Interview
Transcript
00:00 Ryleigh Kelley
Hello, my name is Ryleigh, and today we are talking with Jael B. Gadsen, a professional creative working from and within South Carolina. As we get started, can you tell us your current career and where you are from?
00:13 Jael B Gadsen
Sure! I’m an entertainer, which means I am a singer, songwriter, and actor. I’m from Charleston, South Carolina.
00:23 Ryleigh Kelley
Very nice. Okay, so before we go into the details of your profession, we have this brief little section of the interview. It’s called “One Career, Sixty Seconds”, where you describe your job in 60 seconds or less. It’s similar to an elevator pitch.
00:40 Jael B Gadsen
Okay.
00:41 Ryleigh Kelley
Well, let me get the timer started. Alright, are you ready?
00:47 Jael B Gadsen
I’m ready.
00:48 Ryleigh Kelley
Alright, okay, you’re on the clock.
00:52 Jael B Gadsen
Alright! I am a singer, songwriter, actress. I’m an entertainer. I’ve been doing it since I was twelve years old. I work professionally as a singer at theme parks. My current one is Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virginia.
I also do a lot of regional theater. Recently, I finished a show at the Springer Opera House in Georgia. I’ve worked at Universal Studios in Japan. I’m also a songwriter, so I write songs and record music. All of that I do consistently.
01:25 Ryleigh Kelley
Perfect. Yeah, you did that in thirty five seconds, so that was good.
01:29 Jael B Gadsen
Oh, wow, I could have kept going!
01:31 Ryleigh Kelley
Yeah, but we’ll obviously get more into it, but that was really good. That was really good in thirty five seconds.
As an entertainer, is there anything South Carolina or Charleston in particular, brings to your work? Does it have a unique influence on you compared to people in the same profession in different states?
01:54 Jael B Gadsen
I would say so because I did a lot of my training in Charleston, South Carolina, which is where I was born and raised. I grew up doing shows, musical theater in high school, middle school, and in the community. There was always a show. I did some lessons at the Dock Street theater in Charleston, and so I got to get some theater training there. I also was a part of the modeling school, Millie Lewis of Charleston.
I also currently perform in Charleston. I have a band and we do a lot of gigs around Charleston, because Charleston is popular for live music. We love our live music in Charleston. When I’m not at a theme park or doing a musical, I come home, and I get to do live music. So, it definitely has had a big influence on my career, and still now, today. It’s a big part of what I do. Yeah.
02:55 Ryleigh Kelley
Awesome! Was there a defining moment in your life which had an impact on your creative journey? I know you mentioned that you worked at Universal Studios in Japan, if you would like to touch more on that experience, because that’s really, interesting. Was there a particular project or something you produced which showcased your creativity in, like, a way it never had before?
03:22 Jael B Gadsen
Yeah, I’ll talk about Universal first. That was a big moment for me in my career, and I worked there for 7 years and it was just a great opportunity to go somewhere abroad, be a part of another culture and learn and perform, doing what I love. So that was one of my career highlights.
Another was, as I said, I write music and songs, and I won a songwriting contest called Lincoln Spotlight, and it was nationwide. My song won first place, and I got to open for the artist Common. He’s a rapper at the House of Blues in Chicago.
04:08 Ryleigh Kelley
Hmm.
04:09 Jael B Gadsen
Then won a grant some money for doing it, so I got a lot of exposure then too. So that was a good way to encourage me to keep going.
04:20 Ryleigh Kelley
Yeah, absolutely. Before entering your field, did you have any fears about becoming a creative professional, and what inspired you to continue beyond those fears?
04:33 Jael B Gadsen
Oh, yes. I had fears of being able to afford to continue doing it, because.
A lot of jobs pay differently, so sometimes you might just get a little, and sometimes you get paid a lot. I did have that fear of worrying if I would be able to survive as just purely an entertainer.
But I’ve learned that there’s so much that we can do that I learned along the way. The theaters, the amusement parks, cruise ships. Making music from writing and singing for other people. It’s definitely possible.
05:18 Ryleigh Kelley
Going into that, do you have any advice for young adults or students who have an interest in pursuing a similar career in the creative world, and are there any particular skills one should practice or have before entering the industry?
05:34 Jael B Gadsen
Yeah, I would say, especially for what I do. Just take the lessons when you can. I know it costs money. Even if you have a friend or someone that sings, make sure you can be a professional singer, get some lessons if you can. Even dancing, if you’re not a strong dancer, take some dance classes. You can be a mover. You don’t have to be the best dancer but just know a few steps that are common amongst shows. Acting. Get in an acting class, just step out of your comfort zone for the things that you don’t feel as confident in.
Just make sure you are trained across all areas, singing, dancing, acting, and participating in things so you can get the experience, even if it’s not a lot of money. Just being able to do it in front of people. Any experience really is good for you, for your personal development and your resume, and it’s always gonna just help you grow.
06:40 Ryleigh Kelley
Yeah, that’s really good advice, especially regarding experience, because I think that’s so valuable to a creative’s work, especially for the work that you do, especially with the multifaceted, talents that you have. Let’s see if I have any other questions.
I’m curious to hear about how you move between each roles. How you move fluidly between being a performer, vocal director, and teacher. How do you navigate those spaces, and how do they kind of interact or converse with your work as a whole?
07:27 Jael B Gadsen
Oh, that’s a good question. I try to plan out my year.
For instance, I’m at Busch Gardens, but they’ll usually give me a contract and say, can you do this amount of time? Which would be, for example, their summer season, fall season, and Christmas. That’s about 6 months of work there. They will ask me in advance, like, “okay, can you music direct this, or vocal direct this?” I already know that I’m gonna do that. I commit to them for that amount of time, and then once that time is over, I’m kind of free to go to other places.
I kind of do it like that. I try to plan ahead what I’m gonna do, and then that way I can navigate and move to do different things. Right now, just another example, I just finished a show in Columbus, Georgia for a month. I was doing a play, but now I have this month more flexible, so I’m home in Charleston, and I am able to do more creative things, like my songwriting and some gigs. So, I just try to really plan it out and stick to it, and it works out.
08:40 Ryleigh Kelley
Yes, yeah, the importance of time management right there, especially, moving in between each role and season. Well, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me today.
08:54 Jael B Gadsen
Yeah, it was nice meeting you. It’s Riley?
08:57 Ryleigh Kelley
Yes, yes.
08:58 Jael B Gadsen
Okay, nice meeting you, Riley.
09:00 Ryleigh Kelley
Nice meeting you! Okay. Have a good day!
09:03 Jael B Gadsen
Okay, you too. Bye!
