Photographed by [BreAnna Jones](https://www.instagram.com/breleased/) for [Basement Series](https://www.instagram.com/thebasement_la/?hl=en).
Nowadays, it’s extremely rare to see a female sing, write, produce, and engineer all her own music. Insert [Jayla Darden](https://www.instagram.com/jayladarden/?hl=en), who can do it all. The 21-year-old hails from Detroit, Michigan but moved to Atlanta to pursue her dreams of making it in the music industry. Now, she’s the first R&B artist signed to Interscope A&R Sickamore’s S!ck Projects.
Growing up, a pre-teen Jayla randomly sang a _Lion King_ song to her mother — it was a wrap ever since. Beyond her days coming up in the choir, Jayla began to experiment in the studio, teaching herself how to make music on her own. In fact, she watched Youtube tutorials for Garageband and ProTools, even teaching herself how to play guitar and keyboard.
Her sound is a mixture of heavy drums and soft melodies, crooning lyrics filled with love and everyday life experiences. Influenced by 90’s R&B such as Aaliyah, Destiny’s Child, Brandy, and Missy Elliot, she adds, “I like my drums to hit.” Fast forward to 2019, she unleashes her new project titled _Onto Something_, mixing, mastering, producing, and writing every single track.
We caught up with Jayla Darden ahead of her performance at [The Basement series](https://www.instagram.com/thebasement_la/) in Los Angeles to discuss her upbringing, how she landed at Sickamore’s label, recording process, and more!
Photographed by [BreAnna Jones](https://www.instagram.com/breleased/) for [Basement Series](https://www.instagram.com/thebasement_la/?hl=en).
**Talk about producing on top of singing and songwriting. That's so dope, especially as a female.**
I really started producing and songwriting because I was getting beats. First of all, it's harder to find songwriters when you're not a known artist. But I was getting beats from people that I didn't really like. I’m like “I got all these ideas in my head, let me just try to convert them and actually create my own beats around these songs that I'm writing.”
**You’re from Detroit, but relocated to Atlanta?**
When I was 15 in 10th grade, my mom moved me from Detroit to Atlanta basically to do music. I was in Atlanta for five years before I moved here to LA. I was just buckling down, honing my craft, perfecting it. That's what I was doing in Atlanta, just working.
**At what point did you realize this music thing was forreal?**
I’d say 15 because then I was stripped away — not stripped away but now, I was in a space where my purpose was music. That's why I was there. So 15 when I moved away from my family and friends, from my boyfriend or my ex at the time \[chuckles\]. Now it’s really time to focus. It’s time to go.
**How important is it to come to LA as an up-and-coming artist?**
There's a lot of opportunities out here but with social media and everything, you should build your network on socials as much as possible before you make the move. I was perfecting my craft and being confident in what I was doing. Then when I came out here, I could go into any room and work with whoever.
**What does it mean to perform tonight here at The Basement?**
It's a dope opportunity, the lineup is dope. This will be my first performance this year outside of my EP release. [Ericka](https://www.instagram.com/erickajcoulter/) found out about me through my A&Rs Ashley Monet and Sickamore. I'm signed to Sickamore’s S!ck Projects.
**How did Sickamore find you?**
When I was in Atlanta, I was actually putting out ideas. A series of ideas. Once a month, I’d put out an idea which was a verse and a hook. Because I make all my beats, I just named all my beats “idea blank blank blank.” So if it was the 686th beat, that's what I’d name the song. I’d put those songs out on SoundCloud one at a time. What really was happening, I was trying to focus on placements, and writing and producing for other people. That's what I was doing, but I knew artistry was my main goal.
My mom who’s my manager said “don't let the artistry die. You have a little fanbase already, just keep feeding them.” That was honestly a great plan because it was the most consistent thing that I’d done up to that point, so my fanbase was growing with that. We’re like “okay after 12 months, I'll drop an EP,” and that was _Ideas Vol. 1_. It was a compilation of 6 songs, 6 ideas that were more than just a verse and a hook. Ashley ended up finding me on SoundCloud.
She was just listening to SoundCloud one day and my songs popped up, so she followed me on Twitter. Then I followed her back. She DMed me and at the time, her and Sick were working together. She brought me to Sick, reached out to me like “we would like to fly you out. Just get in and vibe with you and see how you feel.” I flew out here with them, it was real professional. Everything was taken care of. They put me in a couple of studio sessions, it was dope.
**Thats crazy, when was this?**
Shoot they flew me out I want to say April of last year, 2018. So even before Vol. 2 came out. Even one of the songs off Vol. 2, I recorded while I was here. They’re like “just put it out!” It was super cool, super chill.
**Have you just been working this whole time?**
Yes, I’ve just been working. I didn't sign until December last year. I was still in Atlanta then, then we moved here at the end of July and I signed in December. I’m literally the first artist, the only artist signed to his label. Sickamore started the label, then they found me. It’s dope, I’m the baby. \[chuckles\] It came out of nowhere.
**What is it you want fans to get from your story?**
My intention with the music is to be able to relate to me and know that there's somebody else going through the situation that you may be going through. Just being an inspiration. Same thing with my journey, just being an inspiration. Being consistent so that other people see the consistency. Because the people I look up to, it's easier to see yourself doing something when somebody else is already doing it. Not to toot my own horn, but I don't see too many people that do everything. But I know people who do on a major scale, you just don’t see too many doing it.
**Do you think that played into them signing you, the fact that you could do all of it?**
I don't know. They really liked the music though. When I first met them, they’re like “yeah, I was listening to it on repeat for weeks.” Sick was saying “I didn't even realize I was listening for weeks, just on repeat.” But the fact that I do everything is a bonus.
**“Onto Something” is a vibe. What or who inspired this record?**
It was a miniscule situation. For creative purposes, I just expanded my imagination of it and created a song like “what if this did happen?” The little crush in me was — like I say in the song, “maybe I read it wrong.” The little things in there. \[chuckles\] It’s so funny, people think it’s so deep like “who hurt you?!” We’ve all been through it though, it just wasn’t in that moment in time. So I guess past situations inspired it.
**Best memory from the video shoot?**
It was a good time all together. It was a dope experience all together. What happened was we shot the cover art, those videos of me making the beat. We did five different press shoots and shot the video in two days, so it was a lot going on. But my whole team was there so it was a dope experience. It was literally my first video with full-on production, the first video with the label and money behind it. I know when we found the cover art, we knew it was the picture. Everybody knew. Everybody was like “that's the one.” Sick and Ashley both set it as their home screen on their phones at the moment, like off the monitor. \[chuckles\] That was a dope moment.
**Were you playing bass in the beginning?**
Well I play guitar, and then I play the keys a little bit. I’d love to pick up the bass but I don’t know how. I actually took guitar lessons for a couple weeks earlier this year because I’ve always picked it up. When I was younger I’d ask for instruments, but I never took real classes. I knew theory a little bit. I wouldn't call myself a full-on musician, but I can work my way around.
**How important is social media for your career?**
More than important than I use it. \[laughs\] It's actually a big deal because like I make all these songs in my bedroom. At the end of the day, I put them out and people spread it. Actually, it's a huge deal. Not my activity, but other people sharing it with their friends, seeing it, picking it up, or being in the car on the aux and just playing it for people. I try to reach out to everything I see. Every time somebody reaches out, every time I see it, I try to respond or like it at least. Because at the end of the day without people who are fans or supporters, your career is pointless. They literally drive your career.
Photographed by [BreAnna Jones](https://www.instagram.com/breleased/) for [Basement Series](https://www.instagram.com/thebasement_la/?hl=en).
**Favorite person to follow on IG?**
I follow @[justlivinbby](https://www.instagram.com/jstlbby/?hl=en), she’s real motivational.
**What would you be doing if you weren’t doing music?**
Nothing. I have no idea. I might've been a WNBA player, but I’m not great. That was just a dream. \[laughs\] I'm like 5’3’’ so I don’t know how that would’ve worked.
**What’s a normal day in the life? Walk us through.**
Right now, it's been busy getting the shows together, rehearsals and everything. Other than that, I try to wake up, make music, and then just be chillin’. Watching movies and everything, that's literally what I love to do. I like to chill.
**What's the last movie you saw?**
I want to say _Zombieland,_ or what movie did we see on Thanksgiving? \[turns to sister\] _21 Bridges._ I hadn't heard of it before, but it was cool. Zombieland, I was waiting for it.
**Three things you need in the studio?**
My laptop. Maybe have some cartoons playing on mute in the background. I need LED lights. That is a need. Maybe this a sage candle. At Spotify, they have the same candle. The company is called MALIN and GOETZ, it’s so fire.
Photographed by [BreAnna Jones](https://www.instagram.com/breleased/) for [Basement Series](https://www.instagram.com/thebasement_la/?hl=en).
Photographed by [BreAnna Jones](https://www.instagram.com/breleased/) for [Basement Series](https://www.instagram.com/thebasement_la/?hl=en).
**Whos your most played artist on your phone?**
Right now, I've been listening to Tinashe’s new album.
**What's your favorite song off _Songs For You_?**
Low key, I like a lot of them. “Remember When” is dope. It's acoustic, I like acoustic vibes.
**I see your mom is here. What does mama think now?**
I think she's proud of me. She always knew but seeing it come to fruition, it's dope.
**What can we expect next?**
Me... chillin’. \[chuckles\] Because it was a lot of work. I've been working nonstop for three months! Putting the EP together, the rollout and everything together. I’m probably going to go chill with my family for the holidays, then get right back into it. Start making music.
**Back to Atlanta?**
Well Detroit, then my grandparents stay in Augusta, Georgia. So I’ma go there and Detroit with my family. Then I’m getting right back into making music and getting in the studio. That’s what I do best.
**Do you identify more with Atlanta or Detroit?**
Detroit is home for me. I love Atlanta because I grew as a musician there, but I really was just in the house working working working. So I have more of a connection with Michigan because that's literally where I grew up. That was my childhood.
**Did you grow up in the hood?**
When I was younger, we stayed in the hood. But eventually my mom started moving us further and further out to the suburbs. I used to stay out in the West Side, on 7 Mile.
**Detroit I feel like is so hip-hop and rap, talk about being an R&B artist in the D.**
That's kind of why we moved because my mom felt it wasn't as much as a scene, but I feel like we could have figured it out. But I do know a lot of friends that I met in high school introduced me to SoundCloud, they were indie artists putting out their music. They're super dope still to this day. They’re still at it. There's a scene there, you just have to look for it.
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