Jasmine Ortiz

Jasmine Ortiz is a New York-born Latina. Her love of music began at the tender age of 3 when she had her first piano lesson. By age six, Jasmine was signed to Abrams Artists, the bicoastal agency for acting and modeling, which was a twelve-year working relationship. Jasmine received her SAG/Aftra card by the tender age of 10, with many acting, modeling, voice-over and theater accolades under her belt; from Nickelodeon, to Sesame Street, to features.

She composed and performed her first song at age 8 before an entire school. Graduating from one of the TOP 25 Arts high schools in the United States, Charter Arts High School in Pennsylvania, she double majored in piano and guitar. A self- motivated performer Jasmine lead her own band for two years; simultaneously booking their shows and self-promoting. Jasmine plays a total of 5 instruments; the piano, the guitar, the viola, saxophone, and drums. Her level of theory composition is at an advanced college level. Having been to over 15 countries by sophomore year of high school, she is both well-spoken and well-traveled.

Jasmine is also a scholar; she was the Vice President of the National Honor Society, with a GPA of 3.98, & scored in the top 5% in SAT scores for the entire state of PA. Her musical ability and incredible GPA garnered her over $500K in Merit Scholarships from all of her top school choices, in the US and in England. Currently, at 19, a sophomore, she chose the Presidential scholarship and Foote Fellowship that was offered to her from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami, turning down schools such as Berklee School of Music, Occidental, and other top schools in the US and London. As she excels in school, making the deans list, she is also a Model UN delegate representing the U, and winning Model UN competitions, in schools such as Harvard, Columbia, and George Washington in DC.

With over a million+ views, on her most recent Single “Intentions” and over 3 million cohesively on all of her bi- lingual music on YouTube and VEVO, Jasmine is well on her way to solidifying her place in the musical world. Singing in 3 languages, English, Spanish & Chinese, composing, producing, and playing instruments. Jasmine thrives on performance and being in the studio creating new music. Jasmine has achieved notoriety, by working hard, in less than a year, releasing her first music video, “Miles Away”(English), “Miles Away” (English/Chinese), “Que Sera” (English/Spanish), “HOT” (English/Spanish)). Her most recent video, “Intentions” (English/Spanish) is the first to reach over a million views and in only 3 months. In less than a year, as an independent artist, Jasmine has garnered over 3 million views and streams between her videos on her YouTube channel, on other channels Vevo/ Vydia, TV shows (Music Choice, HTV, Rumba TV, etc) and Spotify & Audiomack (& other streaming platforms) reaching fans from the US, Europe, Asia to Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Click HERE for Jasmine's Newest Music Video “INTENTIONS”

Vocal readers, please enjoy our interview!

Tammy Reese:

What inspired you to get into the entertainment industry?

Jasmine Ortiz:

I've been in the entertainment industry since I was very young, working in television and print since I was only 5. At the same age, I was signed to my first agent at Abrams Artists. I was always inspired by the kids I saw on TV in commercials and in Disney Channel shows. I would point at the screen and tell my mom, "I want to do what they're doing." So, we made it happen. As far as my development as a musical artist, I have been playing piano since the age of 3, always inspired by my mother's love of music and the diverse range of styles she exposed me to. From Ella Fitzgerald to Sade, I have been listening to the greats since before I could talk.

Tammy Reese:

What do you love about the work that you do?

Jasmine Ortiz:

I love songwriting because to me, it is my purest form of expression. I can be extremely candid with my thoughts and emotions, without really giving away exactly what the situation I'm writing about might be. I wrote my first song when I was 8 years old, a simple tune with lyrics about turning up the stereo in your car. Since then, I've created hundreds of concepts, written countless songs lyrically and musically; and begun my journey as a self-taught music producer.

Tammy Reese:

What are some of the most memorable moments in your career so far?

Jasmine Ortiz:

One of the more recent memorable moments includes surpassing over 500k views on my latest music video in under a week. Honestly, it took my breath away that my work was resonating with so many people, and so quickly. The Trick or Treat music video was a huge highlight of my career as well, because so much detail, time, and effort went into its production. Some of my closest friends were involved in the video both as artistic directors, wardrobe, and actors. It was truly a team effort and I'm so grateful for everyone involved.

Tammy Reese:

What have been some challenges during your career?

Jasmine Ortiz:

One challenge I have faced during my career is something common to artists in any medium - a change in style. Throughout the past two years, I have been developing as an artist and identifying what elements of my sound feel the most authentic to me. While this process can sometimes feel incredibly frustrating, it has also enlightened me to acknowledge that while I can make music in many different genres, I feel most comfortable and genuine while writing pop or alternative pop music. This discovery has ultimately signified a shift in my career from the Latin pop market, to the mainstream pop market.

Tammy Reese:

I understand you minored in political science. What social awareness topics are you passionate about and why?

Jasmine Ortiz:

I am extremely passionate about women's rights, addressing racial injustices, developing humane immigration policies, and reversing the effects of climate change from the corporate level. Other issues I am interested in include educational reform and increased funding for our public schools because I believe that education is the most important tool for building generational success. I am also interested in public transportation/affordable housing development to help housing-insecure populations in our nations' largest cities.

Tammy Reese:

What are you currently working on?

Jasmine Ortiz:

I am currently working on my first EP, set to be released in the first half of 2021. I am really excited about this project fully encapsulating who I have become as a young woman, and developing artist. I have several possible titles floating around, but none have been solidified quite yet. So far, I have a handful of songs to choose from, and I can't wait to keep developing this project until it's exactly where it needs to be.

Tammy Reese:

What do you think is the future of the entertainment industry?

Jasmine Ortiz:

I think we are currently experiencing what the future of the entertainment industry might look like, only in hyper-speed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Many cherished entertainment venues are being forced to close their doors and opt for online streaming platforms as alternatives. In turn, artists are being pushed onto these platforms as well. While this is a really exciting new model, providing more accessibility for fans to see artists across the globe, I'm not sure how well this will fare in a post-covid era.

Once the pandemic has subsided, people will be itching for excitement and the next in-person experience to enjoy. I think providing more dynamic experiences aside from concerts alone, will allow fans to get to know their favorite artists more thoroughly than ever before. Ariana Grande's interactive album exhibit from a few years back is a great example of this.

Tammy Reese:

What do you want your legacy to look like?

Jasmine Ortiz:

I have put a bit of thought into this question, mainly because so many of my goals extend far beyond my own reach. I want to start a nonprofit focusing on combatting the effects of climate change and reducing the carbon footprint of the music industry. I want to follow in the footsteps of Leonardo DiCaprio, who has his own climate-action foundation and has spoken at the United Nations to address pressing environmental issues. I definitely want to inspire future generations, as a Latina who was able to bridge societal gaps between education, political action, and the music industry.

Tammy Reese:

What advice would you have for anyone who wants to enter the entertainment industry?

Jasmine Ortiz:

Some advice I would give to someone starting out in the entertainment industry is to expect more "no's" than "yes's". This advice has helped me stay true to my vision for the past 15 years. Starting out as a child actor, I went to countless auditions that I didn't land. I know that in many of those cases I just didn't have the look or style that the casting directors were searching for. When I finally did get one, I gave the project my all. This advice is really meant to say: don't take things personally. Many people won't understand your music, your vision, your style, or your artistry as well as you do. However, eventually, someone will. It's important to balance taking constructive criticism, with staying true to yourself.

Stay up-to-date on Jasmine's career and journey by connecting on Instagram @iamJasmineOrtiz.