“I thrive in isolation” - Musician Juke Ross

“I thrive in isolation” – Musician Juke Ross

Oct 22, 2018 News

Juke Ross, as many Guyanese people know him, is a regular, fun-loving, socially awkward, sarcastic person, in his own words. The musician describes himself as a Thinking Introvert, according to research he’s done on his personality type. He has said, “I thrive in isolation.” It may seem paradoxical that an introvert who gets anxious when in large groups would be a musician, touring and interfacing with some of the world’s biggest names in music, but Ross manages it. In fact, he says that it’s the solitude that gives him the space and clarity he needs to explore his creative vices of music, reading and writing.

Juke Ross

The 24 year old has settled in New York and is part of a community of artists that he says that he’s honoured to be a part of. Just last year, the artist signed with Republic Records, the American record company, which is known for working with music industry leaders like Drake, The Weeknd, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj. The signing has given him the opportunity to make a living out of his passion for music, while he grows his fan base and develops his craft. He has performed in multiple states in the US, including Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia and South Carolina.
Throughout his journey, he has gotten the opportunity to interface with big names like Jessie J, JP Cooper, Kygo, Matt Maeson, SZA, Cheat Codes, Kendrick Lamar and Vance Joy. He even met one of his “guitar heroes”, Marty Schwartz earlier this year, and has gotten the honour of performing with him on stage. Schwartz, Ross explained, is the reason he knows how to play the guitar. Ross spoke of how he used to watch Marty’s guitar tutorials on YouTube, and taught himself how to play the guitar from the videos.
Juke Ross’ style of music is soft and enthralling. His art tends to carry messages of love, loss, anxiety, fears, triumphs and dreams. It is a conduit through, which he expresses his deepest convictions and experiences.
Music gives Ross much fulfillment, but he hadn’t always known that this is what he’d be doing. Before settling in New York and jumping head-on into his craft, he had doubts about how he’d build his life. He explained, “I wasn’t one of those persons who knew exactly what I wanted to do. In fact, I still have trouble with that.” Before focusing on music, Ross was set on being a doctor. Most of his friends, he said, are doctors, and that he still sometimes feels as though he’s missing out. He even played cricket a lot, and had quite an interest in the sport.
However, he had to put the bat down when he joined medical school, and this resulted in him having a lot of free time at home. “That didn’t work because, in my household, you always ought to be doing something constructive.” This led him to pick up the guitar and just like that, he was swept off his feet by his love for music.
And so, the musician left medical school to pursue his passion for music. He explained, “After having a taste, I was sweetened for more. Now, I’m exploring it.”
“To be frank,” he said, “I don’t know if I want to do this forever because there’s much to the industry besides the craft. But, for now, it’s totally enriching.”
His favourite artists to listen to are Bob Marley, Slingshot, Mighty Rebel, Maxi Priest, Byron Lee, Van Morrison, Beres Hammond, Dave Martins and Bob Dylan. The “Colour Me” singer said that he’s currently writing, recording and producing music, which he promises will be released in 2019. This shy artist wants the Guyanese people to know how confident he is, from his experiences, that “Anything is possible” for anyone who is willing to follow his or her dreams.

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