At the age of eight, MT Jones used to sit around and watch his uncle play the piano until he learned how to play on his own. Listening to The Beatles early on, he also watched the Ray Charles biopic “Ray”, starring Jamie Foxx, and the documentary “Standing in the Shadows of Motown,” about the Funk Brothers, and started to immerse himself in soul music. He joined a band and began songwriting. Although he now says those early writings were terrible, this is what got the ball rolling for MT Jones.

“We were all listening to older records and I’ve always been doing, especially leaning towards the type of music I make,” he said. “I went to see Stevie Wonder when I was like 13. I was very lucky, and I’ve always been obsessed. Of course musically you make you try a lot of different things, but I think generally when things start connecting, it’s the most honest version of yourself…I feel like when I started doing my own music and writing songs for me it felt like it sat in this style the best and I can feel like I can convey myself in the best way when I’m making this, because it makes me feel something.”

Now the UK soul singer-songwriter joined WNXP to talk developing his writing, his friendship with Jalen Ngonda and releasing his debut record Joy.

“What brings me joy, music is definitely one of them,” said Jones. “Friendship, love, all of that stuff, and that’s why I think I chose it as the title because I felt like it personified a lot of things.”