Jayrah Gibson is a highly-celebrated producer for legendary K-Pop groups across generations. Most notably known for songs like BTS's "My Time" and EXO's "Angel," "Growl," and "Love Me Right," Jayrah has lent his innate songwriting ability to create many renowned K-Pop hits and staples. allkpop spoke with Jayrah about his career as a producer both in the East and the West. To give us more of a look at what it takes to create record-topping tracks, keep reading for our interview with Jayrah!

allkpop: Thank you so much for agreeing to take some time out and speak to us! Very excited to meet such a talented producer and artist; please take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers!
Jayrah: Hey everyone! My name is Jayrah Gibson, and I’m a multi-platinum songwriter and producer from east side Long Beach. I’m also an American Idol alumni, recording artist signed to Warner-Chappell, a mogul in the making, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.

akp: How did you get your start in music both as an artist and as a producer? What influences made the most impact on you as a musician?

Jayrah: As an artist, I really took it upon myself to jumpstart my own career. You need to believe in yourself before others will believe in you. Everybody should dream big and people should learn how to turn their dreams into reality. I’ve been able to do this with my artistry by working hard and cultivating myself. I came into production by purchasing my own equipment and taking it upon myself after realizing the gatekeeping culture of the music industry. I had to learn how to record on my own, with my mic in one hand and my daughter in the other. A big moment for me was purchasing my first computer. This was always a dream of mine and something I was extremely proud of. I also want to shout out Rufus Blaq. He was the most inspirational to me as an artist. Watching him freestyle motivated me to try and do the same. The Stereotypes production team was also super important in my musical journey, as they were the first team to take a chance on me.

akp: You’ve worked on tracks for some big names in K-Pop like EXO and BTS, but you’ve also worked with Western notables like Usher and Ty Dolla $ign. What is the major difference for you when producing songs for different types of markets?

Jayrah: Providing the client with their musical needs. There are a lot of cultural differences between these two regions, which are important to address during my creative process. I think music is starting to blend and cross over more now, but keeping the essence of the culture in the record is still key.

akp: When producing K-Pop, you’re working on a global scale. Do you find the process of writing to be difficult with so many moving pieces? Has COVID-19 exacerbated these issues?

Jayrah: Honestly, COVID made this process easier and I had one of the biggest albums (Map of the Soul 7) in the world come out during the pandemic. I’ve been able to set the trend as one of the American forefathers of K-Pop. It’s been humbling to know that the labels/artists trust me to make new sounds that the fans can latch onto. I get to play with new, innovative sounds for people to live life to. Creating an experience for fans has always been at the center of my artistic vision, and this is even more essential during COVID.

akp: I’m sure our fans are wondering which of their favorite songs have had your magic embedded in! Share with us more about the songs that you’ve produced for K-Pop and which songs notably have stuck out to you since.

Jayrah: “Growl” and “Angel” by EXO. Angel set the tone for me to work with EXO going forward and paved the way for me to write Growl. It was a major stepping stone in my Kpop journey and I feel so honored to have worked on both of those projects. “My Time” by BTS was also a super fun project for me. Dean’s “Sorry Not Sorry” is another favorite of mine. I’ve loved everything he has been doing and am so happy that we’ve been able to work together.

akp: What’s your production process look like? Any pieces of equipment you swear by? Any rituals you need to do to sit down and create?

Jayrah: I never record without glasses. Every record that I do, I record with glasses and completely pitch dark. I close my eyes as well–it’s a little weird I know. I feel like I just let the song write itself and enjoy the process of being the vessel and lyrically expressing what the beat is telling me. When I’m producing I love to find a dope, melodic structure first. The drums are my favorite part of producing, but I need the foundation to start. Drumming is in my blood, since I was in band in high school, so understanding how/when to drop the beat is natural to me. I always do a mumble track before I start writing and then piece it all together and all I have to do is freestyle over it. As far as equipment goes, I love the Yamaha NS10s or the new 5s or 8s, Neumann mic and Apogee Duet, Audio Technica headphones. I also need my Louis Vuitton or Versace glasses to record no matter what.

akp: What’s the hardest thing about being a producer that tackles such a wide array of genres?

Jayrah: I would say the PROs and getting paid the way we’re supposed to be paid. You can have a big hit and be broke, especially in the age of streaming. Being appreciated by labels is an absolute must. We own 100% of our music before it leaves our email, but we often don’t see the profits from that. A&Rs are scared to push the envelope, so it can be hard for new producers to have a chance to shine and it becomes cliquey. K-Pop is much more adaptable and ambitious in this way. It’s one of the things I’ve really loved about working in that genre.

akp: Have any dream artists you want to work with?

Jayrah: Would love to work with G-Dragon in the Kpop industry and honestly I welcome anyone who wants to work with me, but I would love to work with Pharrell. Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Diddy, Akon are all artists I want to work with someday as well. 50 Cent in particular is someone I look up to because of the way he established his brand across multiple industries. Like 50, I also want to be an entrepreneur. We have both established ourselves in the beverage industry. I started my company, RAH Water, as a way to promote sustainability and music through something we do every day.

akp: You’ve conquered the West, you’ve conquered the East, what’s next for you to tackle?

Jayrah: My artistry and releasing new records! I want the fans that know and love my music to know and love me through the music I am putting out for my own catalog. I have some exciting projects coming up that I can’t wait for you all to hear.

akp: Do you have any songs (not produced by you!) that are on your playlist right now? Share a few tracks that you’d love for our readers to hear.

Jayrah: Muni Long’s “Hrs and Hrs” is an amazing song, as well as Lucky Daye’s “Over”, which has one of my favorite samples and was produced by D’Mile. Bia’s “Whole Lotta Money” is a favorite as well. Bia is a long-time friend of mine and I’ve loved seeing her grow and thrive.

akp: Any hints as to where we will see Jayrah next?

Jayrah: On the back of RAH Water and in your playlists! I’ve got a couple of singles coming out in the next few months that you can look out for. My next single comes out Friday 3/18 and it’s called “My Forever”. I’m so proud of how this song came out and hope you love it as much as I do.

akp: Lastly, leave our readers a message! Whether it be well wishes or just a simple hello, we’d love to give you the final word!

Jayrah: Thank you for listening to this interview and receiving all that I have to offer. I truly appreciate all the love and support that you guys have given me through my journey. You guys have taken me from 0 to 100, and I really would not be where I am musically if it weren’t for the constant love I’ve gotten from the K-Pop community. Thank you for trusting me to work with your idols and allowing me to express myself through my art always.