Christian Berishaj, known professionally as JMSN (pronounced "Jameson"), is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. Born in Dallas, TX and raised in Detroit, Michigan, JMSN has been an influential figure in the contemporary R&B and alternative music scenes.
JMSN | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Christian Andrew Berishaj |
| Born | Dallas, Texas, U.S. |
| Origin | Eastpointe, Michigan, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 2012–present |
| Labels | White Room Records |
| Website | iamjmsn.com |
Early life
editBerishaj was born in Dallas, Texas, and grew up in the Detroit suburb of Eastpointe, Michigan.[2] Berishaj is of partial Albanian descent from his father, who is from Albania.[3]
Career
editBefore JMSN
editWhile still in high school, Berishaj started a band originally called Snowhite. This group morphed into Love Arcade, which got a record label with Atlantic Records in 2005.[4] They put out one album Love Arcade before they broke up.
2012–2015
edit
Berishaj started his own label, White Room Records and adopted the moniker JMSN.[5] He released his debut album, Priscilla on January 11, 2012. Berishaj wrote and produced the alternative R&B album, straying from his pop-rock/electropop roots. In the album, he pursues darker emotional themes over melancholic melodies and beats that The Guardian described as "spaced out" and compared to The Weeknd.[6][7] Self-directed videos for "Alone", "Hotel" and "Something" were released to accompany the album's release, while a video for "Girl I Used to Know" was released under his previous stage name.[8] In April, R&B singer Usher told music magazine NME that JMSN was his "favorite new act".[9]
In August 2012, Berishaj produced "Nibiru" for West Coast rapper Ab-Soul. Subsequently, in October of the same year, Berishaj announced that he and the rapper would be releasing a collaborative project together.[10] The lead single for Ab-Soul and JMSN's collaborative album, Unit 6,[11] titled "You're Gone", features vocals from both artists, as well as production from Berishaj.[12] Recently, Unit 6 was revealed to be shelved due to business disagreements which may or may not make the light of day.
After the success of Priscilla, Berishaj (as JMSN) released his album Pllaje, on November 5, 2013. This garnered him more acclaim in the community, and he gained recognition in the music industry. Berishaj began collaborating with other artists, like J. Cole and The Game, while releasing Pllaje's visuals through his YouTube channel for: "Love Myself", "The One" and "Thing U Miss". In 2013, his North American tour took him to over 20 cities where he both opened and headlined the shows.
On December 9, 2014 Berishaj released his second album The Blue Album. In 2015, he toured to promote the album.
2016–present
editOn March 1, 2016, Berishaj released a soulful and jazzy single, "Cruel Intentions".[13] The release of this song was followed by the singles: "Most of All",[14] "Hypnotized,"[15] and a Snoh Aalegra remix of "Cruel Intentions".[16] The first three songs were included on JMSN's third album, It Is. which was released on May 6, 2016.[17]
In August 2016, Berishaj revealed that he is the elusive artist Pearl, shortly after dropping Pearl's new album, Closer. In a handwritten letter posted to his social media, he wrote, "I started Pearl to have another creative outlet besides JMSN. White Room Records is about freedom. Be what you want to be."
On April 28, 2017, JMSN released the album Whatever Makes U Happy on White Room Records.
On September 21, 2018, JMSN released the album Velvet on White Room Records.
On September 3, 2021, JMSN released the album Heals Me on White Room Records.
On October 11, 2023, JMSN released the album Soft Spot On White Room Records
At the end of 2024, the single and title track for his previous album, "Soft Spot", gained attention on social media through a viral snippet of the song's music video. On December 2, a remix version with the rapper Sada Baby was released.
Artistry
editBerishaj has cited Whitney Houston, Prince, Phil Collins, Fiona Apple, Radiohead, Hatiras, and Boys Noize as influences on his music.[18][19]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Heatseekers [20] | |||||||||||||
| †Priscilla† |
|
— | |||||||||||
| †Pllajë† |
|
— | |||||||||||
| JMSN (Blue Album) |
|
18 | |||||||||||
| It Is. |
|
20 | |||||||||||
| Whatever Makes U Happy |
|
— | |||||||||||
| Velvet |
|
— | |||||||||||
| Heals Me |
|
— | |||||||||||
| Soft Spot |
|
— | |||||||||||
| "—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory. | |||||||||||||
EPs
edit| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Live at Red Bull Studios EP |
|
| Love & Pain EP |
|
Singles
editAs lead artist
edit| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Alone"[21] | 2011 | †Priscilla† |
| "Love & Pain" | 2012 | |
| "You're Gone"[11] (with Ab-Soul) |
2013 | Unit 6 |
| "Walk Away"[22] | †Pllajë† | |
| "Cruel Intentions"[23] | 2016 | It Is. |
| "Most of All"[14] | ||
| "Hypnotized"[15] | ||
| "Drinkin'"[24] | 2017 | Whatever Makes U Happy |
| "Where Do U Go"[25] | ||
| "Angelica (B-Side)"[26] | ||
| "So Badly"[27] | 2018 | Velvet |
| "Talk Is Cheap"[28] | ||
| "Christmas Time Is Here"[29] | 2020 | Non-album single |
| "Rolling Stone"[30] | 2021 | Heals Me |
| "Love 2 U"[31] | ||
| "Cherry Pop" | 2023 | Soft Spot |
| "Love Me" | ||
| "Soft Spot" |
As a featured artist
edit| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Make You Stay" (Kastle featuring JMSN)[32] |
2013 | Kastle |
| "Daydreams" (Sadistik x Kno featuring JMSN)[33] |
2015 | Phantom Limbs |
| "Getaway"(NIve featuring JMSN)[34] | 2018 | Non-album single |
Guest appearances
edit| Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe" | 2012 | Kendrick Lamar | Good Kid, M.A.A.D City |
| "The Art of Peer Pressure" | |||
| "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" | |||
| "Real" | |||
| "Pray"[35] | Game, J. Cole | Jesus Piece | |
| "Make It Last" | 2013 | Ta-Ku | Make It Last |
| "All We Do" | Kaytranada | Kaytra Todo | |
| "Late" | Beat Culture | Forgive | |
| "Drive Fast, Live Young" | Tyga | Hotel California | |
| "Death From Above" | Kastle | Kastle | |
| "Separate"[36] | Deniro Farrar | The Patriarch II | |
| "Affection" | Sango | North | |
| "Slo Swerve" | 14KT, Buff1 | Nickel & Dimed | |
| "IV" | Blue Sky Black Death | Glaciers | |
| "W.R.O.H." | 2014 | Ab-Soul | These Days... |
| "Worry" | 2015 | Evil Needle | Reminisce |
| "My Own" | 2016 | Domo Genesis | GENESiS |
| "I Believe" | 2017 | Ro Spit, 14KT | RSXGLD |
| "True" | Ro Spit, 14KT, Royce da 5'9", DJ Assault |
Videography
editMusic videos
edit| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| "Girl I Used To Know" | JMSN[37] | |
| "Hotel" | ||
| "Alone" | ||
| 2012 | "Something" | JMSN |
| "Fallin" | JMSN / Kenneth Brown | |
| "Let U Go" / Priscilla Trilogy | David Yarovesky | |
| "Jameson" | Green Glow Films | |
| 2014 | "The One" | JMSN[38] |
| "Thing U Miss" |
References
edit- ^ Smith, Brian. "Music: Teenarama". Metro Times. Archived from the original on September 27, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
- ^ Staple, Justin (May 8, 2017). "Whatever Makes JMSN Happy". Vice. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
- ^ "Smokin' Alone // JMSN Interview". March 12, 2018.
- ^ Corey Apar. "Love Arcade - Music Biography, Streaming Radio and Discography - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ^ "Who's That Girl?". Life + Times. March 14, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
- ^ TSSCrew (February 16, 2012). "JMSN Priscilla Album Review". Uproxx. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
- ^ Tim Jonze (February 18, 2012). "Tim Jonze On Shuffle … R&B | Music". The Guardian. London. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
- ^ "::: Off the Radar :::: Christian TV :: Girl I Used to Know". Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ^ "Usher Says JMSN Is His Favourite New Act". Hustlegrl.com. April 26, 2012. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ^ "Ab-Soul and JMSN Working on Collaborative EP". Music News. SoulCulture. October 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved December 12, 2012.
- ^ a b ""You're Gone" – Single by Ab-Soul & JMSN". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved January 22, 2013.
- ^ "Ab-Soul – & JMSN – "You're Gone"". 2DopeBoyz. January 21, 2013. Retrieved January 21, 2013.
- ^ "JMSN Shares Moving New Single, "Cruel Intentions"". Hypetrak. HP Cheung. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
- ^ a b ""Most of All" – Single by JMSN". iTunes Store. Apple. April 5, 2016. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
- ^ a b ""Hypnotized" – Single by JMSN". iTunes Store. Apple. April 19, 2016. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
- ^ "Cruel Intentions (Remix) [feat. Snoh Aalegra] – Single by JMSN on iTunes". iTunes. March 28, 2016. Retrieved May 7, 2016.
- ^ "It Is. by JMSN on iTunes". iTunes. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
- ^ [1] Archived July 7, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "JMSN is Pushing R&B Forward by Returning to its Roots, Pigeons & Planes Update". YouTube. May 10, 2017. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
- ^ "JMSN Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
- ^ ""Alone" – Single by JMSN". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
- ^ ""Walk Away" – Single by JMSN". iTunes Store. Apple. Retrieved October 14, 2013.
- ^ ""Cruel Intentions" – Single by JMSN". iTunes Store. Apple. March 2016. Retrieved April 23, 2016.
- ^ "Drinkin' – Single by JMSN on Apple Music". iTunes. March 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2018.
- ^ "JMSN - Where Do U Go". HotNewHipHop. March 31, 2017. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
- ^ "JMSN "Patiently" Video". Blurred Culture. June 15, 2017. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
- ^ "JMSN, 'So Badly' | Track Review". themusicalhype.com. September 4, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
- ^ "JMSN Reminds Us That 'Talk Is Cheap'". Singersroom.com. July 26, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
- ^ "JMSN shares stunning festive single 'Christmas Time Is Here'". NME. November 28, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
- ^ "JMSN Goes It Alone In 'Rolling Stone'". SoulBounce. May 20, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
- ^ "Listen to JMSN's soaring eight-minute new single 'Love 2 U'". NME. July 9, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2022.
- ^ ""Make You Stay (feat. JMSN)" – Single by Kastle". iTunes Store. Apple. April 9, 2013. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
- ^ "Phantom Limbs | Dirty Decibel Records". Bandcamp. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
- ^ O'Leary, Kathryn (November 30, 2018). "NIve & JMSN Take Us Back to the Blues Era with "Getaway" Live in the Studio [PREMIERE]".
- ^ Horowitz, Steven J. (November 17, 2012). "Game "Jesus Piece" Tracklist & Cover Art". HipHopDX. Cheri Media Group. Archived from the original on November 19, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
- ^ "Deniro Farrar featuring JMSN – Separate (Produced by Ryan Hemsworth)". HYPETRAK. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
- ^ "JMSN – Alone". YouTube. October 21, 2011. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
- ^ "JMSN – The One". YouTube. January 16, 2014. Retrieved January 23, 2014.