We caught up with 19 year old DJ & Producer, Jay Pryor, to chat about his new single Rich Kid$, festivals, fashion and how he spends his time out of the studio.
When did you first realise you could make a career in music?
I’ve only been making music for around three years now but I think I always knew it would be my career one day, even when just making beats on my laptop in my bedroom and uploading them to soundcloud/youtube, hoping that they’d be heard. I’m quite a persistent person, I don’t really take no for an answer, so I was either going to get noticed or die trying – as crazy as that sounds, that’s where my head is at. I can’t pinpoint the exact time when my mentality became fixated on a career in music but I’ve always been quite driven in anything I’ve done! 🙂
Name three artists you had on your playlist when you were younger?
Fall Out Boy, The Kooks and Panic! At The Disco.
Where and when was your first ever live performance?
My first performance was in a small underground club in Dublin. The promoter threatened me & paid me 10% of what I was meant to be paid because I turned up with Beats branded headphones & my own controller in a suitcase haha.
What’s the best part of being a DJ/Producer?
As a producer you’re insanely involved in the sonics of the record. To take an acoustic writing session and work it into a finished record to the point where it’s being played on the radio worldwide is an amazing feeling. And DJ’ing is a completely different experience but equally incredible. Performing in a club has a particular energy to it that live shows don’t have. It’s hard to explain but it’s just a unique buzz.
If you could collaborate with one other artist, past or present, who would it be?
Lil Peep
Have you got any new music out at the moment you can discuss?
My debut single ‘Rich Kid$’ is coming out April 6th. I’m so excited for its release, I think it’s the best record I’ll have put out so far and it’s different to what I’ve created previously, so I’m excited to see what people think.
Other than your own, what song have you got on repeat at the moment?Â
Nowadays by Lil Skies & Landon Cube,
What has been your career highlight?Â
Co – Producing ‘Just Hold On’ by Steve Aoki & Louis Tomlinson was a wild experience J
Are you playing or attending any festivals this year?
You’ll have to wait and see 😛
What about a Lad’s holiday?
I would love to go on a lad’s holiday but I’m too focused on my music right now. A lot of opportunities have presented themselves my way and I want to make sure I’m making the most of them! I might go away for a few days in the summer, but I’ll definitely be bringing my laptop and some headphones wherever I go.Â
Where and when was your most memorable performance and why?Â
Probably my first international headline performance in Vienna. I was very unconfident with my music, I had no team surrounding me, none of my mates really understood what I was doing, my parents thought I was a bum that just sat at his computer and did nothing all day. So when I announced I was headlining a show in another country I feel like the people around me started to take what I was doing more seriously. Also, I was expecting like 20 people to show up to the show, and although it was small club it was packed out, which was an incredible feeling.
Where, when & who gave your most memorable performance and why?Â
Calvin Harris, BCM, I think in 2014/2015? I went on a trip with my mates to Mallorca. Seeing this performance is what made me want to start creating music. To this day Calvin Harris is my biggest inspiration.
How do you spend your down time?
Right now I play a really popular computer game called Fortnite with my mates in my downtime. I’m pretty amazing. If you think you can beat me I’m happy to prove you wrong x
If I wasn’t a DJ I’d be…
I had my own graphic design business before starting to make music. So it would probably be something to do with digital art creation. I’m still infatuated by art to this day, it’s one of my main sources of inspiration.
Favourite film & TV series?
My favourite film is LOTR: The Two Towers. Favourite series of all time is Entourage – Vinny get’s all the girls, how can you not love that man? Don’t even get me started on Johnny Drama – legend.
Drink of choice on a night out?Â
Probably a vodka-based concoction of some sort but I’ll genuinely knock back whatevers going and regret it the next day.
If you could have one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?Â
Buffalo Chicken Wings. Probably wouldn’t be a very long life.
Describe your style/fashion?
I’m hugely inspired by guys like Ian Connor, A$AP Rocky, Jerry Lorenzo, Biebs – the list goes on. But I’m sure you can grasp the general vibe from those names 🙂
Who’s your biggest style inspiration?Â
A$AP Rocky & Matthew Henson, this is a formula right here. If you see this Matthew, I’m looking for a stylist to make me look not so terrible x
What would you wear on a night out?
Depends on the vibe of the event. Recently I’ve been attending some smart-casual things so I’d probably rock some sort of black trousers, smart shoes, a wavey shirt, and an overcoat, topped off with an array of jewellery of course 🙂
Who’s your dream girl?
Easiest question of the Interview. Dua Lipa.
What are you looking forward to most in 2018?
My upcoming releases. This is the first year I’m releasing music with vocals I’ve actually written myself. My sound has progressed a lot and I’m just super excited to hear what people think.
Take a listen to Jay’s new release below and make sure you head over to our Instagram stories on the 5th as Jay takes us behind the scenes at the Ministry Of Sound for the Positiva 25th Anniversary.
