Almost Famous - Jean - Soul Singer
For R&B crooner Jean Carlos Rodríguez López-
Cepero, otherwise simply known as Jean, music and
family go hand in hand. “I have a close knit family, so
I wanted to be able to support myself and my family
with my music,” says the 27-year-old. “My ultimate
goal is to be able to do this and nothing else for the
rest of my life.”
The Puerto Rican singer/songwriter/producer was
built to be a musician. At the age of 9, Jean and his
family moved from their native Puerto Rico to Orlando,
Florida. The younger brother of Latin-pop singer
Luis Fonsi, Jean was raised in a salsa and Latin jazz
household– where his mother sang for the renowned
Puerto Rican choir, Viva la Gente, and his Grandfather
plays the trumpet. Their departure from the rhythmic
shores of PR, introduced Jean to a new sound, R&B.
Inspired by the riffs of Stevie Wonder, Boyz II Men,
New Edition and Brian McKnight, his interest in the
genre ultimately led him to pursue a career in music.
Relocating 3,000 miles away to Los Angeles, Jean
became inspired by L.A.’s rock infused sound. Shortly
thereafter, he made another potent move to New
York, where he experienced the city’s melting pot
of music. “It wasn’t until I moved to New York that
I found myself musically,” he reveals. “In Miami, I’ve
learned a lot about Latin rhythms and [songwriting].
In NY, people really go out of the box. My music consists
of a mix from R&B and Soul, to Pop and Funk
with an alternative twist.”
Jean is what one would call a true musician, in that
his interests and talents lie way beyond mere vocals. “Music is not the easiest business to be a part of, so
you really do have to love it, overcome [struggles],
and be successful at it,” he explains. “There’s nothing
like what I’m doing [now]– meshing the worlds of Latin
and Anglo– and I’m meeting [them] in the middle.”
With the release of his sophomore album, Out The Box, via Sony/BMG slated for this Fall, Jean feels as though he has been able to convey more of himself on the set. “[The album] is definitely more alternative than the first one– with more grunge, edge and dirt,” he admits. “It’s more soul than pop. [Ultimately], I hope to one day be a pioneer of the fusion of R&B and Soul.”
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