Dom Jones | Artist, Musician & Creative Entrepreneur

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

Hi Dom, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
I proudly wear my culture and heritage on my sleeve, in my aesthetic, in my music, and generally how I navigate life and my career. As a black woman in entertainment (and specifically music), I know (and am constantly told) that this is a risk. It is a risk to be myself. It is a risk to have pride in who I am and where I come from. It is a risk to wear my hair naturally or to use the parlance of the neighborhoods from which I’ve come. Yet, I am asked to be authentic. So, I think about risk like I think about breathing. I don’t get to live without breathing and I don’t get to thrive (in music, career, and life) without taking the risk of being myself, no matter what. It’s funny because writing all of these songs about social change, about black life, about politics, hasn’t been popular for a long time. And though I don’t move with the intention to profit from the times, the times have made my work more critical than ever. The time has always been now.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Being a multi-hyphenate artist (singer, songwriter, rapper, producer) sets me apart, excites me, AND is one of the most challenging things about me. People want to be able to identify you as ONE thing. When they can’t, many times they pick the thing that makes them most comfortable, and ignore the rest. That can be incredibly frustrating as an artist and also create a vacuum of missed opportunities for both artist and industry. I reached this point by building relationships, taking chances, and asking for what I wanted next! The power of manifestation is real. When you can identify and articulate your goals, help will show up if you put IN the work and put OUT the energy that you want returned to you. One of my greatest lessons is that you may not know why you’re creating something in the moment, and that planted seeds don’t bear fruit immediately. Patience and Preparedness will help you achieve your Purpose. I want people to know that I believe that everyone has a role to play in contributing to the betterment of society, and that may not always come with celebrity. While celebrating our favorite artists, actors, and the like is important, celebrating people right in our communities who dedicate their lives to making the world a better place is just as vital.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
LA has amazing things happening all the time, so this is SUCH a hard question! Here’s my itenerary: Breakfast at EAT in North Hollywood, followed by shopping small businesses at @ComeUpLA marketplaces. Lunch from @plateofhue (a frequent food vendor at Come Up LA). An afternoon drive up Pacific Coast Highway, followed by dinner at Comfort LA. A concert, supporting local artists at The Study in Hollywood and probably late night drinks and a jam session at The Federal in North Hollywood.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to Ebony Beckwith. Ebony is the Chief Philanthropic Officer at the Salesforce Foundation, and came into my life at a time when I was trying to navigate wanting a booming professional life and a successful artistic life, and didn’t know how to combine the two into one thing. She gave me tough advice, she asked me to think beyond my experience previously, she also showed me the power of excellence, endurance, and facing challenges with a smile. Having her as an example changed my life as an artist, as a professional, and as a burgeoning entrepreneur. IG: @ebony.beckwith CC on IG: @salesforceorg