Ine’a J: Chicago’s R&B Fairy
Photography by Swiper.
Each fairy has a special ability that makes them uniquely them.
In Pixie Hollow, the magical kingdom located within Neverland, Tinker Bell and her fairy friends have an array of talents ranging from speaking to animals to tending to gardens. At Alfea, Bloom and the Winx Club have unique specialties from dragon fire to technology.
However, in Chicago, a real fairy pens her lyrics describing self-awareness, love, and heartbreak with each stroke.
Known as the Pen Fairy, Ine’a J is an R&B songstress, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist hailing from Chicago’s South Suburbs, making waves in the city after the release of her acclaimed projects Planet J and Colors. Inspired by R&B icons like Brandy and Sevyn Streeter, Ine’a J continues to channel this energy in her latest release, 4.
4 is a continuation of J’s debut EP, Planet J. This sequel to her freshman album will serve as J’s third studio project, representing her growth in her musical journey and taking her Planet J “citizens” back into her world.
Receiving accolades from Vocalo Radio to the Chicago Reader, I had the opportunity to chat with Ine’a J about her start in music, making “sad girl” music, and leaning more into her role as a producer.
It’s nice to meet you Ine’a! Let’s start with the basics: what inspired you to get into music?
I have a very musically inclined family. My grandad was a lead electric guitarist for different groups back in the day and played for many names. My mom also used to be a singer, and on her side of the family, they sang a lot of gospel. My dad was a really good engineer and producer. He also did rap but went into gospel later on.
With that heavy background in music, they involved me in music when I was little too. I started with piano, and I used to write songs. Also, I loved to sing but was shy at first. Growing up, I tried to come out of that, but that’s how it all started.
Is there anything that inspired the genres you’re pursuing right now?
I did classical a lot, but I liked other genres too. I wanted to take what I learned into the things I liked to play. I was always into Disney Channel and Radio Disney [when I was younger.] So with that and along with what my parents listened to, I gravitated to that and old R&B. Specific ones like Brandy and other musicians like that. I feel that generated what I liked and helped me further cultivate it into what I am producing musically today along with my own experiences of life, which can be soulful, heartbreaking stuff —so like “sad girl music.”
Not the sad girl music. I act like I don’t listen to Clairo. What inspired that path specifically with sad girl music for you?
I don't want to say it's all sad. I do have a lot of, like, fun, upbeat songs, but those do go back into the basis of, ‘Okay, maybe somebody broke your heart, so now you're back outside’ or something like that. I feel like the music in my last project cultivated how music goes with your feelings and emotions, how they come into play together, and their association with color.
I know many musicians who put their experiences into their songs, and it’s interesting to see the process they go through in making it into something creatively. That being said, who are some of your musical influences aside from Disney?
My first influence to be like a singer-songwriter was Sevyn Streeter growing up. My mom put me on to her, so I fell in love with her. The same with Brandy. I also have some of my own like Eric Bellinger, and I would also say Jhene Aiko. She was heavily influenced by the sad girl music I felt I could resonate with my experiences. Since I grew up in a religious household, Kierra Sheard was also heavily impactful on my musical upbringing as well.
Nice, I know you also mentioned your new project coming up. How can we expect it to sound musical-wise?
I do want it to mirror Planet J because it was so iconic. I still center my brand around this sense of the whole Planet J aesthetic and all that went on during that period and build off of that. It’s still sad girl music, but I have some songs from my pop and R&B era and others more within pop but still holding onto a bit of R&B. I feel like it’s kind of cultivated more of my actual sound and how I’ve grown.
I also know you are a producer. Are there any songs you produced for this project?
My first time producing something was the co-produced song “smoke” on my second EP, Colors.
Ever since then, I wanted to make sure I co-produced, or at least have a foot in production, in my projects here and out whether it’s an EP or album.
There is a song I co-produced with my friend, Loqum. We co-produced it, and that song has one of my cooler features on it with Rocky Fresh called “Something Real.” That is one of the more pop-based songs on the album that I’m looking forward to.
Thank you for spending time with me Ine’a, and congratulations on the new project. To end this off, do you have any dream collaborations you would love in the future?
There are so many people I would want to work with. It's so hard. Of course, Eric Bellinger for sure. Like I said, Brandy is my dream collaboration. Sevyn Streeter is [too], and I love Chris Brown. Those are some people I would like as my dream collabs.
This piece has been edited down for clarity.