At eleven years old, we were causing a ruckus, running around and playing pretend. In the meantime, Jackson Lundy, a young musician from Upstate New York, was busy learning guitar chords and dreaming up song lyrics. With such an early start, it’s no surprise 23-year-old Lundy has already made a name for himself in the music industry as an R&B jazz artist. With the success of his first single, “Calypso,” in 2016, Jackson knew it was time to take the whole music thing seriously. One listen to his songs, and you can tell the lyric aficionado is as devoted to his music as he is to leaving his listeners with that warm and fuzzy feeling.
A recent graduate from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, Jackson picked up and moved out west to pursue his career in the City of Angels. Living in downtown Los Angeles, Lundy shares his place with his fellow band members, where he is constantly surrounded by musically-minded individuals. And all he has to do is step outside for inspiration. While he attributes most of his imaginativeness as simply “coming to him,” Lundy also finds art in the little things, like street signs and slogans on the sides of buildings. Jotting all his ideas onto a whiteboard in his bedroom, he never misses an opportunity to make his experiences into songs. And we’re lucky enough to be able to listen to them.
But Jackson’s talent doesn’t stop at music making— he is busy breaking into the book writing business, where we can read his experiences as well. His future novel is out-of-this-world, where the main character embarks on a space expedition and brings his trusty radio along with him. With an accompanying album and short film, this transcendent trio will take the art of music to new heights—literally.
While the up-and-coming musician works hard at his craft, he still makes time for some of his favorite things. In an interview with SHEESH!, Jackson Lundy tells of his role models, hobbies, and even his favorite cup of joe. So, let’s jump into it!
Role models: Naturally, Jackson admires a wide range of lyrical geniuses, from the classic tunes of The Beatles to the soothing sounds of Stevie Wonder and John Mayer. He also applauds Pixar songwriter, Randy Newman, and Jackson himself performed the infamous “You Got A Friend in Me” on Sundae Sauuce’s Parlor Performance. It’s no surprise Lundy walks in the footsteps of these music industry giants.
Songs: As the budding musician points out, picking a favorite song is pretty difficult, like trying to decide between what’s better and what’s best. But he pays homage to the rock classic, “Blackbird,” by Paul McCartney. And of course, he says one of his front-runners is John Mayer’s “Stop This Train.” This romantic ballad will bring you to tears, trust me.
Performing: While we’re all on lockdown, Jackson isn’t able to do one of his favorite things: perform. Trying online performances here and there, it’s just not the same for the musician. “You’ll know in one second if the song is good or not,” expresses Jackson on performing live. In high school, the bold artist would bust out his guitar in the subway station. “New Yorkers are the most harsh audience,” Jackson spills. While Lundy has played in a myriad of interesting gigs, the one he enjoyed most was right on his college campus in Boston. Only performing two songs in a rapid fire of artists, Jackson loved every second of singing to the engaging crowd.
Cup of coffee: Jackson wasn’t always performing in cafes and coffee shops; he worked in one, too! Ringing up orders as a cashier, Lundy was downing around five cups of coffee a day. “It turned me into a full-fledged coffee addict,” he laughs. What does the coffee expert recommend? For a fancy fix, Lundy enjoys a cortado, but he tends to stick to the classy cup of cappuccino on the daily.
Books: Moving into the book-writing business, Jackson has some favorite stories that inspire his creative process. From The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway to the children’s book, The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, he’s got a pretty broad range. And his reasoning for appreciating children’s literature? “There is something really profound about adults writing for children; you have to take a big idea and express it as simply and as easily as you can,” he states. Lundy finds this to be a challenge as he crafts his story about a man in space, where each song the main character plays on his radio is expressive of what he is experiencing. But nonetheless, Jackson Lundy is ecstatic to combine his musical knowledge with the written word, and he can’t wait for us to get lost in space with him.
Side hobby: Music might be his professional life, but Jackson indulges in recreational pleasures ever so often. Lundy dabbled in face mask designing and even started learning the trumpet. And he is a bit of a mechanic as well. “I got really into restoring old bicycles,” Lundy mentions.
Adventure: Jackson likes to stay on the move, already having been on three tours. As a freshman in college, the bold musician got in his car and played eleven solo gigs all over the northeast. And he did the same thing the following summer, with a trio of musicians added to the mix. “We played at a cigar lounge one time in North Carolina,” Lundy beams about the best stop on tour. One piece of advice he gained from his first impromptu tour is this: “Don’t wait for anyone; if you want to play, reach out.”
Curious about Jackson Lundy and his up-and-coming projects? Follow him on Instagram! And be sure to give him a listen on Spotify.
