You’ll go crazy trying to pick through the mind of Christian Berishaj aka JMSN (pronounced like the beverage, Jameson). The once pop-rock-turned-electro pop-now-R&B singer from Detroit is one of those intriguing figures who seems to do things the unorthodox way, but still find a way to be successful after a few short and un-happy stints with major labels in previous years. After foregoing the major label, mainstream/radio-friendly sound and image, JMSN opened up White Room Records and released his debut album this past January entitled, †Priscilla†, 15-tracks about a story-went-wrong (all produced and written by himself) with a girl that will swarm your mind with rock bottom-like darkness, emotional thoughts while soothing listeners and relaxing them with melancholic melodies aided by of course, his soulful voice, a refreshing sound to present day R&B. The aura of mysteriousness and metaphors that lies behind JMSN’s low-key image really brings you in, making you wonder what’s going in his mind, whether it be girls, alcohol, family, love, and life –some of the main ingredients to what makes JMSN. He prides himself on being art, and artists are the toughest ones to figure out. You’ll get a glimpse into who he is not just as an artist, but as human as he recently chatted with KarenCivil.com about the LA Movie Festival, upcoming collaborations, some of the hidden stories behind the “Jameson” video, what he’s wanting out of life, his past label situation, and more.

Hey JMSN, what are you up to right now?
I’m actually in my car [laughs]. Well, I’m in my car going to the studio. Right now, I’m working on some beats. I’m trying to do something with Kendrick Lamar and Ludacris. [Ed. note: Nothing is confirmed yet]

That’s crazy. I thought you don’t collab with other artists?
Yeah, these are some of the first collaborations that I’m doing. Kendrick is one of my favorite rappers and I just really wanted to do something with him. I feel like it has to be the right collaboration. It’s not about doing or not doing them, it’s about doing the right ones.

Speaking of collabos, you guys haven’t collaborated yet, but Usher recently spoke out with some kind words about you…
Yeah, I would love to work with him. It’s crazy because I was just reading this interview he did where he was talking about JMSN and it’s really exciting to know my music is out there and people of his stature are hearing it. It feels good to get respect from such as respected artist in the game.

Starting off with the most recent news, congrats as your Jameson video won six awards at the LA Movie Festival.
Thank-you. I really appreciate it.

Did that catch you off-guard, winning 6 out of 8 awards for one video?
Yeah. It was out of nowhere for me. I was visiting home for a wedding and I got a phone call from someone I usually don’t get a phone call from. I was wondering why is this person calling me. I thought it was a bad thing and it turned out to be very good. I was like, “Alright, cool.” [Laughs]

How did you celebrate? By drinking some Jameson?
Oh yeah. I drink Jameson everyday. [Laughs]

And with that Jameson video, at the beginning with all the voicemail messages, were those real?
Yeah, for sure. Most of the people were excited to be on the record –some weren’t so much. [laughs]

It speaks to the real-life situation that you were in though…
Yes, for sure.

And the kid in the video, was he supposed to be a representation of yourself when you were or something? Like what was the meaning or story behind that?
He represented my innocence and how we lose our innocence when we do certain things. When we indulge in the darker side of things –these pleasures, empty pleasures– I feel like we’re losing our innocence. I feel like in the Jameson song, I’m indulging in all these things but I still feel lonely while I’m doing it. It’s like an empty feeling. No matter who I’m with, I can be at a club or party with a bunch of people, but it doesn’t matter because it’s still empty. There’s no soul in the things I was doing. That’s kind of what it represented.

Now that you’re a big star, does it still feel lonely and empty when you go out? 
Well, I try not to go out as much. I’m really trying to do my music stuff and trying to build the relationships I do have and build real friendships. As you get older, you realize who’s going to be in your life. When you’re younger, you go through the motions and meet people along the way, but once you start to mature, you realize certain people are going to be part of your life and not just people you meet when you pass by.

With your music videos, there’s always those strong, dark visuals. I know you probably don’t worry, but does your own camp/management ever worry about you being too extreme with your content?
That’s a good question. If they do, they don’t tell me. [Laughs] I mean, I don’t think my management worries about it. He trusts me like I trust him. He’s the only person I have to answer to.

How would you describe your fan base? Since you’ve done all of this without going through that mainstream stage of radio-friendly hits and whatnot.
My fan base? Man, I don’t know how to describe my fan base. That’s a really good question. I would have to interview them to see.

Let’s say you do interview them. What do you think they’ll say about you?
Man, I would love to hear that. I think they pride themselves in how real I come at it with. I’m genuine with everything I’m saying in a record and everything I’m saying as a person. Every move I make is well-thought out because everything you do matters especially when you’re trying to be someone that people look up to and relate to. You don’t want the wrong move to hinder that.

Your Priscilla album did extremely well since you dropped it in January. You said the content was based off your life during the six months you recorded it in. If you were to drop an album now based off the past six months dating back to January, what type of storyline would we hear you talk about?
Well, I mean I’m working on it right now. It’s a lot of growing up and finding what it is I really want from what I’m doing in music and life. I feel like we’re all trying to figure out life and what really matters. It’s such a hard, abstract concept of what matters and to each his own is a perception. I feel like there’s a bridge in what everybody wants and needs and I feel like it’s the same thing. I feel like it’s all co-existing. I feel like we all want the same thing but what is it that we really want and look for? So I’m kind of writing about that sort of stuff.

So it’s sort of based on the maturity and growth of JMSN?
Yeah. I mean, we’re always maturing as people. It’s just life. Life is just a broad concept. You can write about so many things. I think it’s less about –I wouldn’t say it’s less about love because life is love– a certain person or girl and more about things I want and what I’m doing to get them. If it’s right and feels good, there’s so many different aspects to it. That’s why an album is such a body of work. There’s so many different things you have to cover to encompass it all.

I also noticed on your websites and such that you have a lot of images of objects, but not yourself. Can you explain why you choose to stay somewhat low-key?
I don’t know. I think I’d rather make it more about the music and lifestyle rather than just me posing in front of a camera. I have a bad taste in my mouth from major labels and un-artistic people. I just want to be artistic. I don’t want to be like everyone else and take my headshot and be in front of everyone. I just want to be art. What I’m dedicating my life to is art. It’s an abstract thing –not something you can touch– so why try to make it look like a business. You see me in the videos, so at least I’m not hiding. [Laughs]

So it’s really all about using those metaphors in your work?
Yes, definitely.

You went through a bunch of different names, labels, people, management, fans and whatnot. From where you are in your career right now, would you say this is the best situation you’ve been in your entire career?
Yeah it’s definitely is. In terms of that stuff, I feel like it’s the wisest I’ve ever been. With that said, I still don’t know shit. The wiser you get, the more you realize you don’t know anything. It’s such a weird thing. You do what you do and make it work because you love it. It’s a weird business because it’s so surreal.

For you, is it a lot of trial and error then?
I’m trying stuff out, but I hope there’s not a lot of error. [Laughs] It comes. It’s pretty much do what I do and put it out and not cater to other people’s needs. Once you start worrying about that, then there’s too many people to please and you’ll be going in circles and then put something out that you don’t like. I just want to make sure I’m proud of everything I put out because at the end of the day, I’m the one who represents the stuff I’m putting out. If I don’t like it, then who am I to tell you to go out and like.

My last question is, you started of 2012 with Priscilla, so can you tell us about some of the major projects you have in store for the last half 2012? Besides the Kendrick and Luda collabs.
I’ve been getting a lot of remixes and I’ve been working on some collaborations with just London-based producers that are DJ producers. Maybe we’ll hopefully do something with Usher soon. I’m just taking it as it comes. In the meantime, I’m definitely working on my own stuff. Right now I have about two completed songs, which is crazy for me because it takes me a long time to say a song is done.

Interview + words by Michael Nguyen

Follow JMSN on Twitter
JMSN’s YouTube
JMSN’s Tumblr
JMSN’s Facebook
JMSN’s Soundcloud

**JMSN is going to be performing a residency in July at the Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles. Free Show every Monday starting 7/9 continuing 7/16, 7/23 & 7/30.