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

Hi Jessica, what makes you happy? Why?
I would say God and my family gives me so much joy. Experiencing God’s love overflows my life with a lot of peace and happiness. The older I get, I understand more and more how important these fleeting moments are with the people in our lives. I try my best to be present with them and create as many memories as I can. My partner, Mercii, also gives me so much happiness. He is there in every season of my life and has been my main driving force/support for my dreams and goals. He has encouraged me in so many ways. I will always have gratitude in my heart for my loved ones.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I started my artist journey with music. My dad had a lot of influence in that area as he’s always sang and played guitar growing up with my sister and I. I was actually not good at singing until I started seriously practicing when I was 15. My dad bought me a ukulele for my birthday. That instrument and I were inseparable. I would bring it to school and play everywhere I went. Eventually I began writing my own songs with it, That led to going to open mics to perform them. I never saw myself getting recording equipment or going to a studio to record, but after I met Mercii that changed. I started making a lot of music and kept it to myself until I dropped my first single, Camp Song, on July 27, 2023. That opened the door for me to understand the process of working on a project and how to promote it. From then on, I’ve been working on a lot of different tracks/projects so stay tuned!

I also got into art through painting. My friend, Aasia Brier, is an incredible artist and she inspired a lot of mediums I create with today. I started with acrylics but eventually meshed my love of fashion with painting. I have a side business called Jai’s Closet where I customize shoes, denims, and paint on jackets. It also promotes my makeup artistry. I am currently taking a makeup class to learn more about bridal and cinematic makeup. These are skills am very eager to develop. I would love to pursue being a makeup artist as a full time job because it is another form of art that I love to create.

Lastly I’m a youtuber. I post a variety of videos to capture all aspects of my life. Whether that be beauty, art, lifestyle, or music. After I started dating Mercii, I learned so much more about film since he’s a freelance film maker. I love to make videos and reminisce on the different parts of my life which hopefully relates and brings joy to the viewers watching it.

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.
This is a fun question 🙂 I would take them for brunch at the Riverside Mission Inn Hotel. They have the best breakfast options and the dining area is like the inside of a castle. I usually get the banana pancakes. Then we could walk around the shops, including the Mission Inn Galleria which is a 4 story antique store. We could go to LA and use eventbrite to find any cool open mics or comedy shows happening. We could ride around on scooters and check out different stores. Also LA has a lot of cool themed restaurants we could explore, I also love going to the beach so we could have a beach day at Laguna or Newport! We could bring paint and canvases and have an art day.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would say my partner, Mercii, has motivated me in so many ways to be where I am today. From the day I met him, he has always spoken highly of my potential. It was something I couldn’t see at the time. So he put me in a lot of situations where I was shown that I can do things I thought I could never do. Like make an album, perform in front of an audience, and speak up for myself in moments it was necessary. There has been a lot of growth between the both of us in the time that we met. I am so glad we made it through the trials in our relationship. I’ve learned so much more about how to love and what it is to be in love, and I’m so happy I can do that with someone like him.

Instagram: @milkisafeeling | @jai.s.closet

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy8YEXkYu-u4ytYb_DzVyuA

Image Credits
Rommel Arcayena Jeffrey Andrade

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.