The ever embracing and expanding, Jayd Ink

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

“You pretty for a dark-skin; what the f#@K does that mean?”

There is a raspy-ness, to her voice. One that can best be described as intoxicating; she sings through you. She captures you with her lyrics about love, and love lost. Pain and pleasure; these themes are layered, encapsulating the listener’s emotions.

There is a lot to be said about this Jamaican born, R&B sensation. Her music, rooted in soul, R&B, and hip-hop, continue to pay reverence to her Jamaican roots. Her rise to the top has not been a smooth one, but over the years, her fans have watched her steadily climb to musical heights.  She has taken over the R&B world with a passion that is displayed in: her music, her onstage performances, and her unique sense of style. Her audiences are not just fans of her music, they also look to her for: inspiration, to learn about self-love, and create in themselves the confidence that she proudly possess.

Allow me to pull back a layer, and introduce you to the song-writing, songstress, Jayd Ink.

“My name was inspired by Mick Jagger’s daughter; Mom really liked the name.”

 Jayd started off as a songwriter. She just preferred being behind the scenes.

“Songwriters want to be performers at some time. I am an introvert and an extrovert, all at the same time. I started off writing poetry. I am a big Tupac fan. He was brilliant to me. He was vulnerable, and it came out in his poetry. It was what helped me decide to sing my own songs and release them.”

 My friend asked me to go to his studio to record a song. I free-styled the song and was like, shoot! This does not sound to bad.”

It was after this discovery that she became obsessed with writing. She shared with me that writing became like therapy to her. She just kept writing until she had book, after book of her words on paper. What she found most difficult was getting her music out. As an artist, you have to do a fair bit of travelling, and at that time she was not able to. She knew she would have to take a different route.

“I decided to sing my own songs, to see if I could get some attention as an artist.” This is when the world was introduced to a creative genius; one who has the ability to merge her lyrics with precise, graceful arrangements.

Anyone raised in a Caribbean household can understand the pushback that comes when you tell your parents that you want to do something in the creative arts. Well, it was no different for Jayd Ink.

“My family is not from a musical background. I don’t blame parents for pushing back. They want the best for us. They are a working generation. I wanted to own my own business. My mom said you have to have: plan A, plan B, and plan C.

They have seen the up’s and down’s in my career. They see that I am good at what I do. They see the recognition. They witness it. They see what it looks like to fight for your dreams. They see my passion. They see my drive. My family keeps me grounded.”

Jayd continues to establish her presence in the R& B world, and her accomplishments cannot be denied. Her song “Deep Under,” was premiered on the TV show “POWER” (Season 3, Episode 6). She has also been featured on a song with rapper T.I., where her vulnerable side was displayed through her deep and meaningful lyrics.

One of her most powerful experiences was when she was chosen as the winner of an interactive musical experience called “THE LAUNCH.” Here she had an opportunity to work with celebrity mentors, and each week she was able to reflect on what it felt like to become an overnight, chart-topping sensation. During the show, Jayd revealed that she was in a devastating car accident that left her with numbness in one leg. She shared her gratefulness to her physical therapy team, and family for helping her get her movement back, so that she could continue to pursue her passion.

In 2019, Now Magazine voted her song “Privacy,” on their Spotify Playlist: 101 best Toronto songs of 2019. In the same year, she teamed up with Full Crate, on his first release “Low Key.” Full Crate did a phenomenal job blending dancehall with R&B for a song that set the charts on fire. It was also the first time that Full Crate had performed as a co-lead on a track.

“I haven’t had that ‘I made it moment!’ I try not to get caught up. I have been there before, and I know now it is an on-going journey.”

 February 2020 The SoundCloud Creator Forum was held in Toronto, and it brought together rising artists who have expanded their brands with the help of the streaming service. Jayd Ink was showcased that day, along with Toronto-bred talents: Anders, TOBi, and Amaal Nuxx.

Jayd recently released her EP, “Bound by Nothing”, which features “Dark Skin,” a tribute to her skin tone, which delves into topics surrounding beauty standards and loving the skin she’s in.

The video begins with Jayd lying in a milky bath. The droplets pool, and then slide down her glowing ebony skin. When the beat drops, viewers are transported back to a forgotten era of hip-hop and R&B. The mesmerizing visuals continue, and her love for self is seen in each clip. There is one scene when she experiences the jean moment; you know curvaceous girls; when you are trying to pull your jeans up over your ample God given gift.

The hook tempts you to listen a little more, “Your pretty for a dark skin.” I spoke with her about that line, and she provided me with some poignant insight

 “Your pretty for a dark skinned girl! What does that even mean?”

“It was a personal message for myself.” Jayd tells me. “It took me awhile to release this. I realize that this light skin, dark skin oratory, affects many women.

 I created this song three years before it came out. It was originally free styled. I got through the first verse easily. One take. The second verse was harder. It was emotional for me. It took a couple months to write.

 We are all on a quest to find ourselves. It is important to me to love myself. I have to embrace myself in order to expand in life. I am working on being vulnerable. I have always had to be tough. I have always had to be strong. I did a lot of reading. I learned about meditation. Tuning in to myself. I write from a space of love. 90’s music is filled with love, and I am attracted to that.

Throughout the rest of the video, there are beautiful images of darker skinned women of all ages. Her message was clear. “It is important to align with yourself. I have to love me, in order to teach people to love themselves.”

Within the first week, she amassed almost 1 million streams on Spotify alone.

For those who know her personally, Jayd’s success is no surprise. For those who don’t know about Jayd, now you have the opportunity to witness the rising of a star.