00:00 I guess look at music creation from the standpoint of what do you want the final world to be?
00:04 Where do you want these songs to live and how do you want to feel on stage?
00:07 Because you're going to do that every day.
00:09 Hey y'all, it's Coco Jones and you're watching Billboard News.
00:12 [Music]
00:37 First off, happy new year. How are you feeling now that we're officially in 2024?
00:41 I'm excited. I think I learned a lot in 2023.
00:45 I just had a birthday and I'm ready for whatever challenges are up next.
00:50 Yeah. What do the Grammys mean to you and how does it feel to now have Grammy nominated in front of your name?
00:54 The Grammys are just a very respected group of people who earned their voice and earned
01:02 their credits and their credentials. To me, I respect everyone who is nominated and who
01:08 decides because I just feel like the Grammys also help up and coming artists, help up and
01:13 coming creatives. And so for them to recognize the work that I'm doing, it just feels very affirming.
01:20 You were up for five awards and I want to list them out because you deserve that.
01:28 You're up for Best New Artist.
01:29 ICU is up for Best R&B Performance and Best R&B Song.
01:32 What I Didn't Tell You Deluxe is up for Best R&B Album.
01:35 And Simple with Babyface is up for Best Traditional R&B Performance. Congratulations.
01:40 Thank you.
01:41 Wow. Where were you when you first learned about those nominations?
01:44 When I first learned I was nominated, I was on the plane and I definitely was asleep.
01:49 My phone was vibrating so much. I was like, "This turbulence is crazy."
01:52 But what I realized is everyone was texting me congratulations.
01:55 So as soon as I landed, I was calling them back.
01:57 I know.
01:58 Oh my God, Kourtney. Five. Kourtney. Five. Kourtney.
02:04 Have you attended this ceremony before?
02:07 I just had my first time attending the Grammys last year.
02:10 And it's so fun to be there in real life compared to watching it.
02:15 I think for me, I'm excited to make new memories. I can't wait to bring my mom and
02:19 for her to see everything that we've been working for pay off just by even being nominated.
02:25 So out of the five awards, is there a particular one that you're really, really hoping for?
02:28 I mean, they all are amazing, but I think Best New Artist is genre-less.
02:32 It's really like in totality, you the artist, and that would be amazing to win.
02:37 Are you the kind of person to pre-write an acceptance speech?
02:39 You've won awards before, notably at both Soul Train and BET.
02:43 What goes through your head when your name is called?
02:45 I write out a speech for sure, just because I want to make sure that I thank everyone.
02:49 I guess what goes through my head is grateful.
02:52 Grateful to be considered and grateful to be chosen.
02:56 Every time I win anything, it's like an internal celebration.
03:01 You're also an actress. What can you tell us about the upcoming season of Bel Air?
03:04 I'm going to really miss you, Hu.
03:05 I'm going to miss you too. And look, I'll always be here if you ever need to talk. Okay?
03:12 Well, I'm excited. I think a lot is still up in the air. We just ended the strike and I know
03:17 everybody's getting back to work and I'm happy that we all get to. I am not sure what's in store
03:22 for Hillary. I definitely want it to be surprising though. I'm like, let's up the stakes.
03:27 Right. What about the wardrobe? Let's get into that. Are you excited to see the new wardrobe
03:30 for Hillary? I'm absolutely excited to see Hillary's wardrobe. She eats every time.
03:33 Every time. Now, speaking of film and TV, you recently contributed a song to the
03:37 Color Purple soundtrack. What did it mean to be involved in such an iconic piece of Black media?
03:48 I think I was really blessed to be able to have the doors open for me to be able to be on the
03:53 soundtrack. I mean, the Color Purple is such a historic film in Black culture. So to be able to,
04:01 one, celebrate such a huge moment of bringing this movie back in a different way and with a more
04:07 modern feel and adding music, it just felt all very amazing and time stamp in history. So I was
04:13 happy to be a part of it. I know you're currently in the studio recording some new music. Where's
04:17 your head at regarding all of that and what's inspiring you right now? I'm really just trying
04:21 to challenge myself. I think I learned so much being on tour, picking my themes and colors and
04:27 helping to find that world and bring people into it that I want to up the creative and up all of
04:35 the song concepts. So I'm just excited to see what else I can do with that new knowledge that I have.
04:40 What was your favorite crowd to perform for on tour?
04:42 That is tough, but I'm going to have to say my city, Nashville. What?
04:47 Yo.
04:47 They were going off. It was so loud. Couldn't hear a thing.
04:50 [Music]
05:00 So describe your music making process to me. What are the do's and don'ts of a Coco Jones
05:03 studio session? There's not really any don'ts. The only don't is don't make a don't.
05:09 Like just try anything and you never know. I really, really try to not be afraid to go
05:16 there creatively and do something strange because it might hit or it might not. And that's okay.
05:23 You got to be able to like put the idea out there, see what happens, ignore it if it was rejected.
05:27 But that's the thing with music. You just have to try anything.
05:31 [Music]
05:37 Do you feel any pressure to make sure you create something that resonates as much as I see you did
05:41 or are you just letting the music come to you? Oh, I feel pressure for sure. But that's the
05:44 pressure I put on myself. Even if I wasn't doing music, I would be pressured to do better than what
05:49 I've already done. Like that's just the competitive in me, the athlete in me. I'm like, "All right,
05:55 let's do it. Let's double it." Really though, it all is just being authentic, being creative,
06:01 being free, not holding back. And the right songs do end up coming to you.
06:05 You've jumped on a slew of tracks over the past year. A collab with Brent Faiyaz,
06:10 Lil Tjay, Renee Rapp. Which of your 2020 collab was your favorite to record?
06:14 Well, that's hard to say because then somebody's going to be mad at me. Don't text me if I didn't
06:18 say you. I'm sorry. I have to say I really love the Renee Rapp.
06:21 [Music]
06:28 I think that was just so cool because it was mixing pop and R&B and that's something that
06:34 I want to do as well moving forward. So I liked that. To me, it was kind of foreshadowing.
06:40 Yeah. What makes you say yes to a collab?
06:42 I have to believe in the artists and believe in what they do, who they are. And I have to
06:48 like that song. I don't know if you know, but both X and TikTok have been obsessed with y'all's
06:54 rendition of "Tummy Hurts" on New Year's Eve. What was it like performing at such an iconic
06:58 and cold event? New Year's is just such an awesome time to be.
07:03 Whoever you want to be, to let go of anything that was painful and to grow and to just glow.
07:10 So I felt very perked. Nice. Okay. So to close off,
07:13 what's one lesson you learned in 2023 that you're bringing with you into 2024?
07:18 I guess a lesson that I learned is that everything's in seasons, you know? Sometimes
07:24 people come into your life for a season. Sometimes you have seasons where you don't
07:29 understand what's going on, but seasons are the weather. So like they must change and they must
07:34 evolve and they must go to something different and don't try to like hold on to whatever is out
07:40 last season. That is beautiful. Oh my God.
07:43 Just blew my wig off. Like what? That is it for me. Thank you so much.
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