Artist Spotlight: LATENIGHTJIGGY
American-Trinidadian artist LATENIGHTJIGGY is fresh-faced and encompassing, ready to push the boundaries of genre, culture and self.
The artist taught himself Spanish growing up in a predominately Latin community in Maryland, developing his bilingual nature through his lyrical prowess. Rooted in values of purity, love and excepting, LNJ’s music is giving, cathartic and compelling.
LNJ has just unveiled his latest concoction of style and culture Úsame, a track that seamlessly mixes Rap, R&B and Afrobeat tendencies into a blazing whirlpool of colour. The first teaser from his upcoming EP Flavors 3, the track combines Spanish with Caribbean intonation, with the artist showcasing his lyrical and vocal nuance over an instrumental flowing with energy and gusto.
I sat down with LATENIGHTJIGGY to talk his style, his influences, his roots and his new single.
Who is influencing you at the moment?
I’m heavily influenced by artists like Drake, Wizkid, Bad Bunny and Rauw Alejandro right now.. Amara BB and Jack Harlow are another 2 artists I’m listening to heavy.
What made you first start writing and creating music?
I used to only make beats, and there came a day in 2015 where I felt I needed to write to my beats and since then I never stopped creating music.
How would you define your own style?
It’s like a big soup of good melodies and swing. Sometimes mixing languages.
I love the way you blend genre, how have you worked to transgress style and merge style so effortlessly?
It’s not necessarily something that I try to do or have worked to do.. it just kinda happens and I feel like it’s because of my surroundings and my influences.
I also love the way you mix cultural tendencies, where did that approach develop from?
Honestly, most of the lyrics in my music feel like a conversation with someone and this is how I’m talking most of the time.
It enhances your appeal to more audiences, do you think that will help you in your quest for wider acclaim?
For sure.
I really like the new track Úsame, talk me through the themes of the track?
The title is ‘Úsame’ meaning “Use me” or utilise me. I put this as the title because the main idea of the song is “If you feel cold or lonely and need warmth, I’m here..” basically if you need me, I’m here for you so use me.
Talk me through the ideas behind the video?
The video is just a lot of energy and dope shots. Me having a regular day with friends hanging out, so if you need me you know where to find me.
Where do you want to take your artistry?
I want to take it worldwide. I want to be able to perform in any region of the world and people singing the lyrics.
You’ve worked with some of the biggest names in Latin music, what has your experiences with collaboration been like?
It’s always amazing experiencing how these guys work. I look up to people like Eladio Carrion and learned a lot working with him.
Who would you love to collaborate with in the future?
I really want to work one day with Bad Bunny and/or Drake. They are my favourite artists that I haven’t worked with yet.
If you were introducing yourself to a new listener who’d never heard your music, what track would you play them?
I’d play them Mimosas because it’s like nobody doesn’t like that song!
What’s to come from you?
Flavors 3 is coming, real R&B is coming. A lot of really good music.