Alex Jacke

Alex Jacke is an up-coming R&B singer with a dope personality, I had a great time chatting with him.
He's from California with an impressive collection of YouTube covers online along with an EP of original music, DFM. [Click here for download]
Get to know Alex's journey to music and watch him give tips on how to dance to his single, "One Thing."


- Power 105.1 FM

Meet Alex Jacke-- The 23 year-old emerging recording artist & songwriter is making waves with his innovative Urban/Pop sound.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Jacke’s influences include Prince, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Sting, and Marvin Gaye, and his sound blends a pop melodic sensibility, playful and insightful lyrics, with a “sexadelic” contemporary R&B vibe. Self taught on the piano, he started his first band in middle school. By his freshman year at Morehouse College, he focused his energy in the studio, & performing at school events and venues around Atlanta. During his sophomore year, his charismatic performance on the popular MTV series "My Super Sweet 16," caught the attention of music executive and producer Laney Stewart. Stewart took Jacke under his wing, and signed Jacke to his new venture SMG, and also helped him secure an exclusive worldwide publishing deal with Music Gallery/Universal Music Publishing Group in 2011.
Jacke spent the first half of 2012 writing for other artist and perfecting his individual sound. And, in July 2012 Jacke took his music straight to the fans. He released his debut – a 6 song EP, DFM and then followed up with DFM Deluxe February 2013. Building his fan base via social media networks Jacke has also performed on college campuses around the country and been the opening act for artists such as Keyshia Cole and 2Chainz. Since its release DFM has been downloaded in 33 different countries.


- Kiis FM

Meet Alex Jacke-- The 23 year-old emerging recording artist & songwriter is making waves with his innovative Urban/Pop sound.
Born and raised in Los Angeles, Jacke’s influences include Prince, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Sting, and Marvin Gaye, and his sound blends a pop melodic sensibility, playful and insightful lyrics, with a “sexadelic” contemporary R&B vibe. Self taught on the piano, he started his first band in middle school. By his freshman year at Morehouse College, he focused his energy in the studio, & performing at school events and venues around Atlanta. During his sophomore year, his charismatic performance on the popular MTV series "My Super Sweet 16," caught the attention of music executive and producer Laney Stewart. Stewart took Jacke under his wing, and signed Jacke to his new venture SMG, and also helped him secure an exclusive worldwide publishing deal with Music Gallery/Universal Music Publishing Group in 2011.
Jacke spent the first half of 2012 writing for other artist and perfecting his individual sound. And, in July 2012 Jacke took his music straight to the fans. He released his debut – a 6 song EP, DFM and then followed up with DFM Deluxe February 2013. Building his fan base via social media networks Jacke has also performed on college campuses around the country and been the opening act for artists such as Keyshia Cole and 2Chainz. Since its release DFM has been downloaded in 33 different countries.


- Kiis FM

The R&B music scene is slowly but surely being revitalized and a big part of the much-needed return is the emergence of new artists.

Making his way into the mix is an extremely talented newcomer who goes by the name of Alex Jacke. Alex is an R&B crooner who hails from the Golden State and will easily be able to hold his own among the likes of his future music industry peers and powerhouse male vocalists like Miguel, Trey Songz, Usher and even fellow newcomer Luke James.

Check out a little more background on Alex below:

Heavily influenced by 90’s R&B and Hip hop, Alex developed his own unique sound which eventually landed him a spot on MTV’s “My Super Sweet 16” as a guest performer.

Still just a sophomore at Morehouse College, the MTV gig caught the attention of music executive and producer Laney Stewart (Tricky Stewart, The-Dream) who worked with Jacke the following summer. Jacke left college after his junior year to return to his hometown of Los Angeles to pursue his career in music. With the help of Stewart, Jacke signed an exclusive worldwide publishing deal with Music Gallery/Universal Music Publishing Group.

In May 2012, Jacke released his first single “One Thing” in anticipation of his 6 song EP titled D.F.M. (Dorm F-cking Music) which followed in July 2012. Alex was also chosen to participate in the 2013 Macy’s iHeartRadio Rising Star Contest. As one of 25 artists selected nationwide he was featured on hundreds of radio stations across the country.

You can peep the video for the first single “One Thing” from his debut EP, which has been creating a buzz for quite a while now, below:
- Bossip

The R&B music scene is slowly but surely being revitalized and a big part of the much-needed return is the emergence of new artists.

Making his way into the mix is an extremely talented newcomer who goes by the name of Alex Jacke. Alex is an R&B crooner who hails from the Golden State and will easily be able to hold his own among the likes of his future music industry peers and powerhouse male vocalists like Miguel, Trey Songz, Usher and even fellow newcomer Luke James.

Check out a little more background on Alex below:

Heavily influenced by 90’s R&B and Hip hop, Alex developed his own unique sound which eventually landed him a spot on MTV’s “My Super Sweet 16” as a guest performer.

Still just a sophomore at Morehouse College, the MTV gig caught the attention of music executive and producer Laney Stewart (Tricky Stewart, The-Dream) who worked with Jacke the following summer. Jacke left college after his junior year to return to his hometown of Los Angeles to pursue his career in music. With the help of Stewart, Jacke signed an exclusive worldwide publishing deal with Music Gallery/Universal Music Publishing Group.

In May 2012, Jacke released his first single “One Thing” in anticipation of his 6 song EP titled D.F.M. (Dorm F-cking Music) which followed in July 2012. Alex was also chosen to participate in the 2013 Macy’s iHeartRadio Rising Star Contest. As one of 25 artists selected nationwide he was featured on hundreds of radio stations across the country.

You can peep the video for the first single “One Thing” from his debut EP, which has been creating a buzz for quite a while now, below:
- Bossip

With only two EP's to his name, emerging recording artist and songwriter, Alex Jacke's soothing vocals, enticing lyrics, charm and rapidly growing fan base are enough to give R&B veteran, Trey Songz and newcomer, Travis Garland a run for their money. The summer 2012 release of his first EP, DFM ,trailed by its sequel, DFM Deluxe shortly thereafter, has captured the hearts of listeners worldwide. It is no wonder Jacke has earned a spot as a finalist in Macy's iHeart Radio Rising Star contest. But, behind the angelic falsetto and sensual lyrics, is the story of a man who allowed nothing and no one to stand in the way of his music reaching the world; not school, not his parents and certainly not the mainstream music industry. During our exclusive conversation, Jacke speaks openly about his decision to leave Morehouse College to pursue music full time, what inspired DFM and DFM Deluxe and what lies in store for his career in the near future.

What's in a Name?

You entitled your first EP Dorm F*ckin Music. Why that name?
My mind works in crazy ways. The songs I was writing were inspired by college relationships, casual and serious. That's where my emotions were. I had just come from college when I was writing in the studio with my team. I thought 'people are going to be [making love] in their dorms to this.' So when I decided on the name, it was romantic and real and provided an image of what that could be.

So, were you aiming to appeal to the college crowd?
AJ: Well, it's definitely intended for a college audience because of the subject matter. But, I think it's relatable to everybody because everybody can feel it. If you're in high school you're looking forward to college. If you're out of college you can remember those things [that happened in college], living in the moment and not caring about whats going on. I wanted to hit everyone with a foundation that would be in the college setting. It was the biggest way for the album to spread.

Against the Odds

I understand you were close to the end of your career at Morehouse College when you decided to pursue music full time. What gave you the courage to leave school before receiving your degree?
I realized I was ready to leave around spring semester. I noticed I was never really in class; and when I was [physically] in class I wasn't there. I had to go to summer school to graduate on time. But I was always at the studio. So, my report cards were horrible. My parents were helping me out with money. I felt bad because [school] wasn't where I needed to be. All of my passion was in music. That's when I decided I was going to go full force with my music. I [eventually] came to Laney Stewart and played my stuff and was offered to be signed through Universal Music Group. Once that happened, there was no turning back. I talked to my parents and it all worked out from there.

How did your parents respond to your decision?
They always knew music was my thing. I remember in high school begging to drop out to pursue music. [My parents] thought it might go away. They came up to me about it once when they saw my report card. We had a little bit of a blowout. But, my dad called a few minutes later and said 'school is not for everyone. As happy as I would be to see you walk across the stage in May, I would be just as happy to see platinum records on your wall.'

So, how has your experience in the industry been so far? Have you run into any issues?
Well, moving back [to LA] has been great. But, there are times when things aren't moving as fast as I would like. Sometimes people look at me like 'are you for real?' They can't believe that I'm serious about what I'm doing and feel like its not achievable. Musically, there are days when I feel like I'm super creative and then there are days when I feel like I suck. Those are just the emotions of life. There are good days and bad days. It's always about the journey and the destination.

How do you stay grounded and focused, not letting those things get to you?
Having guidance and help from my team is a big factor in me staying on top of [things] and wanting to be better. I do vocal exercises everyday. Music has become like my religion in terms of me practicing and the things I do to be the best that I can be.

Can't Knock the Hustle

So, what does your daily grind consist of?
This is it. My daily routine kind of starts with making breakfast and working out, running and singing and going over my performance tapes. I study Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Usher and The Rolling Stones to see what I can pull and learn from them. It's a 24-hour thing of me focusing on myself and getting better.

What is your writing process like?
I can never plan where my writing is going. The creative writing process for me is always ongoing. It never stops.

I noticed that you sing in falsetto on most of DFM and - Huffington Post

With only two EP's to his name, emerging recording artist and songwriter, Alex Jacke's soothing vocals, enticing lyrics, charm and rapidly growing fan base are enough to give R&B veteran, Trey Songz and newcomer, Travis Garland a run for their money. The summer 2012 release of his first EP, DFM ,trailed by its sequel, DFM Deluxe shortly thereafter, has captured the hearts of listeners worldwide. It is no wonder Jacke has earned a spot as a finalist in Macy's iHeart Radio Rising Star contest. But, behind the angelic falsetto and sensual lyrics, is the story of a man who allowed nothing and no one to stand in the way of his music reaching the world; not school, not his parents and certainly not the mainstream music industry. During our exclusive conversation, Jacke speaks openly about his decision to leave Morehouse College to pursue music full time, what inspired DFM and DFM Deluxe and what lies in store for his career in the near future.

What's in a Name?

You entitled your first EP Dorm F*ckin Music. Why that name?
My mind works in crazy ways. The songs I was writing were inspired by college relationships, casual and serious. That's where my emotions were. I had just come from college when I was writing in the studio with my team. I thought 'people are going to be [making love] in their dorms to this.' So when I decided on the name, it was romantic and real and provided an image of what that could be.

So, were you aiming to appeal to the college crowd?
AJ: Well, it's definitely intended for a college audience because of the subject matter. But, I think it's relatable to everybody because everybody can feel it. If you're in high school you're looking forward to college. If you're out of college you can remember those things [that happened in college], living in the moment and not caring about whats going on. I wanted to hit everyone with a foundation that would be in the college setting. It was the biggest way for the album to spread.

Against the Odds

I understand you were close to the end of your career at Morehouse College when you decided to pursue music full time. What gave you the courage to leave school before receiving your degree?
I realized I was ready to leave around spring semester. I noticed I was never really in class; and when I was [physically] in class I wasn't there. I had to go to summer school to graduate on time. But I was always at the studio. So, my report cards were horrible. My parents were helping me out with money. I felt bad because [school] wasn't where I needed to be. All of my passion was in music. That's when I decided I was going to go full force with my music. I [eventually] came to Laney Stewart and played my stuff and was offered to be signed through Universal Music Group. Once that happened, there was no turning back. I talked to my parents and it all worked out from there.

How did your parents respond to your decision?
They always knew music was my thing. I remember in high school begging to drop out to pursue music. [My parents] thought it might go away. They came up to me about it once when they saw my report card. We had a little bit of a blowout. But, my dad called a few minutes later and said 'school is not for everyone. As happy as I would be to see you walk across the stage in May, I would be just as happy to see platinum records on your wall.'

So, how has your experience in the industry been so far? Have you run into any issues?
Well, moving back [to LA] has been great. But, there are times when things aren't moving as fast as I would like. Sometimes people look at me like 'are you for real?' They can't believe that I'm serious about what I'm doing and feel like its not achievable. Musically, there are days when I feel like I'm super creative and then there are days when I feel like I suck. Those are just the emotions of life. There are good days and bad days. It's always about the journey and the destination.

How do you stay grounded and focused, not letting those things get to you?
Having guidance and help from my team is a big factor in me staying on top of [things] and wanting to be better. I do vocal exercises everyday. Music has become like my religion in terms of me practicing and the things I do to be the best that I can be.

Can't Knock the Hustle

So, what does your daily grind consist of?
This is it. My daily routine kind of starts with making breakfast and working out, running and singing and going over my performance tapes. I study Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Usher and The Rolling Stones to see what I can pull and learn from them. It's a 24-hour thing of me focusing on myself and getting better.

What is your writing process like?
I can never plan where my writing is going. The creative writing process for me is always ongoing. It never stops.

I noticed that you sing in falsetto on most of DFM and - Huffington Post