Jay Sean on crafting an anthem for Riz Ahmed’s ‘Bait’ and why his 2000s hits still define a generation
Recently, we sat down in a musical time machine and headed back to the 2000s when music was not just heard but etched into the permanent playlists of our iPod shuffles, Walkmans and CD players. Carrying a very specific brand of nostalgia are a few artistes from that era who have not only left a mark with their respective careers but some of their tracks have also lived across decades to become the defining tunes of an entire generation!
At the centre of this music consumption were genres of melodic R&B and smooth pop hooks that you could effortlessly groove to. Be it the fast-paced and intensely catchy hook of Down or the effortlessly cool track Eyes On You, British-Indian singer Jay Sean was riding the high tides of the late 2000s. As we turned the volume dial of our radios to high before trying to imitate his groovy moves from his tracks like Do You Remember ft. Sean Paul, Lil Jon and even the wicked street-smart moves from Dance With You Featuring Juggy D (Rishi RIch Project), the 2000s flew by. As the years went by, music evolved. So did an entire generation. However, these priceless pieces of nostalgia have aged like fine wine over these past two decades.
Almost 20 years later, Jay is still making headlines, while also supporting new artistes with his own record label and being a family man for the ages! While his music from the yesteryears remind us of him sporting a classic spiky faux-hawk or a gelled-up textured look alongside his boy-next-door charisma, the international sensation has remained a constant in the musical scene through regular single releases and collaborations with artistes, being one of the first South Asians to really create a lasting impact and presence among the global audiences.
Among his more recent accolades, Jay’s recent track Pulling Me Back (ft. Véyah) was an integral addition among the humongous list of the Bait (Music From the Original Series) Tracklist. Collaborating with popular British actor, Academy Award-winning filmmaker and rapper Riz Ahmed on this accompanying project to his hit Prime Video series Bait, Jay stands alongside a wide variety of South Asian talents that this series celebrates – including Anish Kumar, Arooj Aftab, Talwiinder, Indian actress Sheeba Chaddha and many more. The singer’s best-known hit from 2009 – Down featuring rapper Lil Wayne, has also just attained the diamond status after receiving the RIAA Diamond certification for 10 million units sold in the US.
So, in order to celebrate this blast from the past and peek into the seemingly infinite creative potential and the evergreen appeal that this man still serves, it was but inevitable to rope Jay Sean in for an exciting conversation with Indulge! In our chat, he discusses everything — from how Pulling Me Back ties into the larger theme of identity (a central discussion in Bait) to the pride he feels seeing South Asian artistes thriving and why, after so long, he feels he’s still just getting started.
From ‘Down’ to ‘Pulling Me Back’, the British-Indian hitmaker reflects on nostalgia, identity and crafting a new South Asian anthem for Riz Ahmed’s 'Bait'
How did this soundtrack for Riz Ahmed’s Bait come about and what was the creative energy like working on a project curated by him?
Riz Ahmed and I have been friends for a long time. We’ve worked together before on a song for his album called Any Day. When he told me about the show, I wanted to do something specifically in line with its theme and to tailor-make a song for the soundtrack. I wrote the song Pulling Me Back, which I feel described a feeling of needing validation in the outside world aptly, but actually knowing that everything you had was within you in the first place and right in front of you.
Sonically speaking, this song has a very distinct identity among your discography — blending both your past and evolved personalities, enhanced by Veyah’s amazing vocals. How did it come to take the form it did?
They (the Bait team) submitted the music to me first to see if I wanted to write something to it. The music was in line with the kind of musical upbringing that I had experienced — what we call UK garage. This is the kind of music that I grew up to in England. It was very fitting for me and very easy for me to be able to relate to that. Furthermore, I love the challenge because, to be honest, I haven’t actually released any singles with this kind of production, even though it’s music that I listen to. So, that was fun for me.
The series and its soundtrack are a massive celebration of South Asian talent. Having been among the first in the diaspora to go mega hit in mainstream music all those years ago and continuing to do so after so long, how do you perceive the way Indian music is being consumed globally today compared to when you first started?
You know, music, if you think about it, can be comprised of so many different elements of instrumentation. Earlier, I may have borrowed sounds from Indian music, inspired by Indian flutes in Eyes On You and Stolen — Indian samples, Bollywood and other stuff. But I was always very wary that I didn’t want to put myself in one box. If you’re a musician, songwriter or singer, there are so many things you’re able to do. I didn’t want to be a one-trick pony. I love all types of music and I’m able, as a songwriter, to write all types of music. If you look at my discography, I can do a dance record, a Punjabi record, a reggae record, a dancehall record, an R&B record, a pop record, a ballad or an uptempo. Being able to hop around those genres has always been very fun for me. It’s still my essence, because I’m writing it. The most important thing is to be free in my music. If everything that I feel and everything that I consume and everything that I listen to is open, then, therefore, I should also be able to have the freedom to be able to create that kind of music.
You’ve had a variety of looks over the years. Today, how do you view fashion and style?
When it comes to style and fashion, I keep it very simple. There’s one simple rule for me: if I don’t feel comfortable wearing it, even if it is in style, I’m not going to wear it. I have always believed in being authentic to myself. As long as you feel confident and happy in what you’re wearing, it could just be a plain white T-shirt and some jeans. If you are carrying it off with confidence, I think that speaks so much more than trying to get in with the latest trend and looking uncomfortable. It’s all about self-awareness.
How do you take care of yourself with constant travelling and packed schedules? What’s your idea of wellness?
For those who have followed my journey, they’ll know I’ve always been an advocate for health and wellness. From a very early age, I’ve loved working out, not really just for aesthetic purposes. It was actually just because I really enjoy being healthy. I enjoy the feeling of working out and the natural endorphins that it produces. I enjoy eating healthy food and I genuinely don’t get any satisfaction from eating bad foods. For me, it’s easy to stick to a healthy plan because it makes me feel good. If you at least look after those elements that you’re in control of — what you eat, how much you exercise — it’s very important. I just like to eat natural, whole foods. It’s very easy to live a healthy lifestyle and it’s something that I take very seriously. What has also been really good for me is yoga. My wife actually owns a hot yoga studio where we live and so I’m very lucky I get to do hot yoga every day. In that studio, you don’t have your phone with you. So, you’re switched off from all the noise of the world for an hour and you’re doing these beautiful poses that have actual, real physiological responses that can calm the brain and put you in a good mental state.
If you had to pick one song of yours to be the theme song of your life right now, which one would it be?
Time, Happiness Days and Richest Man are some of the songs that I can think of. I have learned that ultimately, you can see all of these wonderful things, you can go to these wonderful places, stay at five-star hotels and get treated like royalty, but the one thing that to me, that I still think is most important, is spending time with the people you love. That is what I cherish the most. Your kids grow up quickly. If you’re not there to see them grow up, you’re missing those beautiful early years. Then you look back with regret. So, it’s about finding that balance in life. I take that very seriously.
Pulling Me Back is streaming on all platforms. Bait is streaming on Prime Video.