Meet Jared Neeley

We recently connected with Jared Neeley and have shared our conversation below.

Jared, 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 went to college to get my Bachelor’s in Psychology. Dismally, I realized that my passion for it was quickly waning. I graduated and shortly afterward the pandemic pushed me into a space where I had the opportunity to rediscover myself. I was hired for my first full-time job, but I knew it was just a place holder. The closer I came to realizing my purpose, the more restless I became. It was like wearing a course fabric I couldn’t wait to take off. As time passed, I was able to reconnect with music in a way I hadn’t in a long time. I was singing every day, all day, sun up til sundown. I was rediscovering my voice. The more skills I began to acquire with my voice the deeper I delved into its sound. Then fortuitously, I came across an artist named Durand Bernarr. He is a black, queer, independent artist whose charisma and skill lit a flame within me. I then realized I wanted to be a singer. I had to be. His audacious style spoke to my soul. It whispered, “you can do this too.” It dared me to, and the idea danced around my mind with dreams of grandeur until I gave in. He is someone I saw myself in. He was doing the things I’d always loved to do, but was too scared to do myself. His authenticity exemplified that I too could be bold, black, queer, and unapologetic in who I was and still be successful. All I had to do was be the best version of me and put my best foot forward.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
My name is Jared Neeley, but my artist name is Thēsis. I am a singer, songwriter, and recording artist. I chose Thēsis as my artist name because I am the original research and my music cites me, the source. My goal is to use my voice to convey the colors of unbridled emotion.

I graduated with my Bachelor of Arts in Experimental Psychology in 2019 from the University of South Carolina. I had the desire to be a therapist, but that slowly waned during my college journey. Not long into the pandemic I realized that I wanted to be a singer, but met such aspirations with high skepticism. I often sang as a child but never had the confidence to stand on it boldly. As I began to discover new avenues of my own personhood, I also uncovered the treasures of my own voice.

What excites me most about this journey is the opportunity to turn the talents that laid dormant for so long into skills that provide a tangible future for me. I get to polish my vocal abilities and push past my own limitations. I get to sharpen my writing skills by finding new ways to reshape my poetic style into a song writing style that deeply fastens itself to one’s emotions through storytelling. My aim is to transport listeners to the vast and complex worlds I create through song.

I am currently in the process of recording my first single, “April Showers.” I plan to release “April Showers” in April of 2024, with the larger goal of releasing an EP.

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?
As someone who is also early in their journey, the three post important qualities to me right now are patience, authenticity, and discipline.

Patience is one of the most important things to me right now because I have to recognize that things aren’t always going to come as fast as I want them to. I work a job that isn’t my passion. I use this job to help pay for the things I truly love, in the hopes that one day my passion will be my full-time work. Patience also means taking the time to carefully craft songs and ideas so that they are cohesive and relatable. It’s all a part of the journey and it’s what makes it worth while. I’ve learned that taking time on the things you really care about allows me to really learn them, and I don’t miss the fine details.

Authenticity is deeply important to me because the lyrics that I write are about me and the things that I go through. I knew that if I wanted people to connect with them, they had to mean something to me first. I had to come to the realization that the only person I can be is me. That means being proud of my blackness and queerness as loudly as I possibly can. In being authentically me, I aim show that being a man goes beyond the ideas of traditional and heteronormative masculinity. I’ve realized that there is freedom in being myself. People are excited to see my unique qualities. They want to identify with me and walk the mile me. They can’t do that if I’m walking someone else’s.

Discipline is definitely the one I’m still working on the most. In order for people to even see my authenticity or for me to have journey to be patient with, I have to have the discipline to consistently execute what it takes the make journey. Having talent is a great start, but if I don’t work hard, no one is going to see my talent and I’ll never get to turn my talent into a skill. Discipline for me was getting a vocal coach, writing songs (good or bad), and putting out content so that people can actually see who I am. It is turning my talents into a skills so that I can execute them with intent and purpose every time.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
My friend, Nia, also known as her artist name, Kaydence Day, has been instrumental in helping me to find better ways to organize my thoughts when it comes to making content and planning out how I’m going to execute those ideas.  Also, the main contributor to my skills is my vocal coach, Brittany Spivey. She is not only a phenomenal vocal coach, but a great friend. Before her, I didn’t realize how surgical singing really was and the amount of work it takes to be a great singer. Despite the challenges, she has encouraged me through every one of them and I wouldn’t be half the singer or songwriter I am now without her.

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