Three Questions: Jasmine-Kay Johnson

Participants in our Music Journalism Course are answering three questions related to music and writing. Once they respond, they post three questions for someone else. It keeps going like that. You can see all the questions and answers here. Tag, you’re it. 

Autumn Miller posed three questions for Jasmine-Kay Johnson after she answered three questions from Charlotte Kohlberg.

AM: Is there anything you want to write about but are avoiding? Any specific genre, artist, situation?

JJ: This is a great question! Being the person and writer I am, I feel like there’s always something I’m avoiding. However, it’s not because of controversy or anything of that nature. It has more to do with me putting it off. I think of writing as a vulnerable and honest practice, so it can be intimidating to reveal your thoughts for everyone to see. 

I’ve written a few pieces for my blog, but the drafts definitely outweigh the published. There’s one piece in particular I started a while ago about Mark Ronson that I’m equal parts excited and hesitant to work through. My knowledge of him was minimal for a long time. I then watched his “What’s in my Bag?” video from Amoeba Records on YouTube and was immediately blown away.

The way he talks about and creates music is impressive to say the least. So, I wanted to dive into his career and explore what it is about him that’s solidified his place in the music industry. I’d say part of why I haven’t finished it is because I want to make sure that I do him justice. That really goes for everyone and everything I write about. Something else that causes me to avoid writing about music-related topics is the fact that I don’t have extensive knowledge about making music. I have a palpable passion for music and can hold my own in conversation, but sometimes I feel under qualified because I don’t have all the right words to say. 

AM: What’s your favorite thing to write about?

JJ: Music certainly takes the cake. 

Writing has always been a passion of mine, but it wasn’t until I got to college that I was able to fully explore music writing. Now that I’ve gained experienced in it, I’ve realized that this is something I could do for the rest of my life. The beauty of music is that there’s always something new to consume and appreciate which makes writing about it exciting for me. I don’t have much of a preference about writing reviews, listicles or anything in between as long as it’s simply about music. 

Some other topics I’ve enjoyed writing about are art and movies. These are two areas that I definitely want to learn to better write about in the future. 

AM: If you could describe your music taste as a place, where would it be?

JJ: I think my music taste is best personified by New York City.

I’ve known for quite some time that I’m a big city girl at heart, so I felt right at home when I visited NYC for the first time. It felt like a place full of possibility and variant interests. I like to think that there’s a little bit of something there for everyone, so I try to approach the way I consume music in the same way. I could listen to Latin music one day, country the next, electronic, R&B, rock, and so on.