Jones was signed then dropped from a label before she was 16.
The industry didnt know what to do with the young girl with the big voice.
She was too sultry, too confident, tooCoco.
THE STUDIO: Reservoir Studios, New YorkThis West 37th Street space opened in the late Seventies as Skyline Studio, hosting artists like Lou Reed and David Bowie. Later renamed Reservoir, the studio was restored and updated around 2015.HIT LIST:B-52s,Cosmic Thing;St. Vincent,Masseducation;Paul Simon,Seven Psalms;Billie Eilish,Hit Me Hard and Soft
But in that short time, Jones had already managed to touch another girl halfway around the world.
And she saw Jones Roxie as a role model.
Aderibigbe began singing, and would later take the stage nameAyra Starr.
Her mix of upbeat Afropop with a soulful vocal register brought her to the mainstream.
The latter song won her a Grammy for Best R&B Performance.
Not long ago, Jones invited Starr to a dinner in London.
They met and bonded; they gushed about working together one day.
Jones: Girl, I dont even remember.
Starr:You were having a dinner thing in London, and you invited me.
You told me you knew Away.
I was like, What?
Jones:Because thats my favorite song.
Starr:I was so happy.
Then I was seeing you on every red carpet.
Watch the video interview below
Jones:No, literally.
Starr:People only see the one percent.
It takes a village.
It takes more than a village.
It takes a nation behind us.
The balance of finding time again for myself.
I had no expectations.
I had nobody pressing me, like, You gotta do this and this.
It was really just like, Oh, I like this song.
Oh, I want to make something of this.
Oh, Im just gonna write today.
It was just whatever I felt.
Its like … Im inspired, you know?
Jones:Sometimes I feel like, Dang, they just will never see.
Five minutes before stage, something happened to my outfit.
Or the hair is not going the way I want it to be.
You know when youre actually sick and you have to perform?
Right before you go on, youre like [breathes deeply, vocalizes in perfect pitch] Heyyy.
When was the time where you were like, Oh, dang, I really am in my bag.
And its costing me my personal life a little bit?
Starr:Every time, every day.
But Im so grateful that I have a family that understands.
When I go back home, I still live with my family.
My brothers are making noise, playing video games.
The house is still very much a house, very full.
I thank God for my friends.
We have group chats before I wear something, [its] Should I wear this?
But they get it.
Sometimes I just disappear when it becomes overwhelming.
Do you ever get overwhelmed?
You actually just need a nap and maybe a meal.
I do feel like Im trying to be more conscious, too.
I feel like sometimes I run out of Coco because I havent taken care of me.
And then were you surprised?
Starr:I like trying different things, so I had different sounds.
I get bored quickly.
Chris Martin showed me something.
He drew a box.
Hes like, This is your album.
Just write the emotions youre feeling, write the song names, and ensure it fits into this story.
And that just made sense.
Jones:Did you choose the title for your albumThe Year I Turned 21?
Starr:Yes [laughs].
Jones:What does that mean to you?
Like, what happened?
So I was like, maybe 21 and Bad?
21 and … Good?
I hate the fact people expect it now.
People are like, OK, 23, Ayra … let us know.
I feel like I have to do things for the plot, just for the next album.
Like, its too much pressure, c’mon.
I just want to be an introvert.
Starr:I thought I was going to be a Disney child.
Im going to be the Nigerian Hannah Montana, Im gonna be a superstar.
I didnt have Black female representation, especially on Disney.
But you did it.
I told you I grew up watchingLet It Shine.
Jones:Did you really?
Starr:Girl, let me tell you, dont wind me.
You know we all did.
Nigeria is a big Disney place.
Jones:No way.
Starr:I started begging my mom to just put on the generator.
I remember sitting down to watchLet It Shine.I remember seeing you … and now youre on my song.
Jones:That is crazy.
I didnt know what it was going to do for people.
Starr:You were 14 inLet It Shine?
Oh, you were a baby…. Do you feel like you have a responsibility to young Black girls?
Jones:Yeah, I definitely do.
I think the same way that I was impacted, Im impacting somebody.
I feel like I have so many greats before me that have taught me a lot.
Taught me a lot about being authentic, being unapologetically whatever it is, standing on business.
I feel like I have a great formula, you know?
Starr:I love that.
Jones:Do you feel like you have a responsibility as well?
I mean, we all do, in a way.
I see the way the world is shaping and forming right now, and theres definitely responsibility there.
I never got to have somebody look like me.
We have a pop star.
We have an African pop star.
So I feel very responsible.
Jones:Do you feel like there was a time you had so many opinions in your head?
Starr:I definitely needed some guidance.
I cant listen to the masses, but very-close people around me, I definitely listen to them.
[But] I always knew what I wanted to do.
I always got freedom to create whatever key in of music I wanted to create.
Starr:I wont make it a psychology thing.
Ill make it a spiritual thing.
Im just like, [deep breath] Whatever happens, happens.
Jones: Wow, you ate.
I do not feel like I had that until now with this album that Im working on.
Like, even having a label that was like, Well help you.
What do you want to do?
Im like, What?
I feel like Im just getting that I have to trust in myself.
It was just like, Oh, wait a minute, theres no center.
It was supposed to be me.
Im supposed to be the center.
I feel like my voice was like, [whispers] What if we …?
Starr:I feel like thats very normal.
When you start to listen to the masses and the internet, thats when it becomes a problem.
Jones: The internet?
I dont even play with her.
Im like, Girl, close that laptop.
You will not ruin my day.
User 418, you got me completely fucked up.
If we must, we must.
Starr:But we shouldnt shun wise counsel.
Jones:Facts, never that.
Oh, my goodness, that one spoke to me … my spirit.
I want to do a version of that, but for Black girls.
I am big on mental health.
There will be a therapist there.
Therell be a glam room.
Starr:I love that so much.
Jones:Beyonce vibes.
Everything she touched,mwah.I have one more fun question.
Answer as truthfully as you want: How has it been popping off and dating?
Starr:It is hard because you have to be very careful about who you give your energy to.
And Im so happy I wasnt really dating before I started music.
I didnt really know what I was missing.
So now that I waited this long to date people, I have very high standards.
If its gonna be hard to meet it, its gonna be bye-bye.
But also, I dont have time for myself, talk less of a boy.
Jones:Would you want to date someone whos in your industry because theyll get it?
Starr:In the dream world, it wouldnt be somebody that is in the industry.
Probably just like a billionaire.
In a thong [laughs].
Jones:I went through my Oh, my God.
What is my life?
But I also got to live.
So I really feel like I got to date as a regular girl in a way.
Starr:I love that.
Jones:I feel like I got a really good idea of what I wanted.
Starr:Im just kidding.
I dont care too much about all that, because I make my own money.
Jones:Girl, but aint nothing wrong with him being on your caliber.
Let me get it right.
We gotta do this again.
We actually need to kick it.
I really, really enjoyed this.
Youre so wise, dude.
Starr:Look at you.
