ABOUT VYBHAV JAGANNATH // VJDAMUSICMAN
Born and raised in Durham, NC, Vybhav Jagannath donned the alias VJDAMUSICMAN in early 2018. The singer-songwriter began his journey with Young Enough To Know Better, a YouTube exclusive project that allowed him to explore the genres of pop and ballads while trying his hand at songwriting for the very first time. MusicMan (short for VJDAMUSICMAN) used beats he found off of YouTube and wrote and recorded to them using GarageBand. This fifteen track album was well-received and pushed MusicMan to take himself more seriously and expand his sound.
Jagannath worked with his younger brother, Amith, under the duo name JagzBros. This duo allowed Jagannath to try his hand at the genres of hip-hop and rap. Together, they crafted two projects - D.E.S.I (Don’t Ever Stop Indians) and REIGN, both of which showcased the passion and drive Jagannath had to mix elements of his Indian roots to the tune of underground hip-hop beats.
Following these two records, Jagannath set sight on writing his debut album. After researching the process behind releasing music as an independent artist, MusicMan worked with producers in North Carolina, California, Virginia, New York, South Carolina and beyond to create Escape The Retrograde. This album would allow Jagannath to use his platform to advocate openly to break down the barrier between mental health and music, while delving into the genres of mainstream pop music, hip-hop, electronica, and R&B. Despite being written, recorded and released during the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic, Jagannath’s debut album broke major streaming numbers without promotion, touring, or radio play. This was Jagannath’s first album to reach all streaming platforms, including but not limited to Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify, TikTok, Pandora, iHeartRadio, and YouTube.
MusicMan released his second studio album, KINKS & TRAUMA, that tackled the deep-seated psychological beliefs behind starting, building, and ending a relationship in the digital age. It went on to become MusicMan’s most streamed body of work to date.