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

Hi JCR, why did you pursue a creative career?
I’m pursuing a creative career because I feel a call to this path. Despite how frequently I fall into imposter syndrome, I recognize that there is a gift present when creating music. After having a near-death experience with cancer and losing my dad to his own cancer, there is no way I can ignore music as the powerful and beautiful channel of expression it is. Creating gives me so much joy and it means the world to hear about listeners connecting to my music. This happened recently when my latest single Farewell came out in late February. Farewell is all about loss and the healing process that comes after it. A listener reached out and opened up about how it was consoling them right now due to a personal loss. That one person was what made me think, “This is why I do it.”

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My music is a blend of many influences that have formed me. I would describe it as indie alternative folk/pop/rock music. It usually explores very personal themes but also touches on stories that I create and want to sing about. The sound is very hybrid. I love playing with acoustic instruments alongside synths and creating ethereal soundscapes. I’m a very melodic person so I have a lot of fun with my vocal production and exploring different harmonies, tones, and ranges with my vocal melodies. I’ve been compared to Morrissey from The Smiths, Sufjan Stevens, Hozier, and Joji. I’m most excited to continue putting out music and potentially start performing soon. I am where I am professionally thanks to my many mentors, professors, and peers that push me to learn more and to challenge myself. It has not been easy. I have had to not only learn how to create professional recordings but also how to market/promote my music myself. I have few resources and am balancing my creative work with my studies at USC. I overcame these challenges by being patient and being consistent with my creative work. Even if I have an extremely busy week of assignments and internship work, I always try to make some kind of progress with my music; whether it was big or small steps. This leads me to an important lesson. Longevity is key. Now, all that I want the world to know is that despite what darkness there may be in my life, music will always continue to help me stay afloat.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would take them to Santa Monica for great views of the coastline and for a fun time at the pier. As a proud Peruvian, I would take them to eat at Mario’s Peruvian & Seafood. Amoeba at Hollywood would be a must as well! Live music would also be a necessity and it would probably have to come from the Moroccan Lounge near downtown. Universal Studios and all the restaurants on Ventura Boulevard would represent the valley. LACMA and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in the Fairfax District would be sick as well. A must-do would also be the Griffith Observatory to get the best views of LA. Oh, and I can’t forget the Korean BBQ scene in Koreatown! There is no order because there is just so much to do. There is a lot that I’m also probably forgetting to mention!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My shoutout has to go to my friend and mentor Kenli Mattus of the Play It Back Music Program powered by Teen Cancer America. He helped open up the world of production and songwriting to me when all I had was my public school education focused on classical music and jazz. I already loved improvisation and by extension, creating from scratch. Kenli guided me into the contemporary recording world. He has helped me and an entire group of survivors express themselves through music creation. I would not be here if it weren’t for his help.

Website: https://linktr.ee/_JCR_

Instagram: https://instagram.com/jcr_music_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juan-razuri-maldonado-5384b11b9

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCyIlCCFJ_CfT0rxmviFziDw

Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5ORIrRMkWilsNWqnOCWtZj?si=c9WtbGY2TSSOYka-7_7BZA&dl_branch=1 Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/jcr/1574343817

Image Credits
Miles Hane, Jaan Martinez, Gianmarco Razuri

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