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WORDS TALLULAH SYRON
A true visionary in every sense of the word REGALJASON has been writing music since the tender age of six. From Jamaica to Panama and Los Angeles to London, the rising talents fascination for the cultures he’s absorbed along the way are easy to see across his music, style and music videos.
With the release of his latest music video for single “I Am”, REGAL brings us into an Italianate style mansion north of London with a rich literary history, having been home to both Beatrix Potter of the Peter Rabbit books and Dame Barbara Cartland, the queen of romance novels. A writer himself, the rising talent partnered with award winning short film director Oliver Crawford to bring the viewer into a world where characters of various cultural identities, ages, and abilities can be seen sharing their talents, beauty, and wealth while living together in harmony. Dressed in modern interpretations of royal fashions throughout history, each character can be seen in their own rooms of the estate honing their crafts before coming together for a feast of joint treasures.
Catching up with the people’s prince we talk diversity, success, dreaming big and what’s next for him.
Tallulah Syron: Hi Jason, so lovely to catch up with you! We last spoke with you back in March 2023 - what have you been up to since then?
REGALJASON: Since we last spoke I’ve had a huge life change and have finally started performing full time. I’m now a resident singer at a show in London’s West End, and have played countless events including Sofar Sounds, and my first UK festival, The Secret Garden Party. This feels like a full circle moment as the last time we spoke I mentioned that I had a boring day job that I hoped my music would carry me out of. We also spoke about manifestation. I feel like manifestation and more specifically prayer brought me the opportunity to finally do this full time and it’s given me a new lease on life.
TS: Your video for single “I Am” is a true masterpiece could you tell us about the process of creating it?
RJ: Thank you! I have to give a huge shout out to Oliver Crawford who directed the video. We met when I performed at The Ned and he immediately told me he wanted to make me a music video. I had released a lyric video for this single but felt it didn’t get the point across. Oliver took the reins and asked me to dream big. No idea was too large for him given his experience directing films. He wasn’t concerned about how we were going to get funding, how we would find our cast, how we would find our mansion to film in etc. He challenged me to aim higher than I had ever aimed for a music video and worked through each challenge with me to bring the vision to life. He showed me that if you believe in yourself people will come together to bring a strong vision to life. It’s something I’ll never forget.
TS: The video shows real representation, was this something that was important to you?
RJ: Representation was the main goal of the video and I’m so glad that shone through. The song is about the notion that regardless of our race, gender, or other categories society puts us into, we are all deserving of love and freedom to achieve our goals. This doesn’t always ring true in our societies so I wanted to create a world in which people from differing backgrounds can be seen honing their crafts, living lavishly, and sharing that with each other, a utopia of sorts.
"The song is about the notion that regardless of our race, gender, or other categories society puts us into, we are all deserving of love and freedom to achieve our goals."
TS: Of course, your artist name is REGALJASON and lots of your imagery has a royal aesthetic. Where did your fascination with all things royal come from?
RJ: I think growing up in Jamaica, which was once a British colony, and later Panama, that was once a Spanish colony, there’s always been an interest in royalty. It felt out if reach as a child and still is somewhat as it is often only attained by birth. This is a big reason as to why I went with “regal” rather than “royal” as to be regal is not determined by bloodlines but rather character. I also grew up in the church, so I was always very inspired by - and still am inspired by - the Bible. Not only for its guidance but also its varying literary genres filled with themes of kingdoms, empires, and thrones.
TS: Is REGALJASON a character for you? Or does the artist cross over into your personal life?
RJ: REGALJASON is very much a part of my personal life and I even had a few years where I went by “Regal.” My given name is Jason and “regal” is the adjective I chose to describe the person I wished to become and also differentiate myself from the countless other Jasons out there. It was a sort of affirmation in the same way that “I Am” is as a song to remind myself of my worth and what I hope to achieve. What’s been cool to experience is that the more I grow into that person, the less I feel the need to be called “Regal” in my personal life. There was a time I needed to convince myself of the potential I had, that I would amount to something greater than my surroundings. I truly believe I’m regal now so I don’t need to hear it as often. Affirmations work.
TS: What was little REGALJASON like, and what would they think of the person you are today?
RJ: I think I’m currently the most similar to my younger self I’ve been ever before in my life. Little REGALJASON was always writing, singing, dancing, dressing up, and dreaming. He was fearless, believed in his talent and no one could tell him otherwise. While I studied music production and have never stopped writing or performing, after years of trial and error I definitely began to doubt myself and play it safe. I only took the leap to start performing full time this year. I feel like little REGALJASON smiled and said “finally”.
TS: Let’s get deep. Success can mean something different to everyone, what does it mean to you and what do you hope to achieve in your career?
RJ: I’m still defining it. While it’s definitely a major goal for me to reach a level where I can afford to turn all my artistic visions into a reality, true success to me is connection. The most rewarding part of this journey is seeing the way it moves people. I’m not so concerned about fame or awards. I hope to be able to tour my original music to large and diverse audiences and continue to build a community around it. I think I also won’t feel fulfilled without uplifting other artists in the future with the tools I’ve gained along the way. Maybe starting a label or foundation in the would do that for me. One step at a time.
"The most rewarding part of this journey is seeing the way it moves people. I’m not so concerned about fame or awards."
TS: If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
RJ: This is a hard one but possibly my parent’s rendition of Endless Love by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie. I grew up hearing my parents sing together often and if I could only listen to one song I’d want to hear their voices. You can hear the smile in their delivery and it often brings people to tears. As I’ve gotten older and understand how rare what they have is, and the trials they’ve overcome together, it brings me to tears as well. I often think to myself, I wish I could to bottle that up so it’s always within reach. I should probably have them record some of these duets.
TS: One song you wish you’d written?
RJ: There are so many songs I hear and think “wow I wish I thought of that” but one of best songs melodically I’ve heard in a while is Corps by Yseult, a french artist probably best known for her performance at the Paris Olympics. The melody is so well composed you almost feel you must have heard it before. That feeling is likely the result of conditioning based on what I grew up listening to but this was one where I thought to myself “no one could dislike this melody line, it’s perfect”.
TS: If you could support anyone on tour who would it be?
RJ: I’d love to support Lorde on tour. Her first album release altered my brain chemistry in the sense that it made me think “maybe people would want to listen to me”. Not that our sound is similar at all but I think it was the fact that she was so young, had a sonic landscape that was very different for the pop world, was from a small unheard of place in New Zealand, and was writing about more than just romance and partying like the pop music of the day. Growing up in Panama, a country that while beautiful felt small and insignificant to the global pop zeitgeist, and writing quite alternative songs thematically, Lorde gave me hope that if I honed my craft and stuck at it maybe there was an audience out there waiting to hear what I had to offer regardless of where I was broadcasting from.
TS: What would be on your rider?
RJ: I’m a surprisingly low maintenance person but I love Jarritos Guava soda and recently have been loving Huel’s complete meal drinks on busy days when I go straight from the studio to performing. Herbal tea and honey are always a must as well.
TS: What’s next for you?
RJ: You can expect new music from me before the end of the year. I’ve taken a lot of time to update my sound and I can’t wait to share it.
TS: To finish up we always ask… What is your favourite "F" word and why?
RJ: My favourite "F" word at the moment is fearlessness. It’s been a year of learning to take risks and trust my gut I hope to carry this energy with me for the rest of my life.
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