About to Pop: Jaicko

By Ashley Iasimone Posted Nov 2nd 2009 05:45PM

Who: Jaicko
Album: 'Can I'
Video: 'Oh Yeah'
Hails From: Barbados
For Fans Of: The Dream, Chris Brown

Why He's About to Pop: Jaicko's Caribbean-infused pop tunes are just hitting US radio this year, but he's been building his fanbase for years. "I released a number of songs in Barbados," Jaicko told PopEater. "We have two Top 40 radio stations, and I used to get plugged in between Rihanna and Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z."

The singer, who recently visited PopEater to preview some catchy tunes from his debut album, 'Can I,' might not be asked for as many autographs here in New York just yet, but that's bound to change. Jaicko's first single, 'Oh Yeah,' has already been remixed by Snoop, and for the album tracks that he didn't self-produce, a notable team of producers -- Stargate (Ne-Yo, Beyonce), Rob Allen (Chris Brown, Rihanna) and Jim Jonson (Lil Wayne) -- lent a hand.

"The reason why I decided to name the album 'Can I' was because I was doing music from nine years old. I'm 18 now," Jaicko said. "From then 'til now, I went through a lot of struggles both personally and being in the music industry. That kind of motivated me to write the track. I think a lot of people will be able to relate to it ... I think the world needs a real track like that, coming from someone young." Check out an exclusive interview with Jaicko after the jump, and keep an eye out for his album, which is set to be released this winter.

Watch the 'Oh Yeah' Video

Eight Questions With Jaicko:

Do you ever feel like you're missing out on being a normal teenager, since you've been working on music for half of your life?

Well, it's always been a part of me to do music, and I always felt I was able to do normal things. I went to school in Barbados. I was always able to do normal teenager stuff. I don't feel as though I missed out on a lot. But now, definitely, things have changed. I'm not back home in Barbados, so I don't get to see my friends every day, but it's all for the better. If I was doing that, I couldn't be doing this.

Your bio says your album is "life through the eyes of a 17-year-old." What exactly is this album focusing on?

I think it's definitely life around me. Back home in Barbados, we watch TV and we see a lot of things happen. On my album I talk about girls, and the song 'Can I' expresses my personal experiences and my struggles and my life. So [it's] just life through the eyes of me.

Who have been your musical influences?

I was influenced by a bunch of different types of music. I grew up listening to Stevie Wonder, Bow Wow, Usher, Michael Jackson. I was always influenced by a number of different types of music -- I listen to country music, alternative records. I'm a big fan of Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts.

Were you a fan of Snoop before he remixed one of your tracks, and who else would you love to collaborate with?

I was definitely a big fan, and it was a blessing for him to come and recognize my talent and jump on the track. That was pretty cool. I think he was on tour at the time when he did the track. I'd love to collaborate with Ne-Yo, a country artist like Rascal Flatts, Coldplay or Pharell.

Can you tell us about the making of your video for 'Oh Yeah'?

I like to get really creative, but I felt like for the first video, I wanted people to see my face. It's a good representation of me as a person. There's a Caribbean influence. It was a great experience. It was pretty nerve-wracking at first with all the cameras and the camera crews.

Since you've had success in Barbados, are you kind of a local celebrity there? Is it different being there than it is here?

Yeah, definitely. I can't do anything in Barbados. I go to the mall, and I have to make sure I look a certain way. People always see me, and the first thing they see is my hair. People recognize me. I released a number of songs in Barbados. We have two Top 40 radio stations, and I used to get plugged in between Rihanna and Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z. But Barbados is cool. We're kind of laid back. We don't take things too seriously. I feel like Barbados will always kind of be that place where I can just be myself.

Tell us the story of how you were expelled from school because of your hairstyle.

In Barbados, we're not allowed to grow our hair out or anything like that. We have to wear low haircuts. We have uniforms. We used to have to tuck our shirts in our pants, wear ties and stuff. I was always a rebel with a cause. Even though they took me out of school, I still continued on with homeschooling.

What advice would you give to other young singers who are trying to break into the music industry?

Definitely to try to stay focused. I know that even for me, being so young, there are days I want to go to the beach, and I have to go to the studio. I think that one of the most important things is looking at it as a job. If that's what you want to pursue, you have to be fully focused on that. It's not an easy job, but you have to stay strong, stay focused ... and sing 'Can I.'

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