I was recently able to sit down with TikTok’s newest influencer musician J. Miles, for an interview.
- Where are you from? Is that Where you grew up?
“I was born in Denver. I bounced around endlessly especially as I got older though. I ended up living in Texas, Hawaii and Florida.”
- How old are you? When’s your birthday?
“I’m 22! I was born February 10th, 2000. It makes it really simple to remember my birthday because I’m the age of the year, if its 2022, I’m 22, unless it’s January.”
- Who first got you into music?
“Oh that’s definitely my mom. I remember her playing Ye and AC/DC when I was little. She would always play them on the CD player in the kitchen and the car. Late Registration, Highway to Hell, Back in Black, it was all her.”
- When did you start making music?
“Well there’s a few answers to that. I used to constantly write as a kid. I even just recently found a song I wrote when I was 13. If we’re talking about releasing music though? My first song I ever wrote, recorded, and released was in 2018.”
- How would you describe the music you typically create? Genre and style?
“From my heart, for both. Honestly. I, like many many artists, have my slew of mental issues. When my depression or anxiety are affecting me more than usual, you’ll see the darker side of my brain, things like Gun to My Head or Skeleton Man. When I’m feeling more carefree and happy, you’ll see fun stuff like Supa Thick. And when I want to talk about what’s going on in the world, you’ll get songs like Last Days, The Man, or my Vladimir Putin Disstrack. The same goes with the genre of music I create. I create what I want. I’ve made country songs, true ‘hip-hop’ songs and plenty of alternative songs as well.”
- What is your creative process like?
“First I find beats. If I’m feeling a particular thing or vibe, like a fun summer ukulele, I’ll search that. Once I find something that the whole chorus just comes to my head, I run with it. Once I get the chorus written I just write the verses. After that I record, then mix and master everything myself.”
- Who would you most like to collaborate with?
“Kid Cudi. He’s my favorite artist of all time. I’ve done so many things inspired by him, I even have an entire EP in the works that is meant to pay homage.”
- What is one message you would give to your fans?
“BE YOU F**KING SELF!!!!!!!! I’m obsessive over video games and movies, paint my nails and lift weights. Tell me where those mix? They don’t. It doesn’t matter. People may not like it, they may hate it, and that makes them talk about it. That comment that person leaves, whether good or bad, is traction. Let them hate, they’re only fueling your fire.”
- What do you attribute your success too?
“The people who stuck by my side. Every day I feel like I’ve done this all on my own, but that’s just not true. Every one of those people listening, believing, being there. They did this.”
- What is the most useless talent you have?
“Oh Jesus haha I’m amazing at Call of Duty Mobile. I love playing it but everyone else has their consoles or PC’s so its something I end up doing alone most of the time.”
- Do you sing in the shower? What songs?
“Absolutely. I have a whole playlist for when I’m hanging out and I know every song by heart. Tons of (Rolling) Stones, Black Pumas, Kid Cudi of course, and Mac (Miller). Just countless people.”
- What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?
“I’d be in school. I was a mechanical engineering major when I left Florida State but I definitely don’t think I’ll go back to that.”
- How do you feel the Internet has impacted the music business?
“Personally I love it. When I started making music I was an 18 year old kid in Colorado with 0 connections. Before the internet I would’ve had to to go to f***king Hollywood to get the following I have.”
- Which famous musicians do you admire?
“Kid Cudi, Kanye, Russ and any other major artist that spent forever being unseen. That, If anything, is the feeling I think we’re all the most familiar with.”
- What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?
“Oh sh*t I don’t know if I can answer that one. I got in some serious trouble in Florida. Thats all I think I can say.”
- What is the best advice you’ve been given?
“I spend most of my free time with movies, so my favorite advice comes from there. ‘Shoot first, think never’ is my favorite quote from Ash (Vs. The Dead). I have crippling anxiety. I think so much I think about one thing for an entire day, (I) waste it all. Sometimes you just have to say screw it and just do it. Don’t think, just do it.”
- What is the biggest thing that’s happened in your career so far?
“The first Lizzo duet. It was not only using Supa Thick, but it was Lizzo, which is still just so amazing.”
- What’s your favorite song you’ve made?
“Lost in Space. It’s a song that I worked really hard on, went through hours of NASA tapes to get the real, authentic pieces I wanted. I also just never stop connecting to it. I’ve always felt distant to people, life, and just society in general; like I’m in space, just watching it all. But nobody listened to it haha. And that’s how it goes sometimes, your favorite things are often underrated.”
- If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
“The ease for Artists to get on a path starting and ending somewhere. I mean getting picked up by labels is so difficult and even finding a manger is impossible. Just making the ‘who you know’ aspect a little smaller.”
- What’s next for you?
“More, of everything. I’m pushing myself on Youtube, TikTok, Instagram, and in my music. I’ll continue to push out singles until I can pause for a bit and finish up the EP’s I’ve been working on. As well as a a few short films and a movie. Countless things, just look out for them all.”