Check out Kalvin Jarvis’s Artwork

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tucson’s very own Kalvin (Kal-El) Jarvis.

Kalvin (Kal-El), we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
My father was a rapper who competed with Eminem and Kid Rock in Detroit Michigan in the 80’s. Being so, I grew up around music and beats and studios and radio stations. After the cocaine epidemic my father unfortunately got caught up in the hype. In and out in rehab centers, I picked up a pen and a mic and started creating my own songs.

I started as a rapper when I was just 12 years old. Making words rhyme in a unique scheme became addicting for me. As time when on I realized my “hidden talent” (singing) was a lot more challenging and satisfying than just rapping. I had to come up with not only the words to sing, but also the melody in which to sing that would flow correctly with whatever beat I decided to use.

In middle school I joined a choir as an elective not knowing how much it would groom me as I got older.
As a tenor, I sang plenty solos and began to get more attention than ever singing. This became like a drug for me. Learning scales and how to use vibrato turned me into a monster. Slowly but surely, I became the favorite in the choir to watch.

In high school I joined choir as well, but was limited in my participation due to playing 3 sports as well. Throughout high school I took sports more serious and didn’t really sing that much. I went to Arizona Western College and played football there for a year. During that year I won a talent show at the school. One day I woke up and realized I didn’t really care for football anymore and wanted to sing.

I dropped out of college and began my career of singing. I released and album entitled “Love & War” on every major outlet. After owning my own studio and going on tour with Amanda Perez and random meetings with Frankie J and Genuine and Keith Sweat, I won The Voice casting call in Tucson, AZ and gained the respect of Tucson. Now I’m working on my second album scheduled to release January of 2019.

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I do r&b, soul, and hip-hop music. Starting as a rapper, I didn’t want to limit myself to just one thing when I’m capable of doing more. My music consists of Love, Pain, and getting through the struggle of life. Everything that I’ve created has been inspired by real life events that I overcame. Past relationships, death of loved ones, dreams of being a singer, dealing with envy, jealousy and hate. I want younger people to know that even though you may have been dealt some bad cards in life, anything can happen with the right poker face. There are ways of releasing that aggression and passion that don’t involve getting yourself into trouble. Have I forgotten all the things that I went through? The drugs, the guns, the fighting, the constant moving and never going to the same school for more than two years. No. But I will not let it define who I become in my future. Instead I’ll use it to push me further than I was before and turn it into ART!

What do you know now that you wished you had learned earlier?
Your music will be as serious as you take it. Don’t let people tell you how to do you. Do what feels natural for you and stick with it, embrace it, perfect it, and own it because it’s you.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, Soundcloud. Pretty much “Google” Kalvin Jarvis and you’ll find everything you’re looking for.

Contact Info:

• Email: 1shotrnb@gmail.com
• Instagram: @kalvinjarvis
• Facebook: Facebook.com/kalvinjarvis
• Twitter: @iAMKalvinJarvis
• Other: soundcloud.com/1shotmusicllc

Image Credit:
SDVISIONS, BRYCE BURNETT

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