Podcast Summary
Dreams, Work Ethic, and Success: The Inspiring Journey of Jay Sean: With determination and hard work, anyone can overcome challenges and achieve historic milestones, regardless of their background or limited representation in their industry.
Having big dreams and a strong work ethic can lead to success. Jay Sean, a British Indian singer-songwriter, achieved incredible milestones in his career, such as having a Billboard number one single in America and being the first Asian artist to achieve this. Despite facing challenges and being from a community with limited representation in the industry, Jay Sean's determination and hard work propelled him to historic achievements. His story serves as a reminder that having lofty dreams is not enough; it's important to apply oneself and work tirelessly to make those dreams a reality. With dedication and perseverance, it is possible to break down barriers and accomplish great things.
The Power of Parental Influence and Personal Dreams: While parental expectations and sacrifices are significant, it is essential to pursue one's own passions and live life to the fullest.
Jay Sean's highly driven nature was instilled in him by his parents. His father, a big dreamer, had hidden dreams of poetry and ended up being a successful businessman. Jay Sean and his brother were inspired by their parents' drive and saw the sacrifices they made, such as investing in their education instead of going on extravagant vacations. Attending a private school further motivated them to excel, as they had to stand out among smart and talented peers. Despite the pressure to become a doctor, Jay Sean realized the importance of pursuing his own dreams while still appreciating his parents' sacrifices. This shows that parental expectations can be loving and important, but it's also vital to follow one's own passions and make the most of life.
Jay Sean's Journey: From Medicine to Music: Pursue your passions and work hard in all areas of your life, even if they may seem contradictory. It is possible to follow your dreams while still valuing education and financial stability.
Jay Sean's experience as an immigrant and the struggles his grandparents faced influenced the emphasis on education and financial stability in his upbringing. Despite his own passion for music, he also valued academic success and pursued a career in medicine before becoming a rapper. Jay Sean's story highlights the importance of working hard and pursuing multiple passions, even when they may seem contradictory. He has always been driven to excel in any field he is interested in and has taken his passion for music and entrepreneurship to new heights. This serves as a reminder that it is possible to follow your dreams while still valuing education and financial stability.
Embracing Multiple Passions and Finding Balance: Jay Sean emphasizes the value of pursuing diverse interests outside of music, highlighting the importance of finding joy and fulfillment in various aspects of life.
In short, one big takeaway from Jay Sean's story is that he embraces a variety of interests and passions outside of music. He recognizes that music is a blessing and a significant part of his life, but it doesn't have to define everything he does. Jay Sean's curiosity and love for exploring new cities and cuisines led him to open his own restaurant and bar. He values keeping life interesting by engaging different parts of his brain and making entrepreneurial decisions. He doesn't want to limit himself or try to do everything, but rather fill his life with things that bring him joy and fulfillment. This takeaway highlights the importance of pursuing multiple passions and finding balance in one's pursuits.
Embracing Opportunities and Persevering in the Face of Adversity: Despite facing a lack of representation, Jay Sean's journey teaches us the significance of embracing opportunities without fear and persevering towards our passions, despite self-doubt and societal barriers.
Jay Sean's experience highlights the importance of perseverance and the ability to embrace opportunities without fear. Despite being part of an Asian demographic in England, where there was a lack of mainstream representation, Jay Sean decided to pursue his passion for music. He started by making mixtapes for fun, which gained traction among his friends and peers. This early validation sparked his belief that he could make music professionally. He took bold steps such as entering talent competitions and eventually landed a performance at Brixton Academy. Even though he was the only non-black, non-white person there, he didn't let fear hold him back. This experience instilled in him the confidence to pursue his musical career, emphasizing the importance of taking risks and not letting self-doubt hinder one's potential for success.
Overcoming Validation and Pursuing Passions: Don't let fear or others' opinions hinder you from pursuing your dreams. Focus on what you love and don't seek validation from others.
Seeking validation and approval from others can hinder us from pursuing our passions. Jay Shetty shares his experience of being criticized by those closest to him when he first started posting videos. However, he also received positive feedback from strangers who enjoyed his content. This highlights the importance of not letting other people's opinions hold us back. Jay Sean adds that the abundance of connections and accessibility in today's world can overwhelm us and cause anxiety. It's crucial to recognize that our brains are not designed to handle criticism from countless individuals we don't even know. Ultimately, when we truly love what we do and have a passion for it, we should not allow fear or the opinions of others to stop us from pursuing our dreams.
Redefining Fame and Success: True success lies in pursuing your passions with authenticity and love, rather than simply chasing trends or seeking external validation. Stay true to yourself and let your genuine passion shine through.
The landscape of fame and success has significantly changed. In the past, achieving fame and success seemed reserved for a select few, with limited access and a sense of mystery surrounding it. However, in today's world, the rise of influencers and the easy accessibility to various platforms have made fame and success feel more attainable for everyone. This increased visibility and exposure can create a belief that anyone can achieve their dreams just because others have done it. But it's important to remember that true success comes from a genuine passion and love for what you do, rather than chasing trends or external validation. People can sense authenticity and will always gravitate towards what is real and heartfelt. So, stay true to yourself and pursue your passions with love and authenticity.
Jay Sean's Creative Process: Following Intuition and Passion: Jay Sean's unique style of blending diverse musical influences creates authentic songs that evoke excitement and resonate with a wide audience.
Jay Sean's creative process is not methodical or formulaic, but rather based on feeling and excitement. He doesn't overthink or analyze his music, but instead follows his intuition and passion. When he creates a song, he knows it's truly authentic if it evokes a strong sense of excitement in him, regardless of the time or circumstances. He believes that if he's not enthusiastic about singing the song immediately, then his fans won't be either. Jay Sean's unique style of blending rap and melody emerged from his diverse musical influences, including R&B, hip hop, Bollywood, and Punjabi music. The combination of these elements resulted in something fresh and new, resonating with a wide audience.
Challenging genres and advocating artistic expression.: Embrace uniqueness and explore creative avenues to connect with a diverse audience.
Creating a new genre can happen by accident. Jay Sean and Rishi unintentionally combined Punjabi, hip hop, and R&B in one song, bringing together various favorite music genres of the Asian culture. This unique mixture resonated with young listeners who finally saw artists who looked like them creating music they loved. Similarly, Drake's ability to seamlessly blend singing and rapping was groundbreaking at the time. Both Jay Sean and Drake challenged the limitations and expectations imposed on artists, advocating for artistic expression and breaking free from predefined boxes. This key takeaway highlights the importance of embracing one's uniqueness and allowing oneself to explore different creative avenues to connect with a diverse audience.
Stepping out of comfort zones and making bold decisions for career growth.: Embrace challenges, take risks, and prioritize personal growth over immediate success to pivot in your career successfully.
Pivoting in your career often requires saying no and taking risks. This is evident in Jay Shetty's discussion with Jay Sean. Matthew McConaughey took a two-year break from making movies to shift his brand and pursue more serious roles. Similarly, Jay Sean recognized the importance of winning over new audiences. Despite already having a worldwide fan base, he wanted to make a name for himself in America. He embraced the challenge of performing for unfamiliar audiences and connecting with them on a deeper level. Both examples highlight the need to step out of comfort zones, make bold decisions, and prioritize personal growth over immediate success.
Finding Fulfillment in Personal Growth and Genuine Enjoyment: Success comes from focusing on personal growth, finding joy in the process, and making others happy, rather than seeking validation or competing with others.
Success and fulfillment cannot be achieved through a mindset fueled by revenge or proving others wrong. Jay Sean shares his experience of being humbled by an immigration officer who hadn't heard of him despite his success. This encounter made him realize the importance of constantly proving himself and doing things with love, passion, and excitement, rather than seeking validation or satisfaction from others. Jay Sean emphasizes the need to focus on one's own journey, finding joy in the process, making people happy, and taking care of loved ones. Ultimately, success should be driven by personal growth and genuine enjoyment rather than external validation or competition.
The Importance of Prioritizing Artistic Vision and Personal Fulfillment in the Music Industry: Success and popularity should never be the sole focus for artists. Finding true happiness and fulfillment comes from creating music that connects with oneself and prioritizing the impact they have on their audience.
Artists often go through cycles of feeling unfulfilled when they focus too much on success and popularity rather than their true passion for creating music. Jay Sean, for example, admits that he experienced anxiety and negative feelings when he tried to replicate his past success and please others. He realized that true happiness comes from being grateful for past achievements and focusing on creating music that he personally enjoys and connects with, rather than trying to chase external metrics like positions, comments, likes, and followers. By prioritizing their own artistic vision and the impact they have on others, artists can find fulfillment and a sense of control in their journey.
The Power of Pursuing our Dreams Against All Odds: Bet on yourself, stay true to your roots, and fight against internal battles to achieve your goals, even when the world doesn't believe in you.
Sylvester Stallone's story teaches us the power of betting on ourselves and pursuing our dreams against all odds. Despite facing rejection in the industry, Stallone wrote roles for himself and ultimately created the iconic character of Rocky. This story reminds us that even when the world doesn't pay attention to us or believe in us, we can still have a secret dream and the drive to pursue it. Stallone's journey also highlights the importance of staying true to ourselves and not losing sight of our roots, even when faced with success and expectations. Ultimately, it's about following our passion, staying humble, and fighting against our own internal battles to achieve our goals.
Staying True: Overcoming Challenges in the Music Industry: Be yourself and persevere through obstacles to achieve success in your own unique way.
Jay Sean faced challenges and discrimination in the music industry because he didn't fit the typical mold. Instead of complaining, he stayed true to himself and expressed his frustrations through his songs. He wrote an open letter disguised as a love song, addressing the industry's bias and asking for acceptance. Despite facing setbacks and feeling lost, he chose to invest in himself and create music his own way. He had moments of doubt and sadness, but ultimately found the strength to persevere and continue pursuing his dreams. This serves as a reminder to stay true to who you are and not let obstacles define your path to success.
Embracing the Randomness of Life for Success and Breakthroughs: Stay open-minded, set aside ego and preconceptions, embrace new possibilities and collaborations, step outside comfort zones, and work with others regardless of age or background for incredible outcomes.
Sometimes life presents us with unexpected opportunities in the most random ways. Jay Sean's career-defining song was born from a fan's CD and a chance encounter. This reminds us to stay open-minded and embrace the randomness that life brings. It also highlights the importance of setting aside our ego and preconceptions, allowing ourselves to be receptive to new possibilities and collaborations. Jay Sean's story teaches us that success and creative breakthroughs can come from unlikely sources, and that our willingness to step outside our comfort zones and work with others, regardless of their age or background, can lead to incredible outcomes.
Overcoming our ego and embracing self-awareness to navigate through challenges.: Being open-minded, self-aware, and embracing unexpected opportunities can lead to personal growth and new possibilities.
We constantly have to work against our ego. The battle between ourselves and our ego is a real challenge that we face on a daily basis. It's important to keep our minds open and be self-aware. Some people go their whole lives without being self-aware, but having self-awareness can help us navigate through obstacles and problems. Using humor and intelligence can also help us overcome difficult situations instead of letting them destroy us. It's crucial to know who we are in whatever industry we are in, as it can be fake and challenging to connect with others. Being open to randomness and recognizing the signs can lead us in amazing directions. Sometimes, the most impactful advice or inspiration can come from unexpected sources, like a random conversation with a friend. Even if the idea seems far-fetched, it can spark new interests and possibilities. For example, Jay Shetty's friend mentioned starting a school, which initially seemed unlikely for Jay, but it triggered his curiosity to understand the human mind and how to nurture children's growth.
Building compassionate children and nurturing creative and confident kids through curiosity and exploration.: Continuously seek purpose, stay passionate, and embrace change to stay relevant and find what truly lights you up in life.
Jay Shetty's random conversation about building compassionate children sparked a deep curiosity and desire to understand the process. This led him to research the best schools in the world and explore different approaches to nurturing creative and confident kids. Instead of viewing travel as a mere task, it became an exciting opportunity to learn and explore. This highlights the importance of continuously seeking purpose and finding things that truly light us up, even as we reach different milestones in life. Jay Sean also emphasizes the need to stay passionate and find new ways to evolve in one's field, while keeping an eye on what excites and energizes us. Moreover, the emergence of a new generation of Asian artists, who fuse different sounds and styles, further emphasizes the need to adapt and embrace change in order to stay relevant.
Staying Connected to the Younger Generation: Embracing Energy and Excitement: Jay Sean emphasizes the importance of staying connected to the younger generation in the music industry, recognizing their talent and finding new ways to connect with audiences.
Jay Sean realized the importance of staying connected to the younger generation and embracing their energy and excitement. He recognized that as an artist in the music industry, it is vital to constantly go back to the source and be in touch with the beginners, the ones who have their finger on the pulse. Jay Sean experienced the joy and inspiration that comes from working with immensely talented young artists in India, free from the burdens and challenges that come with a long journey in the industry. He also discussed the issue of ageism in music, where artists are often pushed aside as they get older. However, he remains self-aware and understands the need to adapt and find new ways to connect with audiences.
The Power of Nostalgia in Music and Entertainment: Nostalgia allows us to reconnect with the past, relive cherished memories, and form a timeless connection to music and entertainment.
Nostalgia plays a significant role in our connection to music and entertainment. It transports us back in time, reminding us of specific moments, emotions, and experiences. Music has the power to evoke these feelings, allowing us to relive cherished memories and connect with our past selves. Whether it's hearing a favorite song that instantly takes us back to our teenage years or watching an iconic performance that resonates with a specific period in our lives, nostalgia has a profound impact. It holds a timeless quality that transcends years and generations. Just like Jay Sean's admiration for Usher's old hits or the enduring love for Rocky movies, the power of nostalgia can never fade away.
Embracing our past and identity: Celebrate our past achievements and integrate them into our present and future selves, recognizing that they are a significant part of who we are.
Embracing our past and the parts of our identity that have shaped us is crucial. Jay Sean highlights the importance of not rejecting or hiding our past achievements, but rather celebrating them and being grateful for how they have changed our lives. He draws a parallel between the way artists like Michael Jackson and Rocky are cherished for their iconic songs and characters, and how we should embrace our own defining moments. It's about understanding that these experiences are a significant part of who we are, even as we grow and evolve. Our past should not be dismissed or overshadowed, but rather integrated into our present and future selves. People may not always understand or accept this, but it's important that we embrace our own journey and true identity.
Embracing our journey and finding a balance in life: Accepting who we are, embracing our past and present, honoring our journey, and continuously evolving are essential for a fulfilling life.
We need to give ourselves permission to be who we are at every stage of life. Jay Shetty highlights the importance of accepting our past, present, and future selves. Just like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who embrace their iconic roles without being stuck in the past, we should be proud of our accomplishments and passions. It's about finding a balance between honoring our journey and continuously evolving. Moreover, Jay Sean's insight on parenting reminds us that our lives are no longer just about ourselves when we become parents. The gift of parenting is the realization that everything we do is for our children's well-being. Lastly, the music industry has drastically changed due to technology, making it more challenging to stand out. With thousands of new songs released daily, success requires resilience and finding unique ways to make our voices heard.
Jay Sean's Commitment to Support and Mentorship in the Music Industry: Jay Sean's record company for South Asian talent and his belief in the power of kindness emphasize the significance of generosity, mentorship, and spreading positivity in making the world a better place.
Jay Sean is using his years of experience in the music industry to give back and support the next generation. He has started a record company for South Asian talent and is committed to helping others succeed. Jay Shetty commends him for this, recognizing the need for support and mentorship in the industry. They also discuss the idea of a law mandating random acts of kindness, emphasizing the importance of spreading kindness and making the world a better place. Jay Sean believes that if kindness became a requirement, it would have a powerful ripple effect. Overall, the conversation highlights the significance of generosity, mentorship, and spreading positivity.
