Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan Silver.
Hi Jordan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Whenever I’m asked about the influences on my music tastes, I cannot talk about it without mentioning one of my biggest musical influences, my father. When I was in Elementary School, the halls of my childhood home would flow with the soulful sounds of tribal Nigerian music, Bob Marley and Fela Kuti. Every morning before school, I’d hear my Father; singing, humming and dancing as he prepared food for my siblings and me, while simultaneously getting ready to work himself. He was a single father of three, so “Mr. Mom’ was a title he often donned. In these moments, I’d become overwhelmed with an inexplicable amount of joy and wonder, as to how I could ever recreate these moments for my children while conveying the energy and essence of the music I was so lucky to have around in my childhood. I set out to find that when I moved to Austin in 2015.
A few years following my move, my main priorities at the time were simple, try and make friends and see as much live music as possible. In 2018, my pursuit of these objectives led me to find the medium that I felt was best suited for the memories that I’d been attempting to recreate. I’d stumbled across a small, dark, and repurposed garage that was hosting what was becoming one of the most popular parties in town at the time, The Nu Wave, led by Austin DJ, Joaquin. This place was known as The Eastern Bar on East 6th Street. These weekly encounters helped me build a network of like-minded individuals who were itching to bring their wildest ideas to fruition. It also helped me gain an understanding of the emotional, spiritual, and physical responses that can be induced by music. This is where my journey was set to begin. I’d caught the Austin DJ bug, and I wanted to create immediately,
That all changed in March of 2020. At the time, I was feeling the complete opposite of what my story’s genesis told. During this time I’d been working for the state as a Case Manager, advocating for adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, for nearly three years. It was an admittedly stressful position at times, but coupled with the development of the virus, it felt amplified to a level I honestly couldn’t handle. The world felt like it was falling apart, then receiving the shelter-in-place orders, I, like many others, found myself in a constant state of mental duress, trying to deal with what was becoming the “new normal”. I wasn’t prepared for the intricacies of this unknown terror wreaking havoc on the world, so I decided to leave and fully take a chance on myself, attempting more creative endeavors.
A few months following my exit, I received a message from one of the owners of Coconut Club Austin, inquiring if I’d be interested in beginning employment with the establishment as door staff. I was honestly apprehensive because I hadn’t been in service industry work since college, and I felt I needed to pursue more career-focused occupations. Despite that, I said yes as I felt it was an opportunity to be around different types of music and gain first-hand experience of the music scene from a popular venue’s perspective. Little did I know that this job changed everything for me. Suddenly I was thrust into one of the most diverse music spaces in town and had a chance to expand my musical knowledge whilst interacting and networking with some of the city’s most talented creatives and influential individuals. I received modeling opportunities, as well as the opportunity to DJ in various spaces around town.
In closing, sure, there are a million DJs in town, but we all have our unique reasons for choosing the path that we have. I’m here today because of my family, my peers, and my community. Music has been a therapeutic release from the stressors of our everchanging world, allowing me to offer a lifeline to the many others seeking similar refuge. Music has opened many doors for me, many of which I believed to be bolted shut, and I intend to open many more for others willing to learn.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It is a fact of life that we must all face certain crucibles from time to time. How we overcome them determines what kind of people we are. I firmly believe that the lessons and growth we obtain from conquering certain challenges in our lives, adds a unique flavor to our overall story.
One of the biggest struggles I’ve faced has been self-belief. I actually cringe when I say it, but I’ve honestly dealt with the worst case of impostor syndrome for the majority of my adolescence and adulthood. I’ve always questioned what justification I had to do anything that I found myself good at, and routinely, would talk myself out of further pursuing fruitful opportunities. For too long, I allowed myself to believe that I was less than that of peers, due to the words and actions of others, allowing their say to shape my thinking.
Another obstacle I faced, was learning to be mindful of others’ words or the influence you allow to enter your space. It’s an unfortunate fact that not everyone has your best interests in mind, but In my daily life, I always try to combat that by being as genuine and transparent as I can possibly be. I was actually discouraged by someone close to me from participating in this interview last year. I don’t say that to be in any way malicious, but to point out the fact that I allowed the entry of someone else’s words into my psyche and gave them power over my being by acknowledging such negative behavior. I’ve since learned that life is too short to waste time trying to live up to the perception someone has made of you in their mind.
Now, consistency and humility keep me level, when my mind is doubtful, also understanding that I am where I’m supposed to be. It’s easy to compare your progress and growth with peers and feel left behind, but we all have to start somewhere!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m an Austin-based Creator, DJ, and model looking to share spaces and create moments with others, encouraging healing through music and dance. I’ve played in various spaces and love to share music that has shaped me with anyone willing to listen.
As a DJ, I feel our “art” per se comes to be when playing live. I liken this to the ability to paint. There are a number of technical skills required for painting: such as drawing, color, values, composition, etc. so I try my best to incorporate all of these aspects when live. I like to think of a music library as the colors of paint that are available and the music controller as my canvas. Each song chosen is a stroke on the canvas, metaphorically speaking, mixing together, creating new sounds each evoking an emotional and physical response from its listeners. I love to take people on a journey of sound, making a space where full expression is welcomed.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
Keep up with announcements, dates, and new music via Instagram.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordan_96_97_/
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/illiamlattlinton
Image Credits
Jasmin Porter
Adrian Webb
Ronnie Heart
Chuma Ukegbu
