Meet CK Jones

We were lucky to catch up with CK Jones recently and have shared our conversation below.

CK, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

I found my purpose through a gift I was born with, passed on to me by a beautiful marriage of creativity from both sides of my family, but particularly from the musicianship passed on by my Abuelito, of which he passed on to many other tias, tios, and primos of mine. The musical Torres genes run strong.

The gift of music was nurtured and supported by my family as soon as I touched keys as a very young child. Four years old is when I started exploring the piano. My family requested performances all throughout my childhood, from piano pieces to karaoke Selena songs at family get-togethers in Mexico.

I have since followed, thrived in, and explored music my entire life. Music is a language that I speak and live in, and the majority of people I form close relationships with speak it too. If not music, then some other form of creativity.

One could say it is a divine gift.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I’m a musician, producer, DJ, singer, and songwriter. I create under the names CK Jones, LAVNDR SKYS, and my newly emerging artist persona, Zelene. My work lives in authenticity, cultural fusion, sensuality, and live performance.

I was raised on classic Mexican music, pop, rock, punk, and reggae, and all of those influences show up in my sound, blended with my own love for R&B, hip-hop production, and West Coast vibes. When I moved to L.A., my dream was to meet West Coast musicians and make West Coast music, and I did exactly that. Whether I’m producing sync-ready ballads, DJing a bass-heavy set, or playing live trombone, that dream is still alive in everything I do.

What feels most special about my work is the freedom I feel when I’m creating. Music has always been how I process life and how I connect with others on a deeper level.

Right now, I’m developing a new project under the name Zelene, a fusion of electronic bass music and old-school cumbia, brought to life through live trombone, vocals, and DJ performance. I’m also co-hosting a live event series at Garnish Music in Los Angeles called Live at the Mandarin Lounge, alongside collaborations with local collectives like Beats Freaks Geeks and their event series Secret Sessions. We’re building a space for artists to connect outside of algorithm culture, and it’s been incredible to see that community come together and grow as the LA scene recovers from the post-pandemic era.

My mission is to keep expanding, mastering my tools like Ableton, refining my skills as a singer and multi-instrumentalist, and continuing to create music that heals, moves, and brings people together through sound.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that have been most impactful in my journey are voice, self-belief, and business.

Voice has been a huge focus for me. I’ve worked with so many instructors over the years, through choir, private lessons, college voice programs, learning classical and opera techniques, majoring in music, recording in studios, and studying phrasing from R&B vocalists. I’ve even worked with coaches who approach live performance at a quantum-mechanics level. That level of study and exploration has shaped me not just as a singer, but as a communicator and performer.

The second is self-belief. I’ve been talented this whole time, but it took years to overcome imposter syndrome and truly embrace that. Knowing your worth, believing it when others see your talent, and holding that belief through the highs and lows is everything. That shift changed how I show up, not just creatively but in every room I enter.

And finally, business. This has been the newest and most impactful area of growth for me. A career won’t build itself on talent alone, you have to understand how to sustain it. At first, my creative side resisted the structure and strategy, but learning how to apply creativity to business changed everything. It’s the key to turning your art into something sustainable and powerful.

For anyone early in their journey: Study your craft deeply, believe in your talent, and learn how to move smart in the industry. The magic is in the balance of all three.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

While I believe I’ve already found some key partners and collaborators I’m meant to work with, I’ll still put this into the ether to continue manifesting and nurturing the right connections.

I’m currently looking for investors and financial partners who believe in building something long-term and impactful in music. Over the past year, I’ve shifted a lot of my focus toward understanding the business side of what I do, and it’s already brought potential investors and sponsors into my path. There is money to be made in what I’m creating, especially as I continue to bridge culture and innovation in ways that haven’t been fully tapped into yet. I’m open to aligning with people who genuinely see the vision and want to help bring it to life.

Creatively, I’m especially interested in connecting with Mexican producers who are deeply rooted in cumbia, people who not only understand the traditional elements, but who are also excited by the idea of blending genres and experimenting with new sounds. I’ve been immersed in this music for years, researching, studying, and creating with it, and I’d love to collaborate with others who share that passion.

If any of this speaks to you, I’m always open to the right conversations.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Noah Smith, Beats Freaks Geeks

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