Jeremy Pope has opened up about his decision to release his first collection of music.
The actor and musician has revealed what led him to release his debut EP, LAST NAME: POPE, earlier this month.
“I’ve always been writing and producing, but I was in a season where acting was taking priority in my life,” Jeremy told W Magazine in a recent interview. “So music became a hobby, a thing I did for myself. I didn’t have a label, or things I thought I needed to put (music) out the way I wanted to.”
The 31-year-old then explained that his friends encouraged him to share his music.
“A lot of friends were like, ‘This music is so good. You need to share it.’ At first, I was hesitant,” he said. “I thought, ‘What do you have to say? What have you learned?’ I decided to answer those questions through music, not a character on screen.”
Jeremy is best known for starring in the 2022 film The Inspection, the TV shows Pose and Hollywood, and the stage productions Ain’t Too Proud and Choir Boy.
Elsewhere in the interview, the musician opened up about why he decided to make his new songs so emotional.
“Not every day do I wake up the most confident version of myself, or the sexiest. But something beautiful happens when I trust art, the process, and my talents and gifts,” he told the publication. “I think that’s the only way I’ve arrived at this moment. I believed in these moments that felt like, ‘Oooh, what they going to say?’ At least I know I’m coming from a place of truth.”
