listen to the words and take away from it. It was a good time I am actually going back next year.’

Willie Jones is consistently proving his potential as an artist and his latest single ‘Whole Lotta Love’ is instantaneously infectious. When speaking to him on the phone what was immediately noticeable is his inherent charm and it completely translated on the track. He exudes an energy that is so full of positivity and ‘Whole Lotta Love’ epitomises it. When speaking about the single he says: ‘the meaning behind the new single ‘Whole Lotta Love’ is just telling the story about just love in general and how it can be unconditional. Whether you rich or poor or you got a lot of money or you don’t have any money.’

It’s crazy to think it has only been a year since his first original debut single ‘Runs in our Blood’, between that time frame he has been keeping up the momentum and has also released popular single ‘Down For It’. His first single was the perfect track to introduce him to the world, he spoke fondly about the creation of the track: ‘I was actually hanging out with family over thanksgiving break and there’s nothing like family, I am really close with my family they just show me unconditional love and have always been there. I got into the studio with my boy Sam Cooke once again and that one pretty much was a freestyle as well. That track started off as a Hip Hop track and then I think he got in and tweaked something and I started freestyling that first line.’

As I mentioned earlier his sound is something quite unique and he has really grafted his own lane and is flourishing in his own way. When discussing his sound he said: ‘It really just comes naturally for me man and I think it’s really something that sometimes gets hard for me to explain because it’s just like when I get in the studio and when I create, it’s not something that I am forcing myself to strive to be, something that just over time has developed into what it is. But yeah, I mean music, in general, is storytelling, country is, hip hop is, R&B is, it’s all people telling their stories and I think just with the blend of how I talk and my swag on how I pronounce different words, with the instrumentation of hip hop drum and country guitars and stuff just kind of makes this sound Willy Jones.’

Growing up in the South of North America he was exposed to a multitude of sounds and he discussed how growing up in Louisiana influenced his musical style. ‘Shreveport where I am from, Shreveport Louisiana the 318 has so many great musicians that come out of there and have played there. I was always around good music and good people so I think it just influenced me in a way of just being open, one to different things and two being real and honest because people in Shreveport are real and honest.’

Music has been integral to him, not only as a musician but as a fan of music and it has had a major influence on him when he was young. ‘I have always been a fan of music and performing ever since I was a kid. I remember being four years old saying that I wanted to be a singer and since then it hasn’t really changed. I just love how music moves you and how it can just put you in a mood that you can totally relate to and feel like you’re not the only one feeling that way.’

His love for music has also greatly been influenced by his family and he sites that as a factor that influenced him to get into music. ‘like I said I have always wanted to do it, I remember growing up going to church I would see my dad lead praise and worship in the choir and I was always in the choir and I just love to see people being moved by music, especially in church. I was always moved by it even from a young age. It was always something I wanted to do, I was always just a fan of music and I always knew I had a gift to sing.’

Willie Jones has also graced the lineup of MAGCON, he speaks of his experience whilst on tour, he even got to perform alongside Shawn Mendes where they sang a cover of Cruise by Florida Georgia Line and Darius Rucker Wagon Wheel. ‘That was years ago, that was before we all were in the industry, but I was on a social media tour called MAGCON, shout out to the MAGCON family and a lot of great artists came out of that, just great people. Cameron Dallas was a headliner, he’s a social media influencer, model, musician, my boy Aaron Carpenter he’s doing his thing. We were just young and this was when Vine and Instagram were just really becoming a thing, so we went on tour and I got hired randomly to do entertainment because it was a big meet and greet so they had me and few other artists and Shawn Mendes was one of them.’

If you didn’t get a chance to check him out live in the UK he will be returning next year. There’s loads more coming from Willie Jones in 2020 and he discusses his hopes for next year. ‘For next year really that’s when the album will be out, release the album, tour a little bit.’ 

‘Really just growing too as a person, I learnt a lot about myself this year and I can’t wait to just see who I become next year, just a better version of myself, I want to be a better version of myself every day for real, I really do.’