free download + interview: meet jarell perry, one of the new faces of indie r&b

You may not immediately recognize his name, but chances are, you’ve heard his work. Jarell Perry has worked with huge names like r&b superstar Usher, hip hop nerd Childish Gambino and Diplo. His last project Simple Things earned him a great buzz and he’s set to follow it up this year with upcoming project, ‘White EP’.
Today, he embarks upon a national tour with YUNA. Jarell Perry talks to AFROPUNK.

By Ayara Pommells, AFROPUNK Contributor *

Stream the ‘Simple Things’ Album below + Click HERE for the Free Download

How would you describe your sound?

Alternative or experimental R&B. everything’s an experiment…

“Simple Things” received great feedback. How does it feel to have a project embraced in this way?

Feels how you think it might feel – very gratifying. My team and I put a lot of heart and soul into making the best project we could at that moment, so the fact that people genuinely appreciate it is a good payoff.

You’ve worked with some impressive artists. Who were you most excited about working with and why?

I was really excited when I started working with Rusko, his sound really opened up a side of my writing that I didn’t know I had.

Which upcoming artists do you admire and why?

I admire anyone who is consistently dope and pushing a sound forward, into the future. Lately I’ve been inspired by the music of Haim, Banks, my friends Alex Isley and Moses Sumney…

What can we expect from your White EP?

It’s a definitely a full experience you’ll listen to from front-to-back and repeat. The sounds are a lot darker, the messages are more mature – definitely gets inside your head. This time around I learned how to say more with a whisper

Are there any features?

There’s the first single ‘Eleven,’ featuring Chuck Inglish of The Cool Kids

Who will be handling production?

All of the songs on this project are produced by HSVN, who’s also on tour with me.

You’re about to embark upon a tour with YUNA. Are you excited?

I’m hella excited, hella nervous about backpacking it through a polar vortex for the first time *Laughs*.  But it’s a great opportunity; I’ve been a fan of YUNA for a long time. Her music speaks on such a global level, and that’s what I want mine to do too.

What can attendees expect from a Jarell Perry performance?

Real singing, coupled with lots of smoke and mirrors.

Three things you’ll never be caught dead without whilst on the road touring?

iPhone 5 – I use apps for everything, Emergen-C, and a snapback

What else is in the pipeline?

we’re putting some really dope things together to rollout the White EP, visuals, and premiering it all at SXSW. we just launched a Kickstarter to get us there. http://kck.st/1aIkhmt

* Ayara Pommells is Owner of UK website Rawroots.com and a music writer for Soultrain.com, SOHH.com & AFROPUNK.com as well as an entertainment writer for Kontrol Magazine. Follow @YahYahNah.