“In2Deep” is out now on YouTube.
Jamal Virgo is someone you should keep an eye on. He’s an LA-based upcoming artist who is emerging onto the scene quickly and with a lot of talent to show for himself. If you’re wondering, yes, he is a Virgo and he believes that his music is very reflective of a typical Virgo’s thoughts.
He describes his Virgo-tainted sound as “over-analytical, moody, reserved, but beyond loyal & creatively determined.”
The moody sound is evident in his music, specifically his latest video release titled “In2Deep,” which is a captivating visual that shows Jamal Virgo in his feelings and realizing the emotions he has for someone.
He’s someone who can skillfully use storytelling as an asset in his music, and can make audiences relate with his message on a deeper level.
Be sure to keep reading to learn more about the rising talent below, and check out the video for “In2Deep.”
What city are you from/ Where are you based now?
I’m originally from Ladera Heights area but I currently live near DTLA in Lincoln Heights
What is your artist name? What is your real name? How did you get your artist name?
My artist name is Jamal Virgo & my real name is Jamal. My artist name came from the fact that I am a real life Virgo child, born Aug 26. & I chose this artists name because when you hear my music you hear the mindset of a Virgo. Over-analytical, moody, reserved, but beyond loyal & creatively determined.
At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music?
I decided to pursue music when I was 18 years old in my freshman year at the University of Arizona. I found music in a time in my life where I felt I was on my own & it was the only place my voice held weight & allowed me to fully express how I felt. I also found my favorite album of all time that semester & I owe it all to that for sparking the musical & lyrical light in me – Friday Night Lights by J. Cole.
Has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your sound today? If so, how?
My upbringing definitely played a huge role in my creativity as a whole. My dad is an actor & mom is an educator. So expressing & also education through life lessons was a match that doctored me as a creative. My dad always played Jazz, mom played R&B, & then most of my life I spent watching action & adventure movies with my brother. So it all played a role into the story telling I do with my music.
How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?
Ooo. I would describe it as moody, methodical & mysterious.
What ultimately inspired you to dedicate yourself to a music career?
Well like I brought up before, I think the thing that inspired me was the Friday Night Lights mixtape. I started finding Instrumentals & put together my first mixtape, made a beyond mediocre album cover, & then uploaded it to DatPiff. Mannnn, you couldn’t tell me I wasn’t Kanye West. But I think that sparked the itch & I ran with it.
What’s one reason you are passionate about music and what inspires you?
The reason I am so passionate about music is because of how powerful it can be when channeled for expression & the doors it can continue to open for other creative expressions.
Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?
Outside of music my other hobbies are curating merch & clothes for my Virgochild brand. I love fashion, sneakers, design & all things in that vein. Before COVID hit my homies & I had been on a travel wave as well, so that was starting to be a real source of inspiration for me but that’s on how for now hahah. Other than that just supporting all my homies from our self made label BYWAYofUS which includes myself, Amon (@amonrahh) & my brother Kahlil Amani (@kahlilamani). Both amazing artists & both have recent songs & project you can check out right now!
Who are some of your main musical influences?
My main music influences from the jump that are still prevalent in my inspiration til now are artists like J. Cole, Big Sean, Kanye West & Childish Gambino.
What are some of your music career goals for the future?
Some of my music goals for the future are actually outside of the Studio. I ultimately want to move toward the position of creative director & be a real animator for artists who are seeking to create whole worlds from their lyric & musical story telling. But more immediately I’m working to be a household name in LA & also put my other label mates & homies on to really show the talent brewing in the city.
Tell us about the project that you are promoting. What is it about? Is it a single or EP? Also, what is the name of the last project you released?
The current piece I’m promoting is my new music video for my single “In2Deep.” It’s a song that fits into my moody category. A song about reaching a feeling of “Oh sh-t..” when the feels starts to kick in for somebody you told yourself you wouldn’t feel that way about. The visual was shot & edited by THREEHOURSAGO (@threehoursago), who is another best friend of mine who is insane with his visual work. We attacked this visual with the intent for it to be moody & captivating & I think we nailed it. The last single I released after “In2Deep” on steaming platforms was a song called “Hallelujah.” And before that, a few other singles you can peep on all streaming sites as well.
What has the response been like to that project?
So far the response for the “In2Deep” video has been amazing. People seem to really be gravitating toward this side of my music. I recently within the past year made the move to produce my own records & take more reaches at deeper songwriting & more content that people can connect to & feel & this one seems to be a good stepping stone to start with.
What are some projects you’ve done in the past that you are most proud of and why?
Wow. That’s a good question. The last 2 EP’s I put out were 2 of my favorites & most memorable. The last one I put out under my previous artist name van Jamme was a collab EP called Cash in the Van with one of my best friends Cashio Music (@cashio_music) who produced the entire project & we had local LA group Audio Push featured on a single. It was a project full of energy & a culmination of a lot focus & good energy at the time.
The other project I’m most proud of was the first EP I released under my current artist name Jamal Virgo & it was titled Pain, In Retrograde. This one hit home a little bit more for me because it really marked a pivotal turning point in my life at the time. I had just broken up with my girlfriend of 3 years. Been kicked out of my apartment, & staying at my parents. No real goals in life & on top of that, everything I owned stolen form my car the NIGHT BEFORE moving to a new apartment I found. So that 3-song EP really encompassed a lot of my raw emotions & it was the first project I produced all the songs on.
What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects we should be on the lookout for? Include some dates if you have them.
Well next up for me is to wrap up this album I had been working on for the past year-and-a-half now. Pretty much all finished besides a feature or two & then final mixes. But it is a real mural of my life from about March 2019 to March 2020. Skits, audio production. & story telling. Dope songs & concepts. I’m just excited to tell this next part of my story.
What message do you hope fans take away from your music?
When fans hear my music, I hope they take away that being authentic to yourself is a win every time. Staying true to yourself & challenging yourself to reach higher couldn’t put you in any better position to find peace in life. And remember to enjoy the journey. Don’t get so caught up in the finish line that you miss the commentary of the whole race. You spend more time in the race than you do crossing the finish line. Damn. They should put that in a fortune cookie.
Where can we follow you on social media?
IG: @jamalvirgochild
Twitter: @jamalvirgochild
YouTube: Jamal Virgo
Website: JAMALVIRGO.com
Appreciate all the love & support!
– virgochild.
