JayOne The Optimist wants to heal the world with music

Recording artiste JayOne The Optimist said although he has plans to pursue a career in medicine eventually, he first wants to heal the world with his music.

The Clarendon-born singer shared that his stage name, which was inspired from his nickname, 'OJ,' was attached to 'The Optimist' as the latter is a term which, for him, signifies "a person who loves to go for what he wants in life". It is also a reflection of what his music represents.

The Central High School graduate, whose given name is Oswald Pinnock, shared that although his life was similar to many other teenage boys raised in the "country," one skill he obtained from assisting his parents is butchering.

JayOne The Optimist said he was encouraged to start writing his own songs at age 17, as a high school friend knew he was a good singer. While becoming engrossed in songwriting, the singer said his plans to pursue a career in medicine shifted.

"Yes, I do have plans to further my education, but as it relates to music now, I'm just trying to showcase my talent to di world and let people know [who] JayOne The Optimist is," he said.

Though he officially started in music just three years ago, he said he recognised his musical talent from as early as age 12. However, with a now mature and international R&B sound, the singer shared that working under the positive directives of Oshane Anderson, owner of Latitude Muziq 9.90 recording label, he has garnered wide knowledge and hopes to keep climbing the musical ladder.

"It's a memorable experience because I've known him [Anderson] since I was a child, so he's always around. So he told me about the riddim that he has and asked me to do a song on [it] and I just did," said the artiste. He said one of his most popular songs, Summer Vybz, has been receiving "a lot of positive feedback" on social media.

"I don't have one genre in which I sing, I focus on every genre. I do gospel, reggae, [dancehall], R&B and I can do a little rapping - just a mixture of everything," he added.

As an aspiring artiste, he shared that financially balancing his career is one of his main challenges, as "music takes a lot of money to get your songs recorded, mixed and mastered".

However, he pushed on with the support of loved ones.

"My family knows I have the talent of singing, so they helped push me to go for what I want, and since I grew up in a poor family, I just wanted to change certain lifestyle with my parents, and try and assist them in every way I can," an emotional JayOne The Optimist shared.

With many fast-rising talents popping up daily, the 20-year-old said despite his humility, he believes he has what it takes to keep up with the Gen-Z artistes, while remaining unique.

"[I] will bring something different in dancehall because I have a different sound than any other artiste, and while doing music, I know people tend to [look out for] difference. So that would push them to go and listen to JayOne The Optimist more and try to garner the different lyrics that I have," he said.

The singer, who recently showed his versatility on the revamped 'Fiesta' rhythm, with his track, Things Mi Love, had tongues wagging on social media as fans were amused at his smooth, international sound. He said within the next 10 years, he hopes to bring that sound to the universal market.

"[By that time] I see myself on the global stage performing for the fans, giving them the different type of songs/lyrics they are craving. Because while doing music, [I know] persons don't want to hear the same thing over and over, they want to hear what different style you come wid in dancehall. So that's what I'm basically doing," he said, while expressing an interest in working with local pop-reggae singer J'Calm.

JayOne The Optimist's other singles include Bubble Gum and Prayer Works, with a music video for the latter coming in January.