Welcome to the era of social media platforms, which facilitate online connections between people all over the world. The early 2000s witnessed the emergence of one of the most influential social networking sites, MySpace, which launched in 2003 and rapidly drew millions of users. The platform’s unique features, such as customizable profiles, connecting with friends, and discovering new music and artists, generated unprecedented interest. As a result, it became a popular platform for up-and-coming musicians to promote their music and engage with their fanbase, including the enigmatic pop musician Jai Paul.
Jai Paul
Jai Paul is an English Indian songwriter, producer, and recording artist hailing from Rayners Lane in Harrow, a suburban area in northwest London, England. He is of Indian heritage and has only given one interview in which he stated that he regarded music as a mere pastime and didn’t feel the need to share it with anyone. However, in 2007, when MySpace was at the height of its popularity, the platform was the site of a defining moment in Jai Paul’s debut career.
This moment was the release of his demo titled ‘BTSTU’, which went unnoticed until 2010 when it began to gain traction on various UK music blogs.
Everybody started catching up and the song was gaining increased visibility. The labels begin to reach out to Paul to offer him record deals which lead to XL Recordings signing him a deal before the end of 2010. The label officially released ‘BTSTU’, and everybody loved it. With just one song, he rose from obscurity to the forefront of the music business. But it was not just o regular song, it was a weird sound that had been never heard before.
On May 20, 2011, the Canadian hip-hop musician Drake made public a track named ‘Dreams Money Can Buy’ through his blog, October’s Very Own. Shortly after, American R&B singer, Beyoncé’s song called ‘End of Time’ was also released online. Notably, both tracks incorporated a sample from Paul’s ‘BTSTU’.
After two years, in 2012, the artist who considered himself a “kind of hippie” released a second demo, called ‘Jasmine’.
An unknown individual uploaded several tracks without titles to Bandcamp on April 14, 2013. Bandcamp is a music streaming and e-commerce platform designed for independent artists who don’t have record labels. The untitled recordings were made available for purchase as an album.
They were demos, and they weren’t posted by Paul, he announced in his first-ever tweet. Even though many journalists and commenters suggested that the leak was something planned by the record label and the artist or that Jai Paul himself uploaded the tracks, many publications opted to review the leaked material as an “album”.
After the leak, he disappeared entirely, but his influence continued to thrive. Everytime a new electronic track was uploaded on SoundCloud, his name will be brought up by someone.
Jai and A. K. (his brother) unveiled a new initiative called Paul Institute in March 2016. The concept was launched with the publication of A. K. Paul’s first solo song, ’Landcruisin’.
No doubt that he is an inspiration for many artists and a brilliant producer and songwriter as he from 2016-2019 was credited only in production for singles that the Paul Institute has released.
Leak 04-13 (Bait Ones) was made public digitally in 2019 through the artist’s website and streaming services. Along with the music, a letter from Paul was also included in the download, where he discussed the possibility of the music being leaked from a lost burnt CD. He mentioned that many people had access to his music between 2010 and 2013. Additionally, in the same letter, Paul denied the rumours that he leaked the music and expressed his frustration over the misinformation being spread online, despite his record label and himself being against the leak.
During the third season of the TV show Atlanta in 2022, Paul had a short appearance where he was seen talking to Darius, portrayed by LaKeith Stanfield, at a party.
The comeback from hiatus also came with the announcement of being part of the lineup from Coachella 2023 and his ever live performance.
His set for the Coachella performance was as mysterious as he is. Wearing a tan track jacket and a pair of pants that had on one side a piece of fabric that seemed like a skirt and a pair of glasses that kept his presence on stage in a dark shadowy vibe and alienesque atmosphere. The 15 minute late arrival and the no introduction to the public, his only words for them being „Thank you” also contributed to his mysterious persona that remains an enigma for everyone.
Jai Paul performing at Coachella
The question remains: Who is Jai Paul and why is so loved by the queer community? Is he queer? Well, some lyrics may suggest so, such as “he is the one that I can be cool with” from his song ‚He’.
Maybe it’s his mysterious vibe that makes us like him so much, or the alienesque vibe that he’s been described as. Of course, his creative way of mixing and producing play a big role. Hippie singers often embraced non-conformity and celebrated individuality, which can also be appealing to the queer community. They may represent alternative lifestyles and identities, which can create a sense of belonging for LGBT+ members.
At the Coachella show he also announced four more tour dates for 2023:
April 25 – Knockdown Center – Queens, NY, USA
April 26 – Brooklyn Steel – Brooklyn, NY, USA
May 9 – HERE @ Outernet – London, UK
May 10 – HERE @ Outernet – London, UK
Article by Ciprian Ciobanu
Ciprian Ciobanu is the Senior Editor and Gen Z specialist for GAY45. He is ending his MA at the University of Timisoara, majoring in painting and working in mixed media. Ciobanu is researching on the mechanism of the relationship between art and the trends of a given time from music, fashion and popular stories.
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