It’s impossible not to feel the energy of artist and producer Jameson Tabor who spins a fresh sound through dance-pop and its’ emerging sub-genre, bluestep. His soulful voice and playful personality showcase an updated, sensitive version of masculinity. Since the release of his debut EP “PURSUIT,” his first music video "Pull Me In" won at the Eurasia International Film Festival. Later, his song “Black Dust” won the Global Music Awards in 2020, making statements on diversity and inclusion. "In the Glove" is a driving pop-funk nu-disco record that explores what it feels like to be taken advantage of, particularly by someone you thought was a friend, but who secretly had the wrong intentions.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey Jameson Tabor, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
I started performing as a kid, in theater actually, which is definitely when I fell in love with music. I’ve studied as many instruments and things as I can get my hands on—piano, guitar, horns, drums, strings, but first and foremost I’ve always been a singer. I’m just fascinated with how many different sounds and textures the human voice can make. I got pretty into a capella music in high school when a friend of mine asked me to arrange a seven-part version of “Billie Jean” for our group to perform in a competition. Haha, talk about diving right in! That song… I mean, along with Whitney’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” it was definitely the top-played song in our house, especially during our living room family dance parties. I probably spent 200 hours just studying and really working out the details of each part, trying to translate it all into the voice. Then at the competition, the judge never showed up, so they decided to award me for my arrangement. I was kind of shocked! To this day, the fact that I’m still not tired of it, I think that says a lot. Quincy Jones is honestly the master, and Michael’s artistry will always have a huge place in my heart.
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Wow!… I mean at this point, there are just so many superstar legends. Pharrell would be incredible. Bruno Mars… Beyoncé, Ariana Grande, Bieber, Gaga, Adele, Rihanna, Miley, SZA! Love me some Lizzo too! I mean, I’m a chameleon in a lot of ways and I think that’s been both a strength and a challenge for me in my career. I just love so many things in the world. I suppose, if you told me I was gonna get to sing with Stevie Wonder though, I could probably die happy.
Your latest song is 'In the Glove'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
“In the Glove” initially came to me one day as part of this “Songsketch Series” I did actually way back in 2018 where I came up with a new song idea every day. I knew I loved this one with the funk groove, and it was kind of giving MJ vibes, I just didn’t know how to finish it. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago when I had a friend who I trusted really take advantage of me, invade my space, and just not respect who I was. Once I went through all of that, this song became a way of taking back my power.
What are you focussing on right now?
I’m actually releasing the music video for my new song “Touch” next week, on the anniversary of when my wife and I first met. We’ve actually been working on it for over a year and a half now. The song just surpassed 100,000 streams last week and is my first song to do that, and so quickly too. So I’m excited about that!
What are you most proud of?
Definitely to be able to work full-time now as a musician living in LA, and support a family, honestly it kind of blows my mind sometimes. If I look back at like the dream charts/vision boards I’ve made in the past, I do know I have a lot to be proud of. I just couldn’t really have predicted how I’d get here, or how long it would take, but I think it’s that I stayed focussed and took a lot of little steps along the way to get to where I am now.
What is the biggest challenge of being an artist?
For me, two things. I think these are the battles artists have been facing for forever: number one–the constant comparisons as you’re figuring out who you are, how you want to express yourself, and also how to run a business. It is a lot, and one of the traps I would say 99% of aspiring artists (myself included) fall into is trying to emulate what other artists and your peers do. But that said, how else can you learn what works best for you? Afterall, all art is imitation, and we have to try things out. But the current landscape for art is so intertwined with business today, and I really think that’s a tragedy. It immediately filters an artist’s free thoughts through the “what we think will sell or get the most attention” wire-mesh, and often leaves out what is truest to us and our most necessary expression. The second challenge is money. Seems like these days you can never have enough.
How do you structure your day?
Well, right now, I share a bed with a two-month-old baby, plus we have a three-year-old daughter who often wakes up in the night–so I would say the current structure is a bit in flux, lol! But for the most part, I like to start my days with a coffee and a ten-minute free-write. I find that brings a lot of peace and clarity to my day. Then I organize my schedule for the day in my planner and I jump into an at-home workout. Then I shower, do my hair, get dressed and I try to tackle the most important thing on the to-do list first. Some days that’s finishing up the production on a new song, other days it’s editing clips from the upcoming music video to share on social media. I often schedule my songwriting with other artists, and vocal coaching sessions in the afternoon and evening when I’ve already taken care of me first. Throughout the day, I try to find as many moments as I can for my family, when I can pop out for a quick break. It is a huge blessing to be able to work from home.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
I love dancing, playing basketball and soccer, video games, going to amusement parks, traveling. There’s still so much I want to see and do in life. At the moment though, I probably spend most of my “free time” with my wife and kids, playing dolls and Legos, having spur-of-the-moment dance parties, and maybe watching the latest reality show, rom-com or drama on Netflix. It may not be 1000% the things I love to do on the daily, lol, but it’s not far off, and I think you can pretty much find the joy in anything if you want to
Do you sing in the shower? What songs?
Heck yes!! I love me a hot shower, and it’s so easy to get warmed up vocally in there. Also one of the best spots for creative downloads and new ideas too though. I sometimes just open up an artist on Spotify and listen too.
What are your plans for the future?
Definitely looking forward to putting out my first full-length album later this year and continuing to release singles leading up to that! This music video release next Thursday, March 2nd for “Touch” too, as I mentioned. I also have a couple of remixes and alternate versions coming soon, with at least one for “In the Glove,” so those will all be fun.