You know we like breaking talent first… Tell the world your name and where your from? My name is LettaJ. I’m originally from Dallas, Texas but currently live in New York City. How long you been doing music?.. I’ve been singing my entire life, like literally since I was 4 years old. My parents are both pastors so I started singing in church really young and I started writing songs when I was 8. Thirst Trappin is genius how did you decide to do a song with a concept like that? I was editing video with a friend and he was off task looking at my instagram.(lol) He came across a pic that he thought was sexy and said, “you stay thirst trappin.” I thought it was so hilarious, I couldn’t get it out of my head. So, I posted a pic and hash-tagged it #thirsttrappin. It got mad likes and the next thing I knew, I had written a song about it. And the rest is history! ha How does social media effect the work today in your eyes ?… It’s a huge part of the connection to my fans. I think social media makes people feel like they get to know you without actually knowing you and as an artist you want that. You want their thoughts and for them to come out to a show and give you a hug because that’s what its about. So, I create music that is relatable and real enough to constantly connect with the people who follow my musical journey. I include social media in my daily routine because there are people who want to be a part of my daily routine, so why not let them? 🙂 What is your 5 year plan with music? It starts with creating a powerful movement with relevant and well written records. Within a 5 year period, I expect significant success as an award winning recording artist with a discography as a songwriter for films, television shows and great artists. I am a natural entrepreneur, always have been, so I will definitely have businesses that add to my success. But within 5 years I expect to be in a place where I am helping aspiring artists and songwriters achieve their goals and dreams by offering opportunities that help them navigate their way into the industry.I expect to have started a book if not finished one to include in my arsenal of motivational tactics. What are some of the downs in this business as a woman? Well, you deal with a lot of bs but that’s certainly not gender specific. The biggest difficulty is having to be discerning enough to know who is serious and who is trying to sleep with you lol. I’m laughing but I’m dead serious. People will say damn near anything to get laid so being smart but still able to listen is a lot more difficult than it sounds. So, the biggest challenge is learning to balance being a business woman and an artist at the same time. How did you feel about the beef between Drake and Meek Mills? Honestly, I was just disappointed that the world focused more on beef between two wealthy and successful rappers more than black lives mattering. I felt it showed how easily distracted we can be. Who is your favorite female artist? That’s really tough because there are older artist that have influence me so much but if I had to pick an artist now, I would say Jazmine Sullivan because I could listen to her endlessly. If you could assemble a dream team group who would the members be? Wow. Hmmm…well I wish I could bring Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye back because they would definitely be in my group but I suppose I would want to create a group kind of like the Fugees. So I would want LettaJ (me haha), Chris Brown, Tink and maybe Lacrae in a group. We’re all different and talented in our own ways but so creative…and we’re all songwriters! So I know we would create some of the most amazing music ever. And the execution would be insane!!! What producers would you like to work with?.. I’m a fan of Rock City and I love the originally Pharrell embodies. So, those guys 🙂 What kind of advice can you give some young artist in the come up like yourself? The advise I would give anyone, regardless of their industry (especially young artist) is “What God has for you, is for you!” There will always be people who think they can make or break your career but they can’t. Although the industry is relationship driven, I think it’s important to understand that what is destined for your life, is intended for you. You have to just work hard and be smart enough to go after it and grab it. But understanding who you are, realizing your worth and knowing what you want are among the most important things you can give yourself. Knowing those things will help you stay focused and they will will help you make wise decisions even when it’s tough. Stay faithful, set the bar ridiculously high and work so hard you impress yourself. @lettajmusic
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New Preacher’s Daughter On The Block: LettaJ “Thirst Trappin” [Video]
