Alabama’s Own: Ty Juan’s Heartfelt R&B Finds International Audience

An up-and-coming R&B artist with local roots is finding love internationally as clubs and DJs in Brazil, the United Kingdom and more discover the smooth sound of Alabama's Own Ty Juan.

The aspiring crooner, songwriter and producer was born in New Jersey, but his musical career kicked off when he was a young man living in Montgomery, Alabama. Now he splits his time between the capital city and Atlanta.

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Ty Juan said he found early success with a Montgomery singing group called Interlude, who signed with Universal Records but disbanded shortly after that record deal ultimately fell through.

He said the experience was good for him, though, and led to his favorite performance of his career, when the group had the opportunity to open up for Kandi Buruss in Tuskegee, Alabama.

He said the crowd really received him and his group and it was the first time he really saw how people could feel his music.

Now Ty Juan is signed with RFC Fresh records and is working on a new project that he calls 'Reflection.'

He said this album comes from a more personal place than his previous work as he wrote most of it while quarantining during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The new record will also include a follow-up to "Oxygen of Freedom," a single that saw Ty Juan collaborate with his friend Makalani to reflect on the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of the death of George Floyd last year.

While he is still searching for a firm foothold in the American music industry, Ty Juan said his networking has led to a growing international audience.

In Brazil, he said, DJs have remixed two of his biggest songs and fans have choreographed line dances for it.

If you check out Ty Juan to his music and like what you hear, you can catch him live on November 6th in Conyers, Georgia a part of a fundraiser for victims of domestic violence.

All of his music can be found on any digital streaming platform and you can connect with on Facebook: TyJuan

Instagram: @IamTyJuan

Twitter: @TyJuan

Editor's note: Alabama's Own is a new recurring series that aims to highlight up-and-coming musicians from in and around West Alabama. To learn more or tip us off to your own music, click here.