Trinidadian-American singer, songwriter, and multidisciplinary artist Justy has spent the past decade quietly building a body of work rooted in legacy, loss, and liberation. Known for fusing Chicago house, funk, R&B, and soul with vivid storytelling, their music explores personal history and cultural inheritance through an experimental, emotionally charged lens.
Photo credit: Justy – Official
Raised by grandparents after losing both parents before the age of three, Justy’s artistry is deeply shaped by grief and generational memory — with a creative voice that spans genre and medium. Now based in Chicago, they continue to merge music, film, and community into work that feels both nostalgic and futuristic.
In October 2025, Justy released ‘LOVECHILD’, their debut full-length album — a cinematic project years in the making. The album is accompanied by a short film, BOTS, and the launch of HBX Productions, an artist-led creative house inspired by their late father’s Chicago label. Framed around a fictionalized version of their parents’ story, LOVECHILD blends sonic memoir and ancestral reflection into a singular, genre-defying debut.
In this conversation, Justy opens up about the album’s emotional process, honoring legacy, and reimagining independence through HBX.
EG: Hi, Justy! Welcome to EG. It’s a pleasure to have you here with us. How have you been doing?
Justy: Thanks for the invite. Things have been a whirlwind — in the best way possible. It feels surreal to finally be stepping into this moment after years of being in the world of ‘LOVECHILD’. I’m grateful to be here and excited to be chatting with you. Thank you for welcoming me!
EG: First of all, congratulations on the release of your debut LP, ‘LOVECHILD’! What are some of your first thoughts now that it’s out for everyone to hear? What has the initial reception been like so far?
Justy: Thank you! Honestly, I feel cracked open — in a good way. This album has lived inside me my whole life, and now it finally belongs to the world. The early reception has been overwhelming; people are connecting to the story, the visuals, the vulnerability. What means the most is how proud my community feels. Celebrating this milestone with the people I love has been its own kind of homecoming.
EG: What can listeners expect to find on ‘LOVECHILD’? Is there a concept or emotional trigger connecting these cuts?
Justy: ‘LOVECHILD’ is a living archive — part memoir, part tribute, part spiritual excavation. It follows the tragic love story of my parents, Brian and Tracy, who met at The Warehouse in the late ’80s. Every song sits in a different emotional room: longing, seduction, grief, rage, acceptance, rebirth. Sonically, it blends Chicago house roots with R&B, soul, orchestral textures, and Caribbean influences.
The emotional trigger is legacy — what we inherit, what we carry, and how we choose to let it shape us.
EG: How long did the recording process for ‘LOVECHILD’ take you? What were those sessions like? When did you feel like you had a complete record?
Justy: The process spanned five years, mostly at RaxTrax Studios with my lead producer, Sean McKenzie. The sessions were intimate, obsessive, healing, sometimes messy — but always sacred. We approached the album like a film score, building a whole universe around each chapter.
I knew the record was complete when I finished ‘Room For Two,’ the cross-generational duet with my late father built from his unreleased 1989 demo. That was the moment everything clicked. The circle closed. The story finally had its heartbeat.
“Build community, not clout. Treat your art like a long game. Learn your business. And don’t wait for institutions to validate you — build your world, and invite people into it”
EG: Do you feel closer to your parents after going through this recording process?
Justy: Absolutely. Creating LOVECHILD felt like sitting in the room with them — hearing their laughter, their dreams, their chaos. My father’s presence is in every bassline, and my mother’s spirit in each harmony. Recording this album helped me process how abruptly my father’s legacy was cut short — like an unfinished book.
Through this process, I felt closer to my parents than ever. But in another way, it also became my moment to finally let them go — to share their story honestly, release them from the weight of tragedy, and let their spirits soar into eternity. I feel them with me, always. But LOVECHILD was the goodbye I didn’t know I needed.
EG: The record is also accompanied by a short film, ‘BOTS’. What was it like to decant the spirit of the record into video?
Justy: The film actually began as a shared dream between me and Muso. We had been imagining this world together for years — the dual timelines, the haunting, the ancestral warnings — and once we brought the concept to Jonathan Woods and our incredible cast and crew, it grew exponentially. The wedding sequence, for example, wasn’t even in our original outline.
Translating the spirit of ‘LOVECHILD’ into a film was deeply collaborative. Everyone brought a piece of themselves to it — their own artistry, instincts, and history. Visually, it’s seductive, haunting, theatrical. Emotionally, it’s about ending patterns that didn’t start with you. I hope more than anything, that viewers walk away with the courage to choose themselves — and to know that your ancestors show up exactly when you need them, ready to help you write the ending you deserve.
EG: You also launched HBX Productions. What can you share about its mission and purpose?
Justy: HBX was born from necessity. As an independent artist, I’ve had to build my own infrastructure for years — events, visuals, publishing, contracts, production teams, strategy — all without a label. Eventually, I realized that system could serve others, not just me.
HBX Productions is a creative/events house dedicated to artist autonomy. We produce live events, support independent musicians, and offer production, booking, and project management without taking ownership of anyone’s work. We’re here to resource artists, not control them.
EG: What would you say are some of the biggest obstacles artists will face in the near future? Any advice to newcomers?
Justy: The biggest obstacle is oversaturation — not just of music, but of noise. Algorithms, virality, the pressure to perform online… it can drown out your actual craft. Artists have to protect their inner voice.
My advice? Build community, not clout. Treat your art like a long game. Learn your business. And don’t wait for institutions to validate you — build your world, and invite people into it.
“The biggest obstacle is oversaturation — not just of music, but of noise”
EG: What’s next for Justy? What milestones are you looking forward to now?
Justy: Right now, I’m focused on expanding the ‘LOVECHILD’ universe in ways that feel intentional and connective. The next chapter is really about HBX — building infrastructure, creating our own spaces, and nurturing the kind of artistic ecosystem I always wished existed when I was first starting out.
People can expect new and exciting drops like the ‘Hey You’ remixes released by Hush Hush, but more importantly, a deeper commitment to community, collaboration, and carving out room for independent voices. This is the beginning of something much bigger than an album. It’s the foundation for a whole new creative home.
EG: Thank you so much for your time, Justy! We wish you all the best in the future. Take care!
Justy: Thanks for the love — more soon.
Justy’s ‘LOVECHILD’ is out now. Stream and download here.
Follow Justy: Spotify | Soundcloud | Instagram
