What You Expect Sits With Montana Janel 
Montana Janel is New York’s angel. The former actress blends R&B and pop to take listeners onto a spiritual journey and beyond. The “R&B Fairy” aims to heal with her soulful delicate voice.
Xavier Hunter: When did you start creating music?
Montana Janel: I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember. I was a child performer/actress and I started singing when I was around 8 or 9. I started taking songwriting seriously in college when I was 18.
XH: How did you transition from acting to music?
MJ: Writing and telling stories is something that I’ve always loved to do which is why I enjoyed acting. Since middle school I would win creative writing awards. The transition was easy. It was just having enough confidence to tell my own stories versus other people’s stories.
XH: Who are your musical influences?
MJ: India Arie is a huge one. I’ve been singing her songs since high school and she’s helped my spiritual journey. People say I remind them of Ariana Grande. I like artists with spiritual elements like Jhené Aiko and Raveena. I love Mahalia and SZA.
XH: Describe how did you create “R&B Fairy”
MJ: The forest has been my safe space since I was a kid. Growing up, our house was in the middle of the forest and my sister and I would spend a lot of time on this trail pretending that we would see fairies. I’ve always been fascinated with fairies because in folklore they were deemed as mischievous beings. Not good enough for heaven, but not bad enough for hell. Today they’re portrayed as cute, delicate beings. There’s duality and I implement the duality of woman in my music. I have a babyface and a light voice, but I also have crazy songs where I say out of pocket things.
XH: How did you start your spiritual journey?
MJ: It’s been a lifelong journey honestly. My family is Catholic and as a kid it didn’t resonate with me. No disrespect. I used to search online to see what religion fit me best and Buddhism came up a lot. In college, I took two courses dedicated to Asian religion and spirituality and religion around the world. I also worked in a spirituality shop where I learned many things from my boss. I’m very big on knowing myself and my values. Spirituality is a vessel for that.
XH: Why is it important to you to incorporate your spirituality in your music?
MJ: That’s my whole mission in this life. I don’t care about followers or how many people necessarily listen to my music. It’s more so about the message. This world can be a lot for so many people. There’s so much music that if the music doesn’t have a message or healing intention then space for that is overcrowded. I want people to feel heard the same way how I want to feel heard.
XH: How can one start their spiritual journey?
MJ: It’s very specific to each individual. For beginners, I would say practice mindfulness and presence. Not everything is sitting and meditating with crystals. Presence is the most spiritual thing you can do. It’s as simple as not going on your phone in the morning and choosing to take a walk. Being present with your thoughts and feelings and understanding why you feel that way. It’s not easy but practice shadow work—understanding yourself in the most gentle way possible.
XH: What can we look forward from you next?
MJ: I have three more singles and then I’m going to release an EP.