In this interview, we talk with Jacob Khalil, a New York City–based singer, songwriter, and pianist whose music blends pop, soul, and gospel influences. Jacob shares how growing up in a musical household and singing in church shaped his sound, and how his journey from studying opera to performing original music led him to the New York City scene. He also reflects on the opportunities that come from putting yourself out there, his experience performing across the city during Make Music Day, and what’s ahead in a big year filled with new albums, global touring, and songwriting collaborations.
Singer, songwriter, pianist. When did you first start playing music?
I pretty much came out of the womb as a singer. My mom and my grandparents are singers and musicians, so I grew up in a musical household. I was writing songs at an early age, and then by the time I was about 15, I taught myself how to play piano. Then I went to college and studied opera, which is extremely different from what I do now. I realized I just wanted to do other things with singing, but I still do a little bit of classical singing. I sing in a few choirs and stuff like that. My earliest memories of singing are from church and from singing in a boy choir in Houston, Texas, where I’m from.
You’ve played at some great venues in New York, and you were even part of the vocal group that accompanied Sam Smith on SNL. How has the New York City music scene been for you as an artist?
The music scene in New York has been everything, because there are so many cool opportunities here. I feel like it’s endless. I’ve been able to play at Birdland, I’ve been able to play at Joe’s Pub, and I was on Saturday Night Live. What I love about New York is that if you put yourself out there, play, and do your best, you meet people, you impress people, and you get opportunities that lead to other things. I’m a songwriter, and I’ll play an original piece at a venue, and people will say, “I love that—can we talk about doing something together? Or can you do a show with me, or play at this venue, or play my wedding?” A lot of things just kind of pop up from anywhere.
What artists or bands have influenced your music the most?
People often cite Billy Joel and Bill Withers when they think about my music. But there are modern artists I really resonate with too, like Lawrence, Vulfpeck, Lake Street Dive, or Ben Rector—he’s an awesome singer-songwriter in Nashville. But I think my biggest influences, whether or not you can hear it in my music, are probably Stevie Wonder and The Beatles. They’re the two I turn to all the time. Then also the Beach Boys, Queen, Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, and Erroll Garner. I feel like I’m a bit of a hodgepodge, because I grew up in a household where my mom loved music and played very eclectic artists, like Erykah Badu and things like that. We’re talking late ’90s, early 2000s, lots of jazz and R&B.
I was listening to your music on Spotify this morning, and I kind of got the sense that there’s a bit of gospel in there too, right?
Absolutely—gospel. Those are my earliest influences, singing in church and doing numbers there. I was doing solos in church by the time I was eight years old, so that’s been part of my life the whole time. That influences all my music, and I think that’s why there’s an uplifting element to a lot of it. I try to make joyful music that has meaning, and I think that comes out of a church context, in a way.
How did you first hear about Make Music Day?
I think it was a Google search—or a ChatGPT search, actually, which is nuts, right? It’s kind of crazy.
And what was your Make Music Day performance like?
It was awesome. I did four in one day. I did one at noon, then we packed up and went over to the Lower East Side. Then we went up and played on the Upper West Side. There was music going on throughout the entire city, out on the streets and in lots of public places. That was pretty cool. There was another one I did a couple weeks after, and I think it was right in front of the Apple Store. That was a really cool one. I was like, “I’m kind of doing an Apple gig”—but it wasn’t, it was Make Music New York.
What’s next for you? Any new music or upcoming shows you’re excited about?
This is probably my biggest year yet. I have two albums coming out, and I have tour dates all around the world. I’m going to the UK, I’m going to Asia, and I’m going all over the US too. I’m also writing a lot of songs for other artists that will be released on their projects. So it’s a big year in a lot of ways, and I’m really excited about it.
And how different is it writing for yourself versus writing for a different artist? Is there a different process?
I mean, it’s a little bit different, but it’s also kind of the same. The actual writing process is the same, but when it comes to the content, it changes. When you write for yourself, you can write about whatever you want. But if you’re writing for another artist, it becomes about finding their truth—what they want to say—and helping bring that out. One of my favorite things is having a conversation with them about their life or whatever they want to write about. There’s almost always a line they say casually that makes me think, “Oh wow, that could be a lyric or even a song title.” That usually gets things going, which is really cool. In some ways, it’s almost easier to write for someone else because those conversations give you so much material. I write on my own every day—I write a song every day, no matter what—but that’s a different process than writing with someone else.
Last question. What advice would you give to someone who wants to become an artist or a musician?
If you just want to play music, focus on getting really good at your instrument or your voice, and then go perform as much as you can. If you’re not in a major city like New York or LA, go play at a retirement home or anywhere you can. If you learn a few songs or write a few songs, just go play them for people. Be playing all the time. The only thing you can’t manufacture is enthusiasm. As long as you keep your enthusiasm high, you’ll figure everything else out. The hardest part about being a musician is dealing with setbacks. You might be incredibly talented, but not have the opportunities you deserve yet. If you can find a way to maintain your enthusiasm at all costs, eventually those opportunities will come. If you finish a gig and still want to go home and play music, then you’re already winning—you haven’t lost that enthusiasm. And if you have that, you’re going to go far, because people want to work with others who are truly enthusiastic about what they do.