Checking In With: Sir JET

Sir JET aka Joel Evan Tye is a pop star like no other. With his super-hero body and love for skin tight costumes and anime.

JET's childhood struggle with gender anxiety that lead him to become an agoraphobic mute for almost a decade to only rediscover his voice again at age 20 and become the man you see today.
His mission in life is to help people who struggle with their identity and to encourage them to find their true selves by going within like he did, with the release of his current EP "Shout Out  to the Lonely" it's Sir JET!

MS: Your sound has evolved since your single "Storm" which had a very retro/Depeche Mode quality to it. But you did go back to that sound with your track on your current EP "Hikari Iku (I'm Coming Home)".

SJ: It does have that retro vibe. (laughs)

MS: The track was co-written by Kimberly Locke, you said it worked out between you guys really well because she was stuck in a mode. I am not familiar with her last song, is that statement true?

SJ: Well last song was "Friendly Free" I can't remember the actual lyrics, but it's a you hurt me and I'm free of you sort of thing. It's ironic because she released the video a couple of months ago, and I thought: "This song sounds very similar we must have wrote them at the same time". (laughs) She's a lot of fun to work with, very easy going and quick witted, just like me. (laughs)

MS: "Shout Out to the Lonely" is a very inspired song, what, uh, inspired you to write it?

SJ: I wanted to create a new dance track and that's a phrase, I just kind of heard: "Shout Out to the Lonely" the song grew from the title. When I first created that song it had a very different meaning than the video, I think that's because I was bringing in different people to make the video. At first the song was about how lonely we feel in crowded places. By the time we shot the video it grew into loneliness being a drug, as much as any other kind of substance, you can take too much of it. We have to acknowledge that there are so many lonely people in the world and if we don't reach out to them it just gets worse and worse.

MS: You've had your own issues with that.

SJ: Right, and I learned from my experience that if you just keep closing in on yourself it's just going to get worse and worse. You really need to do that reaching out and find that thing that you care about. Otherwise you go down a selfish spiral, of feeling not good enough. It's amazing I see posts on my Facebook wall all the time about how lonely they are and how they need attention or a boyfriend...you break out of that struggling by finding something you passionately care about, that you can do for other people.

MS: You are also working on something called "The Marriage Equality Video Project".

SJ: It's to my song "Like God". The song is about finding the love of your life, and learning to let go of that fear of love. It came to me listening to the song that it would make a great video if the development of it was a song that leads to a wedding. Marriage Equality is a hot topic right now and I thought: "How could I use that to help the efforts"? Monetizing the video on YouTube was a way I thought could help the cause. So, that's how the idea got started, and I've been working towards it ever since. To raise the funds myself and the people behind it are going to start selling wristbands that are going to say: "Committed to Equality" on them.

MS: Oh, cool!

SJ: By wearing the wristband, you are committed to the cause like you are committed to someone you want to marry.

MS: Want to hear something about "Like God"? The song really stood out for me being a power ballad. However, while I was listening to it, I somehow accidentally hit my iTunes, and I hear this driving alternative rock sound in the background. I thought: "This doesn't sound like that song". It sounded kind of cool though, I had accidentally started playing "Head Like A Hole" by Nine Inch Nails behind it! (laughs)

SJ: Oh, my! (laughs)

MS: It sounded good, maybe you should sample that behind it sometime as a re-mix.

SJ: Not a bad idea, we could have a alternative rock wedding. (laughs)

Get on "equal" footing with Sir JET at: www.iamsirjet.com

And his Marriage Equality Project at:  www.likegodmusicproject.com

Sir Jet - "Shout Out To The Lonely"

Joel Evan Tye aka Sir Jet is back on "Entertain Me" you may remember him from my first chat with him
http://mshinafelt.blogspot.com/2012/01/popstar-author-sir-jet.html  with a groovy new single "Shout Out To The Lonely".

The ubiquitous Sir Jet, took some time out of his busy schedule to stop by "Entertain Me" to tell us about his latest, OK - take it away Sir Jet!

MS: So Sir Jet tell us a little bit about your latest "Shout Out To The Lonely".

SJ: It was a journey it took a really long time to put together, it was nine months by the time we got it out. It was like being pregnant and having a baby. (laughs)

MS: What is the message that you want people to take away from this single?

SJ: The number one message I want people to take away from this single when the listen to it is that no matter what  you are facing you are really not alone. We all feel lonely at times, but we are never really alone...no matter what situation you are in just know there is somebody out there just like you who could probably use your help just as much as you could use theirs. That's why you always see me reaching out in the video, reach out, you never know who is there for you when you need them.

MS: On a side note, there was a Director's credit and we all know why (both laugh) Carlton Wilborn one of Madonna's backup dancers who was featured in her film "Truth or Dare".

SJ: Yeah.

MS: He was the guy who jumped into bed with Madonna naked and she said his dick was huge and it smelled. (both laugh) - Spill the direction you are headed with this song.

SJ: This is one of four songs that I wrote and I am putting them together on an EP that I plan on releasing in November.

MS: Do you know what the title of the EP is going to be or have you decided yet?

SJ: It's going to be called "Shout Out To The Lonely".

MS: Perfect!

"Shout Out" to Sir Jet at: https://www.facebook.com/iamsirjet

Popstar - Author: Sir Jet

Sir JET aka Joel Evan Tye is a popstar like no other. With his super-hero body and love for skin tight costumes and anime.

JET's childhood struggle with gender anxiety that lead him to become an agoraphobic mute for almost a decade to only rediscover his voice again at age 20 and become the man you see today.

His mission in life is to help people who struggle with their identity and to encourage them to find their true selves by going within like he did.

The result is the book: "I'm Enough: How to Live Life Like a Popstar and Find Your True Self in the Process"...let’s check in with the man himself, Sir Jet..!

MS: Hey Sir Jet, was looking over your book today, there’s a lot of stuff in there that is really helpful. What made you decide to add author to your resume’?

SJ: Several months ago, I thought: what can I do at this point? Do I keep making music? Do I work harder on my acting? I started noticing on the Internet there were a lot more reports on teenage suicide, and you see all these reports about these politicians trying to kill gay people…and I’m thinking “This is a fu@ked up world.”

MS: In certain ways it is.

SJ: Then I started thinking of a way to help people, I thought what if I write book about what I’ve done for myself? Thinking that if I share it, that maybe I could help a few people, I’m not sure how many, but there are people who are sitting in the corner wondering why their life is so horrible.

MS: Right.

SJ: Because that is the place where I came from as a teenager, I had all the tell tale signs of someone who would do something bad to themselves. But, what stopped me was the idea that I’m going to get out of this place.

MS: With all the bullying going on right now it’s scarier than ever to be a teenager. Did you hear about Jamey Rodemeyer, the teen who did a “It Gets Better” video then killed himself?

SJ: In terms of the “It Gets Better” campaign, I think it is a wonderful idea to tell people it gets better, the next step is to show them how. That is why I wrote the book. People need instruction, they just can’t be told when you stop being a teenager it gets better. Let’s start helping them now, let’s show them how to shift their perception of the world.

MS: Something surprising to me, that I had no idea about when we first met, is that you had gender confusion, expand on that.

SJ: OK, most of my life I really liked female things…girl clothes & toys. For the most part I was told “You can’t have that” and I said “Why not”? The answer was “Because you’re boy” - I thought “Then I don’t want to be a boy” they told me “You don’t get a choice”.

MS: Oh, Wow!

SJ: From that point on I always thought “Isn’t there something in between”. The story of my life has been to find what is that thing “in between” ? I knew I was someone who did not want a sex change, I don’t mean that is a bad thing in any way, it just wasn’t right for me.

MS: I totally get it.

SJ: Finally I realized I can be a boy, I can wear those things that are generally made for women and it’s not shameful. That’s how the personae of Sir Jet came about, by playing dress up.

MS: Well I love your gender bending photos, very David Bowie.

SJ: Very. (laughs)

MS: You talk about creating your appearance, let’s talk about your body, what motivated you to want to look the way you do?

SJ: For me, I love superheroes, and I’ve always had a fantasy about being with a superhero. One of the things you learn in this “law of attraction” world is, be the person you want to attract. So I made myself into my version of a superhero.

MS: So, what’s up with your music?

SJ: Right now I am working on a new song, I can’t say with who because I signed a confidentiality agreement, but….it’s somebody famous!

MS: Any parting thoughts about your book, and where can we get it?

SJ: When people read it, I hope they will learn how to be happy and enjoy life. Also it’s very inexpensive, it’s only $4.99 - $5.00 to change your life. Currently it is available as an E-book on Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble and I’m also working on getting it into a print book.

MS:  Thanks Sir Jet!

Become a disciple and follow Sir Jet at:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/iamsirjet