Last November, rapper Justin Ume, who performs under the stage name UMÉ, hit the stage at The Saint in Asbury Park. Flash forward to today, when the pandemic has put a halt to in-person concerts, he will be performing virtually at Blue Hawk Records’ 17th compilation album release show on Instagram Live.
Since discovering a zeal for songwriting at the age of 13, the freshman music industry student has written and recorded an array of songs—either with his at-home solo studio, or with his management team at various studios across central New Jersey. One of his songs, titled, “At the Tone,” is rap, rock, and pop mix that will be featured on the compilation album.
“It’s about love anxiety and the feeling of not having a significant other, or losing a significant other,” Ume explained. “It speaks a lot to that in the hook and the lyrics itself. I think it’s a very versatile and relatable song. I’m excited for people to hear it, and it will be cool seeing how it meshes with the other songs. There’s a lot of talent on the Blue Hawk team and on the album.”
“This is the first step in what I always wanted to do,” he continued. “It’s a great feeling, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Not only is the song being released with the student-run record label, but it will also be released as a bonus track on Ume’s upcoming album in March 2021. “I’m dropping it myself in January because it’s a part of the album I’m working on as well, but I submitted it to Blue Hawk and they loved it,” he said.
Ume released an EP this past July, an R&B track with a friend called “All Night” in September, and a single called “BLU” on Nov. 20, which can be streamed on platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music.
“I have a whole schedule planned out from now until March,” he said. “That’s kind of the start of this new brand in music that I’m moving into.”
While popular hip-hop artists Kendrick Lamar, Childish Gambino, and J. Cole have shaped Ume’s creative vision, he values versatility when it comes to his sound, which he describes as “mood music.”
Considering himself a very empathetic person, one of his goals in music is to inspire listeners with relatable lyrics. “I love that feeling of being able to create something that can impact someone in whatever positive way possible,” he said. “I love poetry, so I think [writing] comes more natural because of that. I write like a Rubik’s Cube. My process is coming up with one lone concept, throwing it on the paper, rearranging it a million times, and seeing what fits best where lyrically and sonically to make a great song.”
Even with his extensive musical experience, Ume does not plan on cutting himself short. Rather, he is hoping to explore other avenues of creativity during his time at Monmouth.
“Music is really important to me. It’s always been special and I want to pursue it, but there’s a lot more I want to do besides music,” he said. “I’m also super into film, graphic design, and acting. Music is kind of a start, but if there is ever an end with that, then I feel like I failed. I definitely want to diversify and see what other skills I can acquire and learn more as I grow with music.”
PHOTOS COURTESY of Justin Ume
