As of late, music artists from Louisville, KY have began to make an impact on regional and national music scenes. The latest to do so is R&B artist Junior J.
The 502 crooner is only in his 20s but has harmonies and vocal tones very reminiscent of the great R&B singers of the 80s & 90s. His current single, Turning Me On, has quickly become a major hit in the Louisville area and is showing signs of spreading throughout the region.
Turning Me On is a remake of the 1982, hit I Like It by R&B group DeBarge – off their Gold selling album All This Love. The song is considered to be a Motown Classic, amongst traditional R&B fans and has been covered over the years by music greats; Nelly, Jesse Powell, LL Cool J, Beyoncé, Grand Puba and Warren G. Junior J’s rendition brings a modern vibe to the record that music fans of all ages appear to respect and appreciate.
Junior J appeared on the local music scene, nearly seven years ago with a debut record that he recorded in the closet of his home. Unbeknownst to him, the song would become extremely popular in the streets and clubs of Louisville. At that moment, he knew that becoming a professional recording artist was his destiny.
“I’ve been doing music for about 7 or 8 years strong. I was about 19 and I did a song with D.J. Lil Carl. From there, the fans liked me so I’ve been doing it ever since. I recorded my first song (I Really Need You) in a closet with a headset microphone. I didn’t know what I was doing but that turned out to be a hit.” – Junior J
As Turning Me On began gaining traction within Louisville’s underground music scene – radio station 93.1FM added the record to its rotation. The popularity of that song eventually led to Junior J, opening for Lil Wayne, K Michelle & 2 Chainz at the 2018 Pre-Derby concert at Louisville’s Broadbent arena on May 3rd.
“This was the biggest concert I’ve ever done in my life. I’ve opened for Musiq Soulchild & Donell Jones, which were big, but this is the biggest concert I’ve ever done in my life and I’m so appreciative and humbled by it.” – Junior J
As the record steadily grows, the opportunity for more performances have presented themselves for the young singer. On Jun 15, Junior electrified the crowd at Vybe Entertainment’s Swim Wear & Lingerie Fashion Show held at Hotel Louisville.
Turning Me On can be accessed on all digital streaming platforms and Junior J says that he has more music on the way for his fans in the near future.
Follow Junior J @iam_juniorj on all social media sites.
Brad Harrison is a journalist/motivational speaker/entrepreneur and on-air personality. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications with cum laude honors from the University of Louisville. In October 2015, he started UrbanMaxx Magazine to provide positive role models for Urban residents that reside in at-risk-communities and lack positive leadership in their lives.
For booking or advertising – contact Brad Harrison at bradharrison@urbanmaxx.com