Jai’Len Josey Is Serving Soul, Southern Spice & Stardom—And She's Just Getting Started

Jordyn Mayes
May 28
4 min read

Updated: Jul 15

From Broadway to the booth, Jai’Len Josey is blending Southern soul and R&B richness—laying the foundation for a debut album that promises to be as raw, real, and radiant as she is.

You ever hear a voice that grabs your spirit and doesn't let go? That’s Jai’Len Josey—a vocal powerhouse with roots in Atlanta, a Broadway resume, and a voice rooted in Southern storytelling and R&B truth.

Fresh off releasing her liberating, head-bopping single “New Girl,” and on the brink of dropping her highly-anticipated debut album, Jai’Len sat down with us to talk artistry, ancestry, and everything that makes her music more than just a vibe—it’s a journey.

FROM OBNOXIOUS TO OBVIOUSLY DESTINED

“I was just a loud kid,” Jai’Len laughs, remembering her early days. “My mom put me in all these programs just to keep me busy.” But what started as a way to channel energy turned into a lifelong calling. From Youth Ensemble of Atlanta to the legendary Tri-Cities High School (where icons like Outkast and Kandi Burruss also attended), Jai’Len began realizing her volume was actually her vessel.

It wasn’t until a teacher pulled her mom aside and said, “She’s got something,” that she really started seeing her voice as a gift, not just a personality trait.

“High school is where I started to hone my craft,” she says. “Before then, I just thought I was loud.”

SOUTHERN DELICACY WAS JUST THE APPETIZER

When “Southern Delicacy” dropped, it wasn’t just an EP—it was a home-cooked plate of who Jai’Len was, laced with love, family, loss, and legacy.

“I had my grandfather’s voice in there,” she shares. “He had just passed, and that was a pivotal moment for me.”

But now? She's grown. “I’m 26 now. The frontal lobe is connected,” she jokes. “There are things I couldn’t say then that I can say now.”

FROM “SIMS” TO SERIAL ROMANTIC

Ready for the main course? Jai’Len’s debut album, titled Serial Romantic, is coming in hot this late Summer 2025. Inspired by her favorite game (The Sims), she explains how choosing the “Serial Romantic” character trait hit way too close to home.

“I kept giving my heart out in hopes of someone treating it right,” she says. “And then I realized I needed to give that love back to myself.”

With singles like “New Girl” already setting the tone—catchy, confident, with a touch of that yes-I-am-the-prize energy—the album promises to be a beautiful reckoning: self-love after self-sacrifice. “It’s therapy,” she says. “It’s freedom.”

R&B ROOTS, POP POTENTIAL

Jai’Len isn’t here to fit into anyone’s mold. Her style is soul-deep, genre-bending, and proudly genre-blending.

“I’m R&B that borderlines pop,” she declares. “The next body of work after this album? It’s going to show that.”

Raised on Luther Vandross and Aretha Franklin, inspired by Brandy, Jazmine Sullivan, and even Stevie Nicks—Jai’Len’s artistry is where nostalgia kisses next-gen sonic exploration. And don’t sleep on her musical theater background (she played Pearl in SpongeBob: The Musical), or her passion for orchestration and storytelling. “I’m a musical theater geek,” she says. It’s that blend of classic soul, theatrical flair, and fearless experimentation that makes Jai’Len Josey not just an artist to watch—but one you feel.

MUSIC THAT HEALS—HER FIRST, THEN YOU

Whether she’s penning lyrics in her car or pulling melodies from voice memos, Jai’Len’s writing process is as raw as her vocals.

“Some songs? I write them in under an hour. That’s how I know it’s real,” she says.

Her music often starts as conversations with herself—past, present, or future. “When I write, I’m talking to me. Finally free and healed.”

One lyric still gives her goosebumps: “Who’s going to save us when we decide to jump?” That’s from her Illustrations track called “When We Jump”.

“It’s powerful because it’s true,” she says. “It’s about taking risks—and realizing you’re your own safety net.”

BLACK GIRL MAGIC, ATLANTA-MADE

Jai’Len reps Atlanta proudly, but not predictably. While the city’s sound is heavy with trap, she’s carving a lane soaked in soul.

“There’s no pressure,” she says. “Atlanta’s a melting pot. There’s so much sun to go around.”

In a city that celebrates greatness, Jai’Len isn’t trying to blend in—she’s building something that reflects where she’s from, who she is, and the woman she’s still becoming.

WHAT’S NEXT? EVERYTHING.

She dreams global. “Zimbabwe, New Zealand, Hawaii—I want my music everywhere,” she says.

She dreams bold. “Complete creative control. I want the visuals, the rollout, the entire package to be mine,” she shares. A music video for New Girl is already in the works.

She dreams long. “I don’t want to be a microwavable artist,” she says. “I want to be ready. I’m carving out my own lane.”

THE LETTER TO HER YOUNGER SELF

If she could write to the girl who hadn’t yet released a note, she’d say: “Congratulations in advance. You’re stronger than you think. The lyrics you’re putting down? They’re going to open doors. And congrats on learning how to drive too.”

And that younger version? She’d probably just smile and say, “I knew it.”

THE CHAPTER BEFORE THE DOOR OPENS

As we wrapped our interview, I asked Jai’Len what chapter this moment represents in her life story.

“The one before the door opens,” she said.

And you can feel it—that something big is coming. An album that heals and holds. A voice that transforms pain into poetry. A woman who took the risk of continuing, even when quitting felt safer.

In a world rushing toward the next viral moment, Jai’Len Josey is slowing down to serve soul. And trust—what she’s cooking up is well worth the wait.

Follow Jai’Len Josey on IG and TikTok @jailenjosey. Stream "New Girl" now and look out for Serial Romantic—dropping late Summer 2025.

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