Meet Jalen Fryer | Recording Artist & Music Producer

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

Hi Jalen, putting aside the decision to work for yourself, what other decisions were critical to your success?
Saying “yes.”

What I mean by this is simply saying “yes” to as many opportunities as reasonably possible. Back in 2016, I made a conscious decision to say “yes” to every opportunity that I felt could push my career forward, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve encountered integral pieces to my success by doing so. I grew up somewhat of an introvert, so doing this naturally forced me to get out of my comfort zone, and helped me to grow within every dimension of my life. I began to travel more, met lifelong friends and collaborators, and collected more inspiration to fuel my music career. Through those experiences, I was able to build a substantial worldwide network, and became more confident in myself and my craft, which ultimately became the very foundation of my success.

I think a majority of creatives, especially in today’s market, feel entitled to recognition and success from the jump, and will decline opportunities they feel are “beneath” them. When in reality, the same opportunity can be the very stepping stone they’ve been looking for. Whether it’s performing at an empty open mic, doing a free photoshoot, or pulling up to that one studio session all the way across town. Any creative that is willing to put in the work to see their vision come to fruition, will take a shot at almost every opportunity that could potentially push them forward. I tell a lot of upcoming artists and producers that come to me for advice, that their inflated egos can easily steer them away from life changing opportunities. Humility goes a long way.

In saying that, there’s obviously a balance when taking this approach. You can’t always say “yes” to everything, but being more inclined to do so can and will make a huge difference in anyone’s career. When you’re too comfortable, it’s easy to be lazy and complacent, but making the extra effort to put yourself in new situations will help you expand your network and build your confidence. It’s important to remember that you never know who knows who, and you never know who’s watching.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My music career began when I learned how to DJ back in 2014. It was my sophomore year in high school, and I was being taught by a close family friend, who happened to be a very successful event DJ in Dallas. He took me to dozens of his gigs around the city, where I quickly learned the tangible skills and psychological aspects of the business. I was hooked. By 2015, I saved enough money and started my own DJ company in Dallas. After another year of refining my skills and multiplying my network, I got booked for my first concert tour in 2016. This was, without a doubt, the most life-changing moment of my career. At the age of 17, I was able to travel out of my state for the first time, and collaborate with world-class talent. This skyrocketed my brand globally, and generated a substantial amount of income for my age. I was forced to quickly adjust to this new workflow and lifestyle, all while still attending high school. Being a touring DJ took up a lot of my time. I ended up having to leave the basketball team, and missed many high school events like prom. I made a lot of social sacrifices to become the person I was at the time, because I never wanted to squander the golden opportunity.

In my travels, I discovered a new passion and trajectory for my career. Being around so many artists directly exposed me to the creation side of music for the very first time. It was something new. I was being mentored by a very talented producer that I met on tour, and was able to work and learn alongside him, co-producing albums for some of his artists. By 2019, I had already worked with dozens of artists, learning to become a competent producer, musician and audio engineer. That summer, I took a leap of faith and moved to Southern California to expand my radar and find more like-minded creatives. I started a studio in Riverside, California where I continued to connect with new artists and polish my skillset. When the pandemic hit in 2020, business became slow, and I was forced to look more inward for creative inspiration. I started writing and recording demos of myself. Little did I know that this would be lead to me becoming the artist I am today. I moved back to Texas the following year, doubled down on my creative process, and released my first mixtape “PRESTON ROAD, Vol. 1” in October of 2021, along with my sophomore project “Two One Four” just months later.

Looking at where I’m at now in my career, I can say I’m proud of the fact that I was determined enough to put in the hard work necessary to acquire my skillset, and confident enough to make those necessary social sacrifices as a teenager. That really made all the difference. A huge reason why I am where I am today is because of the flexibility I’ve had in every situation. I’ve always been open to trying new things, and spent years as a student of my craft, working diligently and with humility. This ultimately helped me acquire the knowledge and experience I have today, along with the network and reputation with those I highly respect. I’d say the biggest lesson I learned though all of this, is that you never know where life is gonna take you, or when life-changing opportunities are going to present themselves, but being open to change and accepting of new information can lead you to places you never thought you’d be.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would definitely make stops at The Star in Frisco, Legacy West in Plano, and the Grandscape area in The Colony. All of these places are great hubs for anyone to eat, grab a drink, shop, and just have a good time. The aesthetics of each of these places are different in their own right, but similar in the fact that they are all must-see parts of North Texas. My favorite restaurant would have to be North Italia at Legacy West, and Andrettis at Grandscape is the perfect place to bring family and friends for a night of fun.

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?
I definitely would have to give a shoutout to my mentor DJ Mike Garett in Dallas. Without his generosity, and willingness to pass on his invaluable knowledge, I would have never even thought to have a career in music.

Website: https://jalenfryer.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/jalenfryer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jalenfryer

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jalenfryer

Other: https://soundcloud.com/jalenfryer