Hailing from South Africa, Jarid Williams is a rising R&B and pop artist with international recognition and an unstoppable drive. The artist infuses elements of R&B, hip hop, funk, and blues into a soulful sound and this remains true in his new single, “Reckless”. “Reckless depicts the tug-of-war emotion of temptation that everyone experiences when in a relationship. It’s almost like I got a good girl at home but is the grass greener on the other side and do I want to risk losing a happy home for a quick fix. I feel everyone has experienced that emotion at some point in their life”
Watch the music video for “Reckless” here:
For Jarid, inspiration is found through everyday life. “I might be going through a good place but a friend might be going through something tough that’s relatable to people. Every day people are the inspiration,” says the artist of his muse—life itself.
Williams is no longer the 11-year-old who blew away the crowd with his rendition of “Happy Birthday” at his grandfather’s birthday party years ago. From a young age, Jarid was headed for an international reach. After relocating to Australia and after years of skill development prompted by that fateful birthday party moment— he began making waves, performing Stevie Wonder’s “Lately” in front of millions of viewers on Australian Idol, where he placed in the top 50 finalists.
Jarid then went on to release his first digital EP, “Unfall in Love,” in 2017, which garnered national acclaim. This led to his performing on the national Men of RnB Tour in Australia which featured acts including Eric Bellinger, J.Holiday, Lloyd and RL from the group NEXT. That same year, he released “Unfall in Love” in South Africa and continued to tour—the Good Life Tour in Australia and later an international tour to South Africa to promote the Gold Record achievement of his single “Slow Down on It.”
Soon after, life led Jarid to Los Angeles, California, where he began focusing on his rising music career. From regular performances to earning a bachelor’s degree in business, he has continued gaining momentum in his professional career.
He went on to perform at the World Championships of Performing Arts in Los Angeles where he competed against 5000 of the world’s best and became Champion of the World for Vocal Pop and R&B/Jazz. This opportunity led Williams to open for artists including Brian McKnight and earned him a nomination for an Australian Independent Music Award.
Jarid loves the creative process of bringing his songs to life. Even writer’s block—the dreaded productivity killer that affects creatives everywhere—is “still part of the process” according to the artist. “You have to enjoy the good and the bad.”
Of all of his life achievements, Jarid Williams is the proudest of his Gold Record win. His success— particularly as an independent artist without the logistical support of a label—is monumental in the music world. Writing and producing his own material with the support of an experienced team, Williams is looking to take the next step in his path through label representation in the near future.
When the global pandemic began, his momentum may have slowed along with the rest of the world, but William’s commitment to musical success has kept him motivated for the past two years. As a new year unfolds and the world begins to reopen, Jarid Williams is preparing to take the stage again.
