Ep 68: Janethan said

🎙️ What’s This Episode About?

Janethan Jeffery is a Manchester-born musician, content creator and self-described 'spicy Jonathan'. His name is January and Ethan put together, and yes, he has to explain that constantly. He joins John at Brewers in Manchester's Village, recorded on quite possibly the hottest day of the year, with cold drinks that were definitely not helping.

Janethan talks about growing up as a quiet, timid kid in Manchester who didn't actually like music until his early teens, joined the glee club mainly to get out of PE, and then became so obsessed with understanding how the voice works that he spent years quietly building a skill nobody knew he was developing. By his own account he wasn't particularly good for a long time, and his Caribbean mum made sure he knew that. He got there in the end.

The conversation gets into how Janethan built a following on TikTok through comedy covers of viral British cultural moments, and how that audience then discovered he is also a genuinely serious musician making original music, which people find slightly confusing. He talks about navigating a creative life with autism, the way hyperfocus can disappear you from the world for two weeks while writing a song, and why running a social media account is, for him, one of the hardest things he does.

There's also a really enjoyable thread about the state of the music industry, what it actually takes to build a career as an independent queer artist of colour, and what Janethan wants his future to look like. He wants to be on all the stages. He means it. This conversation is a very good sign that he will be.

It's chaotic, funny, surprisingly candid, and a great deal of fun from start to finish.

Follow Jonathan on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/itsjanethan

🗣️ Why Listen?

If you’re seeking genuine conversations that reflect the diverse experiences within the LGBTQ+ community, Proudly Said offers a platform for those narratives.

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