With an undeniable style and musicality, Jacob Daniel Murphy (JDM) has been developing and solidifying as an artist to watch over the past 5 years.
Born and raised in Elk Grove, CA, Murphy grew up with an eclectic taste in music (Aretha Franklin, James Taylor, Whitney Houston, Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Wonder, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra,) citing his mother playing a huge part in his discovery and love for the art. Having begun his individual vocal and musical journey at the age of five, Murphy became a natural performer gracing different stages all before learning long division equations in elementary school. He continued honing his craft in high school, gravitating toward the emotionally expressive genres of Soul and R&B, listening and learning from iconic artists such as Beyonce, Jazmine Sullivan, Lauryn Hill, John Legend, Amy Winehouse, Destiny’s Child, India Arie and Musiq Soulchild. While in college, Murphy’s songwriting and production skills began to blossom, soon gaining the attention of A&R’s and industry executives in Los Angeles.
Upon graduating from Oklahoma State University in 2015 with a Bachelor’s degree in Strategic Communication, Murphy was flown out to Los Angeles for two weeks after winning a full ride scholarship to an artist development camp where he worked with top industry attorneys, vocal coaches and songwriters such as Billboard #1 songwriter Crystal Nicole (Rihanna, Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez). It was at this artist development camp that Murphy met his mentor and industry veteran Anthony Renoir.
Murphy moved to Los Angeles soon after in the spring of 2016 where Renoir connected him with an internship at a recording studio in North Hollywood, CA. While there, he became fully immersed in the music industry. Murphy and his fellow interns mopped floors, cleaned bathrooms and went on food runs for artists in exchange for studio time. After honing his toplining skills during his spare time, he began ghost-writing and demoing for artists who frequented the studio. He soon began co-writing with and demoing for legendary songwriter Steven Russell Harts of the Underdogs (Chris Brown, Ruben Studdard, Monica, Jennifer Hudson, Elliott Yamin).
In the summer of 2017, Murphy began working on his own material, shifting his focus on his own development as an artist and solidifying his artistry and sound. Over the next two years, he began a difficult journey of self-discovery eventually leading to his decision to officially come out to his friends and family. The emotional liberation that followed led him to a place of acceptance which would ultimately influence his overall sound and artistry. The following year in 2019, Murphy was cast in the 18th season of NBC’s The Voice, earning a spot as a wildcard on Team Blake. It was through this experience that Murphy gained national exposure and recognition for his multi-cultural background and unexpected soulful vocals with Blake Shelton citing similarities to a young Stevie Wonder. Murphy exited the show after performing Lizzo’s hit song “Good As Hell” with Season 18’s runner up, Toneisha Harris which garnered over 2 million views on YouTube and quickly became America’s favorite battle performance in the history of The Voice.
Upon his exit from the show, Murphy began working on material to release to his new wave of supporters. He is currently writing and recording his first set of EPs, taking the necessary time to curate a body of work that accurately represents the all encompassing growth and evolution of his enigmatic artistry