Justin Figueroa: A Moving Falsetto

Justin Figuera’s artistry has been described as unforgettable, a sound that marries Motown-like hooks with jazz-influenced acoustic guitar. It has been said that his musicianship effortlessly taps the spirit of Nina Simone and Marvin Gaye, topped off with a soaring falsetto that hasn’t been heard since the glory days of Prince.

“If I had to stylize myself into one genre, wow, it’s so hard, jeez, I feel like there is someone else whose job that is…but I would probably say that my music is soul.”

“The root of the reason that I am an artist… I like bringing the sound that people maybe haven’t heard to the forefront…and relate-ability: I enjoy putting a voice and lyrics to a particular emotion. I like venting frustration, sadness… giving voice to common emotion.
His musical influences include Stevie Wonder, Jeff Buckley, Donny Hathaway, and Nina Simone, all of whom are detectable in the work he produces and the soulful sound he emits onstage.

“I feel as though all of these artists have a strong connection to the soul, and it is truly the music I was drawn to while I was discovering what I wanted to be as an artist,” said Figueroa, in a recent interview.

Figueroa began his career in musical theater, and in the past few years has begun to establish himself as a solo performer all over the music scene in Los Angeles.

“My roots are actually in musical theater, which is what I started out doing. I have made the transition into singing and songwriting in the last few years,” said Figueroa.

A New York native, Figueroa spent years in the state, before moving to Southern California.

“What actually moved me out to the Los Angeles area was that I was living out in New York at the time and was hired by Disney to do a show out in Venture, which is one of the parks out in California. I worked with the Aladdin show, so I relocated from New York to be a part of the production.”

His melodies are far from the overly theatrical that one would expect from someone who has studied musical theater, with range and a moving falsetto.
“His EP [“A Headphone Masterpiece”] is truly an emotionally engaging, lyrically inspiring, flawlessly cohesive, 6-song melodic experience.” -worldwide-underground.com.

Devastatingly handsome but humble, Figueroa describes his music as genuine.
“I write what I know.”

Currently Figueroa has released one self-titled EP, “The Justin Figueroa EP,” which contains six tracks. Audiences can expect to hear these original tracks, as well as new and unreleased material in his upcoming performances.

“I like to try to keep the majority of my performances original material, but I do tend to throw in a couple of songs that people know, because I enjoy giving my own interpretation of a popular song to an audience. The ability to perform things specific to who the artist is, is something that I enjoy… that interpretive quality of music making is what I live for.”

Figueroa was a featured artist on the Worldwide Underground website, has performed at the Maverick Theater, the Rainbow in Hollywood CA, Genghis Cohen, 14 Below in Santa Monica, CA, as well as at the 2007 Montreal Jazz Festival. He is, however, currently unsigned to a label.

“Currently I am unsigned…I enjoy relating to the people who enjoy listening to my music on a personal level, and the rest will come as it may,” added Figueroa.
His upcoming tour dates in and around the Grand Forks/FM area comprise Justin’s first performances outside of the Los Angeles area.
“This is my first tour ever, first performances outside of California. So many artists play Chicago, play Minneapolis, Atlanta, New York… but I feel as though I wanted to share my music with an area that may not see as much touring. I am really excited about all of the people I will be performing with in the coming weekend, I am really fortunate to be able to play with some terribly talented musicians and anticipate a really awesome weekend.”

If You Go:

WHAT: Justin Figueroa with Wheat Missle, Jamie Mulligan, Dead Run, Fallback and Surrounded by Silence
WHERE: Eagles Club, 227 10th St NW, East Grand Forks
WHEN: Friday, Feb 29, 6pm
HOW MUCH: $5
WHO: All ages
INFO: (218) 773-2445, 773-0077

WHAT: Justin Figueroa with Yak and Yeti, Paul J. Johnson, and Jazmine Wolff
WHERE: The Red Raven
WHEN: Saturday, Mar 1, 7pm
HOW MUCH: $6
WHO: All ages
INFO: (701) 478-7337