Meet Jojo Spencer | Jojo Jam Founder, Musician & Creative Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jojo Spencer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jojo, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
At the end of last year, I became a permanent resident of the U.S., after spending three long years in limbo—waiting, uncertain, and often alone. Born in Brighton, raised in the South East of England, and later based in Central London, I left everything familiar behind to take a risk on something more meaningful. My story turned out to be wilder than I could’ve anticipated, full of career pivots, culture shocks, and personal resilience.

Through the hardest times—especially post-pandemic—community felt distant. Many of us were trying to build sustainable careers in a landscape that no longer made sense. As a musician and event creator, I had to learn not to beg for recognition, but to build something so rooted in purpose that it couldn’t be ignored. I sent countless messages, extended opportunities, and pushed my vision forward as a singer, director, and creator—usually without reply.

That journey—of searching, sacrificing, and not giving up—is exactly why Jojo Jam exists.

Jojo Jam isn’t just an event. It’s a platform for community healing and creative power. It brings together artists and audiences who might never have met otherwise, centering around the house band ‘Jojo’s Haus’, underrepresented talent and turning the spotlight toward shared human experience. It’s a space for joy, artistry, and real connection.

My core belief is this:

“People don’t just come to see you—they come to see a little bit of themselves.”

That’s why relatability in art matters. When people see themselves in your work, they feel less alone. Whether they’re just coming to enjoy the music or searching for something deeper, Jojo Jam creates that emotional bridge. It’s about creating more than a show—it’s about creating belonging.

The social impact of Jojo Jam is rooted in visibility, collaboration, and joy. It’s about making sure no one has to fight to be seen the way I did. Instead, they step into a space that sees them from the start.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I started as a child prodigy in musical theatre. From a very young age, my life was packed with long rehearsals, competitions, and strict creative expectations. I trained as a classical soprano, and much of my creativity was shaped by structure—scripts, scores, and tradition. “Sing what is written” was the rule. I followed it for years, and while it built discipline, it left little room to discover my own artistic voice.

But what was happening behind the curtain told a different story.

Even while I was performing arias and Sondheim, I was also deep in disco, 80’s synth, dancehall, Afrobeats, garage, and bashment. That contrast shaped me. Everything in my life—my listening, my influences, my identity—existed on a spectrum. I was never just one thing, and my artistry was never meant to fit in one box.

Everything changed when I began running nightclubs and entering the underbelly of the night industry of music and business. That world hit differently—watching people build energy around a DJ set, feeling the pulse of a room that didn’t care about perfection, only presence. The long lines, the collective joy, the freedom of movement and music—it was a kind of church. That was the turning point. I realized my work didn’t have to follow rules anymore. It just had to connect.

Now, my brand, my songwriting, my shows—they all come from that beautiful collision of structure and chaos, elegance and bass, storytelling and pure vibe. I’ve lived a very topsy-turvy life. There are choices I’m not proud of, and others I wouldn’t trade for anything. But it’s all part of what I bring to the table. Nothing I create is random—it all comes at a price. It’s all channeled.

Even now, it’s not easy. I still have moments where I hide in the bathroom after a show to breathe. I still take a deep breath before answering that call. Trust is still something I’m learning to navigate in an industry where authenticity isn’t always rewarded. But I keep going—not because I’ve “overcome” anything, but because I believe in what I do.

I started this with nothing. No fancy launch, no cosigns. Just belief. There were always more cons than pros—but that didn’t matter. If you believe in what you’re building, no one else’s validation is required. Your gut is your final answer.

What sets me apart is that I create from a full spectrum. My life, like my music, is layered. From the discipline of classical training to the wild pulse of underground culture—from the storytelling of musical theatre to the deep grooves of disco, dancehall and garage—I’m not choosing a path. I’m blending worlds.

That’s the core of my brand: truth, transformation, and a little bit of chaos. That’s how I got here, and that’s what I want the world to feel every time they encounter my work.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend was visiting, I’d start where it all began for me: Deep Ellum. That’s where I got my first real shot in the Dallas music scene. It’s raw, real, and alive with culture—from the street art and record shops to the dive bars and stages that have seen it all. You feel the music there. I’d want them to soak in that same energy that welcomed me into this city with open arms.

Then we’re heading downtown to AT&T Discovery District and Main Street for the full urban experience—beautiful visuals, great food, and that unmatched feeling of standing in the heart of the city. It’s sleek but still grounded, and you get that contrast of modern Dallas with deep Texas soul.

We’re not doing any fancy fine-dining reservations either—we’re doing it like a local. We’re grabbing tacos from hole-in-the-wall spots, getting BBQ off a guy with a burner on the side of the road, and hitting dive bars where the playlist is better than the lighting. I’m taking them to Green Light Social, obviously— that’s where I hold one of my shows, once a month, it goes down there.

During the day, we’re driving out to see the bluebonnet landscapes—those iconic Texas wildflowers that don’t even look real. I’d want them to see how wide and magical Texas feels just outside the city. And for a proper breather, I’d take them to The Dallas World Aquarium—that’s my spot; I was born by the sea. It’s peaceful and surreal.

If they’re here in the fall? The State Fair of Texas is a must. You can’t come to Dallas and not experience that. Corn dogs the size of your head, rides, music, wild food combos—peak Dallas energy. We’re also catching a Cowboys game if it lines up—Thanksgiving game was wild, I went and had the best time.

I’m grateful I wasn’t a tourist when I arrived here—I was thrown straight into Dallas the homegrown way. That’s the best way to experience any city. Real people, real places, real flavor.

Dallas has so many layers. And if you do it right—you don’t just see the city. You feel it.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
The list of musical genius could go on for days—but the ones who’ve shaped me most aren’t always the ones in the headlines. I am, without a doubt, a fierce representative of the underdog in business and in art. The women who were told their dream was too loud, too complicated, too big. The people who dared to bet on themselves even when no one else did.

I live for watching the unbeatable horse win first. The soccer team expected to lose lifting the trophy. The by-chance musician who gets the last-minute gig and ends up stealing the whole show. That’s the energy that fuels my journey—and that’s what Jojo Jam was built to celebrate: unwavering women, and the world of music that holds us up when nothing else does.

But no journey is built alone.

I want to give my loudest shoutout to the Dallas music community—without y’all, none of what I’ve attempted to achieve here would’ve been possible. You believed in a little British dream and gave it space to root, grow, and now bloom. I am so deeply blessed by the love and support you’ve offered me—on and off the stage.

This shoutout is for the dreamers, the risk-takers, the underestimated, and the relentless. If you’re reading this and you’re still chasing it—keep going. We see you. And we’re cheering.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsjojojam/

Image Credits
Jojo Spencer – @itjojojam // Fredo – @fredo.bueno