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DxBuzz: Music beyond boundaries

Dubai - Dubai-based artist Jay Mo weighs in on the importance of connecting with the city's diverse musical scene

The desi music scene has constantly evolved over the years with a number of talented artists showcasing their forte through social media. In Bollywood, singers like Arjun Artist and Yo Yo Honey Singh kick-started the trend of 'cover versions', giving a unique spin to famous tracks, something that has instantly resonated with the discerning tastes of today's audiences.
One such voice dominating the airwaves today is Jason Mohan aka Jay Mo, who with his groovy tracks such as HAPPY, a tune that became a New Year anthem, and See You Again, a Hinglish mash-up released to celebrate Friendship Day, has been able to carve a niche for himself. The rapper has been able to stand out from the crowd, thanks to his cool vocals and lyrics that connect with the youth.
Born in the UK, Jay Mo grew up in Ghana and has been creating music since he was seven years old. Over the years he learnt a number of musical instruments, started a band called 'Diesel' while at boarding school, released a solo album Jay Mo Jam when he was just 11 years old, dabbled as a DJ and also became a certified personal trainer. An early achievement for him was when his track, We go go, was selected as the official world cup anthem for the Ghana National Football team.
Even though music is his passion, Jay Mo looks to transition his vision to the big screen. With this in mind, he pursued a Master of Fine Arts in Filmmaking from the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles.
"Learning the theory of music has enabled me to write my own songs. Los Angeles was a life-changing experience for me. It is a city of dreams just like Mumbai. The training there was great, as I could make my own tracks and at the same time create music videos," he adds.
It was here that he met his close friend and business partner, Geet K, and the two collaborated on a number of projects including films and music videos. A singer himself, Geet lent his vocals to a number of tracks alongisde Jay Mo such as Naal Aaja and Pani Da Rang. The duo even won a T-Series competition for their soulful rendition of Tum Hi Ho. These tracks soon went viral and offered them recognition and appreciation from around the world.
They started their company Golden Age Media and Entertainment in Hollywood, but soon relocated to Dubai, as they felt their music - a mix of Western and Indian influences - would be perfect for a diverse diaspora from the sub-continent based in the city.
"I love the desi vibe here," says Jay Mo. "Collaborating with more artists in Dubai is definitely on the cards. We are planning to start a web show and hope to incorporate the global talent that Dubai represents."
With an African Oscar under his belt and a fan following that spans the globe, Jay Mo says he wants to create music that can be enjoyed by the whole family. "I want to focus on meaningful content, something that I call edutainment - educating and entertaining people," he expresses. "Music is always going to be my passion and I feel it is important to put content out there that people enjoy and relate to."
- supplements@khaleejtimes.com