Exclusive Interview with Devin Acevedo

Artist Spotlight: Jacob Devin

Retro-pop artist Jacob Devin invites listeners into a world of imagination, emotion and self-discovery with “Fantasy,” the title track of his debut album Fantasy. Blending a funky, retro-inspired sound with an intimate exploration of relationships and personal growth, the song captures Devin’s desire to create music that encourages listeners to embrace life, vulnerability and their own sense of possibility.

In this exclusive Q&A, Jacob Devin opens up about the stories behind the music, lessons learned along the way, and what keeps their passion alive.

MusicsWeek: Who are your biggest musical influences?

Jacob Devin: My biggest music influencers would probably be Frank Sinatra.

MusicsWeek: What non-musical influences (books, movies, art, etc.) inspire your work?

Jacob Devin: My biggest inspiration for movies would be Star Wars and Narnia. 

MusicsWeek: Is there a particular song or album that has significantly influenced your career?

Jacob Devin: An album that has a big influence on me would probably be anything by Frank Ocean. I love all his artwork.

MusicsWeek: How do your personal experiences shape your music?

Jacob Devin: My personal experience has a big impact on my music because I’m able to connect with an emotion and amplify that through my music. 

MusicsWeek: Have your influences changed over the years?

Jacob Devin: My influences have changed over the years based on how I perceive the art. I would say I still like a lot of the music I used to listen to 10 years ago, but I’ve grown to like new music as well. 

MusicsWeek: How do you incorporate your cultural background into your music?

Jacob Devin: My cultural background, I think, just naturally gets displayed within my Music. I come from a European Latin household, and I’m very Americanized, so I would just say a lot of the influence and cultural impact would just come from living within the States.

MusicsWeek: What role does nature or your environment play in your songwriting?

Jacob Devin: I love nature, so I would say as a big impact; I look into a lot of God's creation to help find my own way of expressing myself. It’s kind of like looking within when you look into nature.

MusicsWeek: When did you first realize you wanted to be a musician?

Jacob Devin: I first realized I wanna be a musician. I think when I was a little bit older, when I was like around 16, I used to write a lot when I was young, and then once I started taking vocal lessons, I became more comfortable with the idea of making music. 

MusicsWeek: What was the first song you ever wrote, and what inspired it?

Jacob Devin: I could not honestly think of the first song I have ever written, but I can remember specifically when I was writing fantasy, which was like the fourth song we wrote for the album, ending up being the umbrella for the whole album. It was like a Saturday night, and all I had in a notebook was the word fantasy, and we just started really diving deep into the thought process of what that meant for the time in my life.

MusicsWeek: How did you get started in the music industry?

Jacob Devin: When I was 17, I signed with the studio to start my artist development, and I felt very nervous and was trying to find comfort and be vulnerable. I’m thankful for all my mentors and my producers who have helped me be my most authentic self, been patient with me, and allowed me to make mistakes to grow.