To paraphrase a line from a popular TV show, wear the names people call you like armor so they can never be used to hurt you. That’s exactly what up-and-coming MC Jelo the Weirdo did.
He reclaimed the name “weirdo” by using it in his stage name to mark the beginning of a new chapter in his career. He dropped “Amen,” his first single as Jelo the Weirdo, last February 4.
“I decided to go with it because people called me a weirdo when I was in high school,” he explains. “I didn’t have many friends back then because my family and I moved around a lot, so I’d always eat lunch alone.”
These days, Jelo—who competed in The Voice Teens season two in 2020 as a member of Team Apl—is perfectly fine with being considered weird. In fact, he finds it empowering.
“It used to bug me when people would call me weird, but now I know being strange isn’t really a bad thing. Being a weirdo sets you apart. It actually makes you extraordinary,” he says.
During his singing show days, Jelo stood out from the crowd because he was the only rapper. Now that he’s entering the local hip-hop scene, Jelo aims to stand out as a producer/songwriter.
As he tells it, he specializes in chill songs with extremely catchy melodies and unorthodox beats.
“After I come up with an idea, I create a beat. I also work with talented producers I met on BeatStars, Instagram, or SoundCloud. Most of them are from overseas, they send me beats that I write on top of,” he shares.
That was how Jelo’s first single “Amen” and the rest of the songs on his upcoming EP were created.
Jelo’s favorite artists include Drake, Frank Ocean, Juice WRLD, Kanye West, Lil Nas X, Mac Miller, and Post Malone. All of them influenced him to create his own style as a performer, producer, and songwriter.
“Listening to all their albums and emulating them fueled my dreams. They helped me develop my abilities,” he says.
Jelo has a growing fanbase that he affectionately calls “weirdos.” Their support has given him the confidence to aim high.
According to Jelo, he would probably follow in his late father’s footsteps and become a policeman—if he wasn’t already determined to become the best artist he can possibly be, that is.
When asked what he has in store this year, Jelo replied, “Bangers after bangers and an upcoming EP. I’m going all out in my vision. I’m my number one believer and I’m manifesting great things ahead.”
