Ronald J. (back to artists)
Biography
Ronald J. was born in 1993 in Brooklyn, New York, a borough whose constant rhythm would quietly shape his musical instincts from an early age. Raised in a household where cultures, languages, and traditions blended seamlessly, Ronald grew up at the crossroads of his father’s Nigerian heritage and his mother’s Italian roots. Music was not just entertainment in his home—it was a form of memory, identity, and survival.
His father, who immigrated from Nigeria as a young man, carried with him the polyrhythms of West African music, gospel hymns, and highlife records that filled the apartment on Sunday mornings. His mother, born and raised in Italy, brought a love of melody, classical vocal traditions, and old Italian love songs that played during family dinners. Brooklyn, with its street cyphers, church choirs, subway performers, and block-party speakers, became the third influence in Ronald’s musical upbringing.
At the age of twelve, his voice found its first real home in a local gospel choir. Singing gospel introduced him to harmony, discipline, and emotional honesty. It taught him how to use his voice not just as an instrument, but as a vessel for feeling and storytelling.
As a teenager, Ronald J became known in his neighborhood for his ability to blend styles effortlessly—soul, blues, folk, and gospel all coexisted in his early compositions. After high school, he made a pivotal decision to leave New York temporarily and immerse himself in the musical legacy of New Orleans. The city’s raw spirit, its jazz funerals, brass bands, and late-night jam sessions left an indelible mark on his artistry.
Following his time in New Orleans, Ronald traveled to Spain, where he spent several months living simply and writing obsessively. There, he encountered flamenco guitar, Mediterranean folk melodies, and a slower, more reflective way of life. Spain introduced him to the power of space in music—the importance of silence, restraint, and emotional tension. Wandering through coastal towns and historic cities, Ronald began writing songs that explored longing, displacement, love, and identity. These themes would later become central to his work.
Returning to the United States with a sharpened sense of self, Ronald adopted the artist name Ronald J, a stripped-down version of his given name that reflected his desire for honesty and clarity in his music. His sound emerged as a soulful fusion of gospel-rooted vocals, blues-inflected guitar, and global influences shaped by his travels. Lyrically, Ronald J became known for his introspective storytelling—songs that examined heritage, faith, loss, and resilience without pretension.
Today, Ronald J is recognized as an artist who carries multiple worlds within his music. His Brooklyn upbringing, Nigerian and Italian lineage, and time spent in New Orleans and Spain all surface in subtle ways—through rhythm, phrasing, and emotional depth. Whether performing on an intimate stage or recording in the studio, Ronald J approaches music as both a personal confession and a shared experience. His journey continues to unfold, guided by the same curiosity that led a ten-year-old boy in Brooklyn to pick up a guitar and start listening to the world more closely.
Contact management : dave@whatabout-music.com
His father, who immigrated from Nigeria as a young man, carried with him the polyrhythms of West African music, gospel hymns, and highlife records that filled the apartment on Sunday mornings. His mother, born and raised in Italy, brought a love of melody, classical vocal traditions, and old Italian love songs that played during family dinners. Brooklyn, with its street cyphers, church choirs, subway performers, and block-party speakers, became the third influence in Ronald’s musical upbringing.
At the age of twelve, his voice found its first real home in a local gospel choir. Singing gospel introduced him to harmony, discipline, and emotional honesty. It taught him how to use his voice not just as an instrument, but as a vessel for feeling and storytelling.
As a teenager, Ronald J became known in his neighborhood for his ability to blend styles effortlessly—soul, blues, folk, and gospel all coexisted in his early compositions. After high school, he made a pivotal decision to leave New York temporarily and immerse himself in the musical legacy of New Orleans. The city’s raw spirit, its jazz funerals, brass bands, and late-night jam sessions left an indelible mark on his artistry.
Following his time in New Orleans, Ronald traveled to Spain, where he spent several months living simply and writing obsessively. There, he encountered flamenco guitar, Mediterranean folk melodies, and a slower, more reflective way of life. Spain introduced him to the power of space in music—the importance of silence, restraint, and emotional tension. Wandering through coastal towns and historic cities, Ronald began writing songs that explored longing, displacement, love, and identity. These themes would later become central to his work.
Returning to the United States with a sharpened sense of self, Ronald adopted the artist name Ronald J, a stripped-down version of his given name that reflected his desire for honesty and clarity in his music. His sound emerged as a soulful fusion of gospel-rooted vocals, blues-inflected guitar, and global influences shaped by his travels. Lyrically, Ronald J became known for his introspective storytelling—songs that examined heritage, faith, loss, and resilience without pretension.
Today, Ronald J is recognized as an artist who carries multiple worlds within his music. His Brooklyn upbringing, Nigerian and Italian lineage, and time spent in New Orleans and Spain all surface in subtle ways—through rhythm, phrasing, and emotional depth. Whether performing on an intimate stage or recording in the studio, Ronald J approaches music as both a personal confession and a shared experience. His journey continues to unfold, guided by the same curiosity that led a ten-year-old boy in Brooklyn to pick up a guitar and start listening to the world more closely.
Contact management : dave@whatabout-music.com
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