Jt Ervin Biography
"I was never a normal child." Starting with singing lessons from from 6 to 12 in his public school, and with acting in his school's theatre productions from age 10 Jt has known that entertaining was what he was made to do. After doing everything that he could to get the attention of talent managers and agents Jt finally took to the internet in 2006 to get attention. "I started with MySpace to get attention. I was watching an interview on TV with Tila Tequila and she was talking about how she rose to fame through MySpace and I thought that could be a way for me to get signed with an agent too." After a year of contacting record labels, and talent agencies Jt decided to take matters into his own hands. "I was inspired by Tila Tequila to do my own thing. Do it all my own. She did everything on her own and look where it took her. So I decided to just start blogging, and communicating with people to get my name out there and then decided to just do it my own way."
"I say whatever I want. Who cares if it gets me into trouble?" Once Jt decided to start building his own brand, he started with writing blogs, and posting pictures on his MySpace page until late 2007 when he opened his own official website. Still posting pictures and blogs on his own website as well as his social networking profiles Jt also began video-blogging which ultimately led him to sign a contract for a reality show. But it was no easy road. "Of course I have haters. I have people who don't like me or how I do everything on my own. I'm just being myself. I know I can do whatever I want, no matter what people say."
"Sometimes, you have to do things your way and not 'THE' way." 2007 was arguably one of the biggest years for Jt. That year, he formed the teen hip-hop/R&B/pop group JRJ with his two friends Joshlynn Suber and Rachel Walton. The band released their first single "This is Why I'm Fat" in April of that year and planned to independently release an album in the fall. However plans fell through for the album when the band split in August 2007. Jt wrote in his blog that "It was nothing personal. But being in a band and trying to work on a solo singing, acting and designing and writing career was too much work." He also stated that the other members, although they remain his friends and supportive of each others solo efforts, "just didn't have the drive that [he] did". In an interview in 2008, Jt confirmed that he no longer speaks with his former band-mates. Also that year, Jt was featured on the cover of the indie online magazine "With The Band" for the month of October. The "E-Zine" also ran an exclusive interview with Jt in the issue.
"Clothing is an expression. Just like words, clothes can speak for you." December 24th, Christmas Eve, 2007. The day that Jt launched his debut clothing line "Carnival" though his official website. "I'm so excited. I worked so hard on it and I really hope people love it." The line ranges from adult sizes to teens, babies, kids...I wanted to make sure there was something for pretty much everybody, so I worked with my design team to make sure that everybody was covered in my line."
"I've got some pretty kickass ideas for the future..." 2009 seems as if it will be another good year for Jt Ervin, as he has big plans. He signed with Grape Soda Records in December of 2008 and began work on a self-titled EP saying "I've worked so hard on getting my music done, and out there for almost four years now and I'm so happy because it's finally going to happen.". When asked about the multiple delays in a music release from him, Jt said "I had a lot of trouble working to sign a deal, and trying to sign a deal that allows me to creatively be who I am, and do what I want. Now that I have that, I'm crafting my own sound, trying to put everything I have into my music." The 'Jt Ervin EP' was released on June 1, 2009 with the sound of the record being predominantly R&B. Jt later clarified that the sound of his full length debut will carry "a pop sound with R&B influences". In early July, a buzz single "Give It To The DJ" was released nationally to pop radio stations. However, in September 2009, Jt was dropped from Grape Soda Records and released a statement claiming he would not be pursuing another label deal, and would instead be taking a break from music.
"Change is something that is unavoidable. I never want to stay the same. What a boring place the world would be if all stayed the same." In August 2008, the "Carnival Clothing" store closed. "I want to pursue college and a degree in design. I don't want to start off with a line that I won't be happy with. I have plans for a clothing line, but I'm really going to go to college, and get into the business first.
"Watch out America. Here I come!" Jt has also signed a multi-season contract for his own reality television show to be filmed in association with his own production company, Tattooed Innocence Productions. "The show will be like a look through my eyes, and show everybody what my life is actually like. I really do work very hard, and so this will kind of show them what I do. It is going to show everybody the things that I do, but they may not always hear about or see. It will be like behind the scenes." Original plans for the television series were scrapped when the pilot was not picked up. Instead, Jt took the opportunity to turn the television series into his own webseries to be the fully operated under Tattooed Innocence Productions and Jt Ervin himself. "My show is going to be very similar to Joey Diamond's reality show [Diamond Hills]." "Inside Out with Jt Ervin" premiered online on October 10, 2008. The season finale, which featured guest stars Adrienne Bailon, Kiely Williams and Sabrina Bryan (The Cheetah Girls), aired on December 30, 2008. The show will return for a second season and will have a 13-episode season along with a new format and look. The second season began filming at the end of February until April, then resumed in May. The second season premiered on August 28, 2009 and is currently airing.
So what's next for this hard-working teen? It seems that we will just have to wait and see...
"I want to change the world. And I'll do anything and everything I need to for me to do that."
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