Montana Jacobowitz Talks Single “Let Me In” In Exclusive Interview! (@IAmMontanaJ)
1. Who or what inspired you to become a performer?
My brother, who’s autistic, his name is Arizona, inspired me to become a performer. One day he sat down at the piano all by himself without any help and started to play. He sounded like Beethoven, this moment inspired me to become the person and performer I am today.
2. You seem to do it all – act, sing, dance. What do you like most about acting?
The thing I like most about acting is when I get to connect and meet other actors from other films and projects. Also the fun times you have on set. My favorites are always the bloopers you see at the end of the film.
3. What do you get from dance that you don’t get from the other mediums?
I would definitely say that dance allows me to express myself at another level. It’s not the same as showing emotion in your voice or facial expressions, it’s completely different. Dance allows me to express feelings by moving my body to the rhythms and beats. Dance allows me to move my body as a unit or in different forms.
4. You have just written and released your first original song, “Let Me In.” What can you tell us about the process you went through to write, record, and release this song?
This was originally a second song I wrote, but it was the first song I released. I remember hoping on a Skype call with the co-songwriter, Dylan Emmet, and he asked me what do you want to write about today? At that moment, I didn’t really know because we were just throwing ideas across the table. Then I thought, let me write about my brothers emotions. I also had another situation going on with a boy I liked, so I pretty much combined both stories into the song. We ended up sitting on the call for about four to six hours just going through lyrics on the spot. I remember calling my mom right after the session, screaming “Mom, Mom, you have to listen to this song me and Dyland came up with.” Then she started jamming to it herself. The following week we were in Dylan’s studio, recording it. It was a long process, but completely worth it. We sat in the studio for a total of 8-9 hours recording, mixing, and mastering. When we finished I was so excited, but then I had to decide on a release date with my team. It took about 3-4 months until we released it. I had a big performance coming up in New York and knew that was a perfect time to release it and promote it. I was really nervous to release it because I didn’t know how my fans would react to it. I find myself always promoting my song and connecting with other artists who are always promoting their songs.
5. What did you learn about yourself from songwriting?
I learned that sometimes I misjudge lyrics, thinking they are not good enough, or they don’t go together. But I’ve learned that speaking the truth in music or saying something that is really passionate and important to you, is completely fine.
6. What was the hardest part of the song to write?
The hardest part of the song to write was definitely the beginning because when I began to write with Dylan, I had the story, but he didn’t experience my life or understand what I was trying to say.I sometimes had to start with a new beginning, then after that we breezed through the lyrics.
7. At the age of seven, you wrote a play about your brother who is autistic. What made you want to write a play about him?
I was very young at the time, but I sometimes was seen as a mother figure to my brother. When people don’t understand him, they misjudge him and start to talk bad about him. I learned to step in and speak up to people that are being mean or misjudging him. It was a playwriting contest about showing an act of kindness and accepting people. My mom said I should enter at the time. So I decided to write a play about my brother and people accepting and sometimes not accepting his difference. The play was originally performed in front of my elementary school, as one of the winners of the contest. My play portrayed the storyline that we should accept everyone, no matter their differences, we’ve all got our flaws. The director of the play contest decided to put it up on YouTube so it could stay on there for everyone to see around the World.
8. How do you feel this play has helped others either with autism or assisted those in understanding autism better?
I feel that this play has helped others with autism because it lets people know that there not alone in situations similar to my brothers. It’s people around them that lacks the understanding and sometimes requires time to understand. The play helps to assist those to understand autism better because it gives them an example of how to approach a situation. The play also illustrates how one should not approach a situation involving an individual with autism.
9. You also made a cover video on YouTube of Andra Day’s “Rise Up,” which you dedicate to your brother because you want him to rise up. Making this cover video was influenced by your brother getting beat-up on the school bus in 2013 and he has not returned to school since. How do you help him “Rise Up”?
I help my brother rise up by showing my dedication to the cause and advocating by using my voice to spread the message about my brother and others in various situations, such as, homelessness, poverty, discrimination, denial of an education, etc. It is very similar to how Andra Day used her music video and her voice. Specifically, I help my brother at home with his education, speech, behavior, physical education, etc. He has come a very long way with the assistance of his family. Arizona was beat up on his special needs school bus in 2013 by his one to one substitute bus aide, then denied the opportunity to attend school. He is now confident and attends rallies with his family to advocate for himself and others in similar situations.
10. What is something about yourself that you’d like to share that you haven’t already?
I would like to share that I am very excited for my song, Let Me In, and I have a music video coming out very soon! So, keep an eye out for that. I also have two singles in the works, hopefully, to be released this year. I am very excited to announce that I am having a launch party in New York City in October and a launch party/ birthday bash in California in November. Lastly, I will be in Atlanta next month to film Season 1 Episode 1 of Soap Opera, 2Real4U, which will be airing on TV Soon if all proceed as expected. Follow everything on my social media!
Socials:
Official Website – https://www.montanajacobowitz.com/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/montanajacobowitz/
VEVO Music Channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrQWiaem1dP-6rZu5R_Uu3A
YouTube Vlogging Channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtebzRAhr1myxU7PWzk303g
FaceBook – https://www.facebook.com/IAmMontanaJ/
SnapChat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/little1cutie
Twitter – https://twitter.com/IAmMontanaJ
TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@iammontanaj
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Find My Song Let Me In
Lyric Video – http://vevo.ly/YWZPpT
Listen | Download | Stream Link: https://song.link/s/0cJJZQV9VxON1hfEUjAXZx
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