Hiya TJ, thanks for joining us in the virtual RGM lounge today. Grab a brew and take a seat. Tell us bit about where you are from and how you got into music?
Thanks for having me! I’m based out of Mobile, Alabama. My journey into music didn’t start with an instrument; it started with a notebook at eleven years old. I knew I wanted to make music from a very early age, but for a long time, writing was just my private way of processing the world around me.
That childhood habit eventually became a literal lifeline. I spent nine years in a very heavy, complex relationship, and during that time, I accumulated what I call an ‘inventory of unspoken moments’—thoughts and heartbeats I was too scared to say out loud. When I finally found the courage to release the original version of ‘Letting Go of You’ on YouTube, the response was immediate. Seeing people connect with the story and ask for it to be on streaming services was the spark I needed. I realized that my private silence was actually a universal story.
Do you think it’s easy to become a victim of our surroundings sometimes?
Absolutely. I think we often become “prisoners” of the narratives people build around us. A lot of my music, especially tracks like “Go Ahead and Hate” and “Truth Be Told,” deals with that exact feeling—being made the villain in someone else’s story because you’re a product of a toxic environment. Breaking free of those surroundings is the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s also where all my best lyrics come from.
What’s your favorite social media platform to use and why?
TikTok has been a game-changer for this project. It’s where I’ve seen the most raw connection. There’s something about the “POV” culture there that fits my music perfectly. I can post a 15-second clip of a song about a narcissistic relationship, and within minutes, I’ll have people in the comments sharing their own survival stories. It turns the music into a two-way conversation, which is what I’ve always wanted.
We believe its essential to have a presence on Facebook, Instagram and X to introduce yourself to all the different types of audiences out there, what’s your thoughts on that?
I agree 100%. Each platform reaches a different part of the human experience. Facebook is where my “Family” of dedicated listeners really talks and shares deep-dive thoughts. Instagram is where I can build the cinematic world of TJ through high-end visuals. You have to meet people where they are. If you only exist in one corner of the internet, you’re leaving thousands of stories untold.
What’s your view on the Music industry today?
It’s the Wild West. On one hand, it’s harder than ever to break through the noise. On the other hand, a guy from Alabama can use a digital voice to tell his life story and reach 35,000 people in three months without a major label. The industry is finally becoming about the “Connection” again rather than just the “Gatekeepers.
What’s your thoughts on AI generated music?
I believe it’s a tool, not a replacement—if you use it right. There’s a huge difference between “prompting” a computer and “crafting” a story. Anyone can type in a prompt and ask for a generic rock song about a breakup, but that isn’t what EYE OF TJ is about. I don’t like the “shortcut” approach to music.
For me, the digital voice is a creative necessity. It allows me to distance myself from the nine years of weight I carry just enough to actually tell the raw truth. It creates a ‘Character’ that can handle the emotional heaviness of my lyrics in a way that I sometimes can’t. I think people often fear the ‘Digital’ aspect of modern music, but if the lyrics are born from a real human heartbeat and a real human life, the technology just becomes the megaphone.
The soul of a song has to come from the person, not the computer. I was gifted with the ability to write songs from a very young age, but I was never a singer. AI is the bridge that finally allowed my notebooks to come to life. It’s not replacing a human; it’s finally giving a voice to a human who was silent for far too long.
What’s the biggest thing you have learned recently as you progress with your music?
The biggest thing I’ve learned recently is that completion is more important than perfection. For a long time, I was my own worst gatekeeper. I would spend months obsessing over a single track, trying to make every frequency and transition flawless, but I eventually realized I was just ‘polishing the life’ out of the music.
By the time I felt a song was technically ‘perfect,’ I had usually worked the heart right out of it until I ended up hating the track. Now, my priority has shifted entirely to the narrative. I’ve learned that a listener will forgive a slightly raw mix or a simple arrangement if the lyrics actually move them or speak a truth they’ve been feeling themselves. People don’t connect with a perfect EQ; they connect with a heartbeat.
My goal now is to finish the story, honor that specific ‘unspoken moment,’ and move on to the next chapter.
What’s currently in your ears and on rotation at the moment?
On the modern side of the scene, I’ve been spending a lot of time with Taylor Acorn’s newest work. I love how she captures that specific brand of emotional honesty.
I’m also listening to Elijah’s debut album quite a bit lately; there’s a fresh energy there that I find really inspiring for the future of the genre. However, if you look at my daily rotation, my heart is still very much rooted in the early 2000s.
I find myself constantly going back to the foundational tracks from artists like Daughtry, 3 Doors Down, and the early Three Days Grace era. Those bands are the primary blueprint for the ‘gritty’ side of my production.
I hear you have new music. What can you tell us about it?
I’m dropping the acoustic version of my lead single, “Letting Go of You.” The original was a heavy, stadium-rock “scream” for help. This version is the “silence” that followed. It’s the “Origin Story” of the whole project—stripped back to just a guitar and the words as they were written in my notebook the night my world fell apart. It will be part of my deluxe edition album coming out in March.
Will there be any new songs on the Deluxe Edition?
Yes! The ‘Everything I Didn’t Say’ Deluxe Edition arrives on March 13th, and other than the acoustic session, I’m including a brand new track called ‘What Love Should Be.’ For the listeners who connected with the vulnerability of my deep cut ‘Real Love,’ this new song is going to feel like a natural evolution. It’s the perfect way to close the book on this era while opening the door to the new stories I’m currently writing for the next album.
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