Overview

Hello world! My name is S.Jai and I'm a singer-songwriter here in the beautiful city of Seattle, Washington.

I have been making music and performing in Austin as well as Seattle for years. I have been lucky enough to curate songs for my closest friends and family for their celebrations, play at queer music festivals and study jazz voice under the incredible Johnaye Kendrick. I have a true passion for performing soulful music and evoking emotion. The past two years I have thrown everything into my songwriting. Writing about the struggles for queer and other marginalized people. My music is about life and the struggles and exuberance we find ourselves in. The one thing I am left to do now is share the music with all of you. 

The material is ready, and the musicians are waiting -- this Plaid Dog campaign is the final step toward creating my first ever, professionally produced studio album.

This campaign is raising funds for my professionally recorded album with Carter Sanders  in Boston, MA. Carter is a seasoned Boston-based producer and engineer with experience working with both established and up-and-coming musicians. Together, Carter and I are digging into my original material, writing arrangements, and reaching out to local musicians to bring the songs to life. 

We’ve been able to cover the costs of recording and producing one song, which is ready for you to check out right here on this page. This first song is called “LOUDMOUTH,” and you can check it out below!

While I’ve been able to fund the recording process for "LOUDMOUTH” on my own, to create an album of songs of this quality, studio costs add up quickly. With that said, this campaign can give us a unique opportunity to collaborate and make great art together. Your donation will cover the following costs of my project:

1. Pre-Production: This is where everything starts. Carter and I will start crafting the arrangements for each song slated for the album. We’ll hold rehearsals to fine-tune the songs and arrangements and talk through new and exciting ideas for how to approach the recording process.

2. Recording: This is when we enter the studio and start capturing the music and where the songs become what you'll hear on this album. This campaign will play a huge role in making sure we have enough time to capture great performances for every member of the band.

3. Mixing & Mastering: Each track will get mixed to create the right balance between instruments, texture and color that make up a track. As a final step, the album will be mastered from beginning to end so that the listening experience is cohesive and carefully choreographed from start to finish.

And what will you get for your generosity and support? So many awesome things!

I am so appreciative and grateful for any support you can lend to this campaign. In exchange for your generosity, I've put together a really exciting group of gifts that are available exclusively through your participation in this campaign.

Check out some examples below and a full list to the right!

It is quite difficult to put into words how much this project would change my life.

Moving through this world as a queer person is one of the reasons I am so eager to do this. Growing up I was unfamiliar to the queer community and those who were delved into it. Coming from small town Texas, I felt so out of place and never knew where that stemmed from. I craved something that told me I belonged. Something that screamed “You got this just the way you are”. 

As soon as I left Texas to Seattle to pursue a music education, I dove into the queer community and was welcomed with open arms. I want to be a voice for queer people and other folks who look to music to feel a part of something. I want to evoke emotion in a way that has others feel connected. I want to release this project so others can feel what I feel and say “I didn't know someone else felt the same as I felt”.

The biggest strength us humans have is community. We crave it without even realizing. Music is a beautiful way to form community and strength within. Music is universal and has a way of pushing people together that might not normally do so. In a world that has become strung out on individuality and cynicism; I am here to create music that binds us, creates a safe space and has us reflect on life and how we move in this world. This project would help me build relationships and collaborate with others in the industry. 

Though I have never released a multitrack record, I have been taking necessary steps to better my craft and ensure that if funded, this project will supersede my expectations. I have been taking production courses, vocal lessons, pushing myself to be creative on command and how to market myself and my work. Also… a ridiculous amount of practice. With your support and my willingness, I will channel all of that into my craft and make a quality emotion bending record.

If you're ready to contribute, just click the "Back This Project" button on the top right of this page! Every little bit counts, and I’m so grateful for all your support

If you have folks in your network that would be interested in supporting me, please feel free to share this page with them.

Thank you so much for checking out my campaign page. I can't wait to share this music with you.