How Jayden Hills’ Breakup Anthem Captured Our Onchain Hearts
The web3 music space is presenting a solution to the broken music industry, putting ownership and control back into the hands of creators. But for all of the necessary changes being brought by crypto music, one theme in music is universal: heartbreak.
In her first release on Phosphor, artist Jayden Hills' ‘How Does It Feel’ shares a direct and authentic message, finding her voice in the silence of a breakup.
Originally from Chicago, musician and artist Jayden Hills eventually settled in Los Angeles, where she’s worked as a songwriter, collaborating with other artists and writing for labels. “It was always a means to an end, knowing that I was the artist, but figuring out how to get myself in the space to be releasing music and doing it on my own – and now we're here,” says Jayden on taking the leap and embracing her music.
Jayden’s bold shift into releasing her own music has found a home onchain, becoming a #1 trending artist on Farcaster. Now, Jayden’s recent EP, ‘How Does It Feel,’ released on Phosphor via Coop Records and is available to mint until September 26 on Phosphor or directly on MetaMask Portfolio.
Below, Phosphor caught up with Jayden Hills to talk about onchain music, the broken music industry, and of course, heartbreak.
Phosphor: Can you share a bit about your art and your process of creation?
Jayden: It just comes from inspiration from my life. It’s really personal and I'm an open book as a person as well. So I channel that in my music, because music has always been how I process emotions and how I process life.
My first little EP that I’ve been working on it was my first heartbreak project and that was kind of what got me writing for myself because I was writing for other people, I got my heart broken, I didn’t know how to process it, and I had to be writing for me.
Phosphor: So ‘How Does It Feel’ is your EP that you're releasing on Phosphor. What was it like creating that song?
Jayden: It's funny because I'm not an angry person, and that was kind of an angrier song. I dated a DJ and he broke my heart and then he went on tour. I was watching him, being successful, happy for him, but feeling like I'm watching this and my dreams are so far out of reach, and they aren’t, and they weren’t. But I was just feeling that and I wrote this song.
Phosphor: Can you tell us how you learned about web3 and what appeals to you as a creator?
Jayden: I'm so hype on this space. I can’t shut up about it. I was brought on by Cooper Turley. I put my first song on Sound XYZ and since then I've just leaned in on every aspect and I felt so supported and seen in this space.
The music industry is broken. It is not for the artists, it is not for the creators, it is for the major corporations. You don’t make money if you’re not signed to a major label. But if you’re signed to a major label, you don’t own your work. You don’t own your music and this is the alternative. I want to completely redefine what it means to be an independent artist, and I want to do that with crypto by my side, because I think we can. I'm going to go mainstream and I think I'm going to be the first artist to do it in this way, because I know it can be done, and I'm so excited and it feels so good.
Phosphor: What is going to be your special formula for going mainstream?
Jayden: This might be cheesy, but like it’s your heart and your passion and your will to do it, I think if you have a good heart and good intentions, if you try, and you learn, and you immerse yourself in what you want to do, I don’t think you can lose. So I know I'm going to win. But also, make good music. Just make work that you love. Do it for you, and if you love the work there will be an audience for you.
Phosphor: Can you talk briefly about the drop you just made on Phosphor, available on all channels. What are you pumped about?
Jayden: I’m pumped. It was easy. I'm excited to just be everywhere and be seen, because I think that's so important: just reaching the widest audience that you can. So I love that it’s on all these platforms. I love that it's easily accessible, it's easy to collect, it’s easy to listen to.
Phosphor: What do we have to look forward to? What do you have going on?
Jayden: An entire career of a popstar! A lot of music that I think you might really like. It's good, it's honest. I love finding artists and watching the growth and being there throughout the process. I think there’s something really special and inspiring there. And I want to be able to be that for people.
Phosphor: Any final pieces of advice that you want to share with other creators that are tempted to get into web3 but haven't made the step?
Jayden: Do it. Hit me up. I've only been in this space for five months, but I think I've been really thrown into it, and I'm going in. We're going all in. And I think it's a good move. I think we're early. We're really early. And I think you should do it.
Mint ‘How Does It Feel’ on Phosphor until Sep 26 and follow Phosphor on X!
Jayden Hills was interviewed by Tyler Mulvihill from the Phosphor team on August 29th 2024.
