showed the softer, deeper side to my pain about everything that I was going through, like yeah I’m a soldier but I still have feelings. I was in a deep depression when I wrote that, I had to make sure that people felt it through my video. These videos were the first ones I filmed since going independent, the first time I was control of everything and people were going to know it was mine and no one could take credit for it or take it away from me.
SMM : What would you like your listeners to take away from your music?
J.Irja : Inspiration. My whole purpose is to inspire others to use their pain and struggles and turn it into motivation to persevere, to never surrender despite any obstacles in their way. I mean look at where I came from: homeless, on the street, with nothing but the clothes on my back. Look where I am now. If I can do it anyone can. I especially want young women to be empowered through my work, I want to show them that a female can do anything she puts her mind to, it doesn’t matter if it’s a male dominated industry or not. If you have a dream, go for it girlfriend, and never take no for an answer.
SMM : Why do you feel like you shutdown every stage you hit?
J.Irja : T he stage has always been my element. It’s like I said in my song “Mirror” “the only time I feel alive is when I’m on the stage” because it is truly when I do feel most alive. It’s like something takes over me and I don’t even think, I feel the energy of the crowd and react off of it and just dominate the stage naturally.
SMM : What make J.Irja different from other female hip-hop artist?
J.Irja : I think there’s a lot of great female artists out there and I salute every woman in the industry. My whole life has made me different, I’m a little Canadian white girl who’s been in the streets, really the gutter. I lived that life and hustled like a lot of the men out here, actually harder. I used to strip and sell drugs at the same time. I went all over the country by myself and knocked down doors when no one would open them. I can relate to men and women, and everything I spit is truth. You’re not going to hear me doing bubble gum rap. I real, I’m authentic and I’m RELOADED.
time. I went all over the country by myself and knocked down doors when no one would open them. I can relate to men and women, and everything I spit is truth. You’re not going to hear me doing bubble gum rap. I real, I’m authentic and I’m RELOADED.
SMM : Do you still have any contact with SpotLight Ent?
J.Irja : I haven’t had any real contact with my old crew in years. I talked to a couple of our mutual associates and have no hard feelings toward them. Yeah they played me but what can you expect that’s how the game goes, at the end of the day you gotta look out for yourself first. I wish nothing but good things for everyone. May the Best Man Win.
SMM : How did your childhood influence your songwriting?