Music is in 24-year-old Ezra Jordan’s DNA. His parents are singers and songwriters, Amy Sky and Marc Jordan.
“I’m thankful to be in a musical family. My parents never pushed us [him and his sister, Zoe] into music; it was always our choice,” Jordan says. “I have learned the things that I know about the industry and about being a professional musician through osmosis because my parents work at home and I see them rehearse, I go to their shows and see them in the studio. I have seen all facets of a music career first-hand, growing up.”
Jordan never considered a career in singing or songwriting.
“Music has always been my dream, but not in this capacity. I wanted to be a piano player and a producer, not a singer. I think it was because I wanted to distance myself from exactly what my parents do. I have been playing piano since I was four years old. I was going to be that guy,” said Jordan.
Jordan is appearing on the new television show The Launch, that premiered on Jan. 10 on CTV. The Launch depicts a behind-the-scenes process of what goes into making a hit single. The six-part series was created by Scott Borchetta, CEO of Big Machine Label (who gave the world Taylor Swift) and brings unknown Canadian singers together with industry personalities in order to create and “launch” a new hit single.
“I am in Episode Three, airing Jan. 31. Each episode has a different group of artists and a different winner. There are three mentors per episode, and Scott Borchetta is a mentor on every episode.” The other two mentors on his episode are songwriter Fergie and Canadian producer Stephan Moccio.
“Fergie coached me for my performance skills. I am very comfortable playing and singing behind a piano, but they wanted me to get away from that and see what I was like just with a mike. Fergie mentored me on how to work a stage and how to be comfortable when I don’t have the piano between the audience and me. She is an amazing performer and super nice. Stephan is a piano player and I’ve always looked up to him. It was really great to work with one of my idols,” said Jordan.
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“You have to watch the show to find out what happens,” Jordan said, adding that he hopes the exposure wil be the springboard to the next echelon.
It hasn’t all been a rosy path for Jordan. In the summer of 2012, Jordan suffered a life-threatening leg injury.
“I dislocated my right knee, tearing all of the ligaments and nerves, resulting in a femoral artery rupture. It was extremely serious and potentially fatal. The accident was a complete turning point in my life for a number of reasons, but the biggest of which was that I couldn’t sit at the piano for about a year, because my leg had to be propped up,” said Jordan
That’s when he decided to put away the piano temporarily and seek out a new musical outlet: singing and songwriting.
“My parents didn’t know I could sing. I was lying around in bed singing the song Unaware by Allen Stone. It has this huge epic modulation at the end, and I always play it live; it’s my favourite song. I sang it and my mom came in the room and said, ‘Wait – you can do that?’”
Jordan’s been singing ever since. In addition to piano, Jordan plays guitar, drums and the saxophone, he writes and co-produces everything he makes.
“I describe my music in the realm of alt-pop and R&B. I take a lot of inspiration from John Mayer and Coldplay. They were my two favourite artists growing up and then later, D’Angelo, which is from where I got my R&B influence. I try and marry the three to create a style that is soulful and authentic,” he said.
After the accident, when Jordan was back on his feet, he was recruited by Juno-nominated artist Scott Helman as his keyboard player and backup singer. Jordan is a graduate of the Independent Artist Program at the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood, Calif.
In 2017, he released two singles: Drag Me Down and Only Got Eyes For Her. Jordan also made his first YouTube video: Only Got Eyes For Her.
A third song, Lonely Now, will be released later this month.
Jordan is set to begin a Canadian tour on Jan.18 through Feb. 2 appearing in London, Toronto, Kingston, Ottawa and Montreal.
“I have lots of original songs written. Most of the songs I will be performing will be on my upcoming album that will debut in early summer,” said Jordan.
Visit: www.ezrajordan.com
