Meet Daijah Ross of Beats + Ballads in Downtown

Today we’d like to introduce you to Daijah Ross.

Daijah, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Well, I have always been called a jack of all trades. For so long, I’ve been passionate about so many different things- singing, writing, executing events, cooking, and wellness to name a few. Unfortunately, I was often told that I had to choose “one thing” and focus on that thing if I ever wanted to be successful. I felt bad for having too many interests at once. Sacrificing one passion for another really frustrated me and made me grow recluse when it came to my creativity.

In college, I was able to start hosting events with friends that included a lot of things I loved – art, music, wellness, and food. That really got me excited and opened me up to new possibilities. At one of the events, I was asked to sing, which freaked me out because I never wanted to be a singer. I wrote in my spare time because it was an outlet for me, but I was a true introvert when it came to expressing my art. I ended up singing and got a good response from the crowd, which made me feel good, but I still stayed stuck in my ways. I sang in my church choir, a few open mic night events here and there, but that’s as far as it went. Eventually, my friends would start asking me to sing at their events or write a few songs, and that pretty much got me thinking about creating my own music. So around 2016, I started taking music more seriously, but the music did not reflect what I genuinely wanted to say. It could’ve been me in my own head, but I don’t believe in forcing my creative process whatsoever. I was no longer inspired, so I just stopped. I believe the right words for a composition comes to mind on its own time, forcing that process will only get into the way of one’s success.

Fast forward to 2017, I began to work with different indie artists, writing and doing background singing, really just hanging out at the studio everyday being around that good energy. From there, I began building relationships and genuinely falling back in love with music again. Music became my main focus, I still didn’t know in which capacity I wanted to deal with music, I just know I wanted to be around it 24/7.
I was writing, singing, and creating pretty much every day. I was in and out of the studio, stayed there typically until 1 or 2 a.m., then woke up at 7 a.m. for my 9-5 job. I WAS EXHAUSTED! Although my job at the time was cool and paid most of my bills, I hated being there. I grew super uncomfortable and annoyed, and I knew a transition was about to transpire. Like all people, at times, I take things for granted, picking at the details of opportunity and even my creations. I call it knowing what I want, but I really like my life to be purposeful and impactful. I was neither in that role. I gave myself a hard deadline to quit my job and focus on the things that made me happy – the true millennial way. I barely had a savings, and bills weren’t stopping, but I still made my move. I was very transparent with my family and friends in that time with – “I ain’t got it!” “It”, meaning the time, the money, nor the emotional capacity to pour into whatever they had going on. It may sound insensitive, but I had to be selfish for a little while. I wanted to be very clear on where I was, without people being concerned. I just really wanted the space to figure things out on my own. I had faith that things were going to work out for me. I truly believed and still believe that my steps are ordered. I believe that none of the people I met and the relationships I established were by chance, so I led with that. I knew my purpose. For the entire month of December, I was unemployed and felt more free than I had ever felt. Strangely enough, business at the studio start slowing down. I wasn’t getting called to go to writing sessions as much and I started questioning everything!

I don’t know about y’all, but I know that God surely has a sense of humor. Me getting called into studio sessions to work did not validate me as an individual or an artist. I’m much more than that. I still made sure I stayed busy. I made a goal to write a song every day, and I was very patient with myself when I “fell short” of that mark. Every day isn’t going to be a creative one, and I found peace with that. I stayed on a routine of getting up early and out the door, taking baby steps into my success, reminding myself it was never a “race”. I would go to a coffee shop and just research any and everything music-related. I studied sound frequencies, the science behind music, songwriting techniques and just how to be a better artist. I would watch (and still do) documentaries on some legendary, unsung artists such as Roberta Flack, Hazel Scott, Millie Jackson, The Perri Sisters, Etta James, Sarah Vaughn, Maya Angelou, and Nikki Giovanni, just to name a few. I went from soul singers to poets because I see myself as both. I love the raw, unfiltered emotions and words of all these artists. So that was my homework. I made it my business to study and take notes of vocal arrangements, the instruments being used, and above all – the feeling! Emotions are so important to me. Raw, unfiltered emotions translate into the best art in my opinion. I’m still learning every day, but that’s pretty much what got me focused on throwing live, open mic jam sessions. I had so many songs written, but no place to really share them and get instant feedback from people outside of my circle.

I had been to a few open mic events around the city, but nothing ever really felt like I belonged. Like I said, I’m a Jack of many trades. I love music, but I’m quirky, I have a dry sense of humor at times, and I’m not really in your face. So being at those events felt very one dimensional. I felt like I had to put on an act to be liked in those spaces, and that’s not who I am. I’m a firm believer in – “If you don’t see the space you’re looking for – create it” That’s been my motto since college really, and that’s what I’m doing.

January rolled around and I got a message from an old boss. She basically offered me a job at Switchyards, with respect to my music dreams. Taking the job at Switchyards was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! Switchyards is way more than a Co-working space, it’s a place where you can just be. You can work on your passion project, or just work on yourself. It completely aligned with everything I’m about, so I took the position. The great thing about the space is that it’s often used as a venue for events. “Ding ding ding!” I had my event space! I was super new to the team, but that didn’t stop me from asking – and of course they supported me and allowed me to use the space for my event. The power of the tongue! From there, I hit up my good friend Lauren to help me plan the day of the event, get flyers together, etc. I hit up my friends from the studio and got my live band locked in and few singers lined up.
Beats and Ballads was born!

Has it been a smooth road?
Towards the end of December, I made the plan of hosting my event in the month of February, right after my birthday. Still unemployed, I knew I had to keep my overhead very low. I literally prayed, out loud like “God, please help me find a venue for my event that will let me host FOR FREE!” I was very specific with that prayer! I ended up going to an event and locking in a super dope venue where they weren’t going to charge me anything! I was like “Wow! God is really showing out. A quick answer, too!” Unfortunately, that venue fell through. I was annoyed but not discouraged. I knew I still had an event to do.

Please tell us about Beats + Ballads.
Beats and Ballads is an open mic jam session event that reaches out to the singers and spoken word artists of Atlanta. My personal goal for each event is to share an original song with a beat the band comes up with it. I literally have to go with the flow and the energy of the room and just move on that. I think that speaks to my artists. I don’t like to be boxed in and I like to be ready for any and everything. I wanted to provide a space where if people felt move to sing or say something on their heart, the floor was theirs. I think I accomplished that intention. The feedback I get from the event – people telling me that was their first time singing live, people who don’t sing telling me how they almost got up there. People felt free to express themselves. That makes me so happy! I felt like “I really have something here.” There’s raw emotions, improve jam sessions, so much laughter, so many smiles, and GREAT MUSIC! Beats and Ballads gives me the freedom to BE! I get to be myself and shine my light on so many gifted individuals. I created it as a safe space for those who are jacks of many trades, but just need a creative release without feeling crazy! I say every show that there’s No Pressure. You either feel it or you don’t. Move with what’s on your head and build from that. There are no wrong answers when you’re listening to your soul.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I think real music is about to resurface. I think people are going to get back to the real feelings and move on that. Hopefully, real instruments will make a comeback and people are going to want to dance again. Idk, I know I’m an old soul so I can be stuck on the music my parents used to play, but I really felt music was freeing back then. I think people are going to get back to their roots, whatever those roots maybe for them. In next few years, I think social media validation will be less significant and people will be more transparent with where they are. Real talent will shine through. Individuality will resurface. Hopefully, people in the music industry will make it cool to seek a therapist because that’s important. A lot of us are hurting and music is our outlet, but there’s real help needed for artists because it can get very lonely. Hopefully, sometime soon people will find freedom in seeking the peace that they need.