We had the good fortune of connecting with juju anden and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi juju, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
The longer I stayed in the industry that I am in, the more I realize that at the end of the day, it’s every man for himself. Making friends in the game is sometimes both a blessing and a curse. You meet and network with people and become acquaintances or friends with them, simply because you have the same goal and career choice as them. Not necessarily a good idea, but the main objective is to always stay true to you!
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My drive, dedication, and passion are key factors that I believe set me apart from most others. I have been musically inclined since I was 5 years old and it has become something that I am extremely passionate about doing. There was practice behind the talents that I have and I feel as it made me a beast with all of them, whether it’s a lyrical genius, or a producing phenomenon. When it comes to me and the small community that I am in, I’m definitely the only one at the moment that rarely get compared to anyone that is already mainstream and on a larger caliber. I always have people telling me that I have an original sound, and what I bring to the table is always something different.
I’m definitely excited about the feeling of doing whatever it is I put my mind to and actually succeeding. I’m always proud of myself whenever I complete a song, a beat, a script, or even a cartoon, and it goes the way I planned it to go.
I may not be where I WANT to be right now, but I am proud of where I am today. I would have been where I am a long time ago if I didn’t procrastinate so much or come out of my shell a lot more. I had to force myself to try performing live, network, actually release music, getting myself out there. It was not an easy process for me at all, but I overcame every situation by thinking about the future I want. Clothes mouths don’t get fed after all.
When I think about the work I put in to anything that I do, it puts me in a position where I feel as if I should not be overlooked. I wanna be heard. I want people to know that people like me actually exist. I want to shine a little more light on what’s been dim for the longest, because the community that I am apart of, most of the time we are overshadowed, and being gay, black, and young would be the three main reasons why.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There’s not much here in Orangeburg, for sure, but there are some places people use here as hangouts from Cloud 9 to the Prince of Orange Mall. Everybody down here usually go out of town to do fun things on the other hand.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to other talented artists located in or from South Carolina:
Renni Rucci, 18veno, Javinci, PG RA, Daya Carter, Keatoure, K Smizz
There are so many of us but these were the main artists in mind!
Website: https://jujuandenmusic.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imjujuanden
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/IAMKINGJUNIOR
Other: Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/juju-anden/1601314790
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5u4q3qa6aGOa7a5LCM92HV
Image Credits
EMPRESSIVE PORTRAITS
Zy’Quan Cobbs
Daniesha Fairey
HAUS OF CARTER