Jermaine Fleur: “Lifting People Up Through Music; That’s Why I Keep Going”

Having made a solid name for himself in the global pop landscape, Dutch artist Jermaine Fleur has grown a lot over the past few years, acquiring a solid and dedicated audience across all major streaming platforms and appearances at some of Europe’s most important festivals. Fleur is often seen lending his charming, luscious vocals to EDM-flavoured productions and laidback pop pieces, a quality that has given him a relatively bright, uplifting quality. So it’s the overall project. 

‘All I Need’ is the perfect evidence of that. Jermaine’s latest single, the track ventures into gold-plated disco and soulful territories, unveiling a listening experience that’s euphoric, energetic, yet incredibly classy and elegant. Those are in fact the pillars of the Amsterdam-based creative: energy and elegance. ‘All I Need’ also provides a striking look into Fleur’s powerful vocals, truly hypnotic and cathartic. 

Intrigued by the record, we caught up with the Dutch artist to learn more about his artistry and future goals… Interview below!


Hey Jermaine, thanks for chatting with us! Hope you are well! The world is in a rather gloomy place right now, yet your bright, uplifting music provides a much-needed relief. What would you say motivates you in pursuing your artistic journey? Is there a specific element or reason that keeps you going?

First of all, thank you so much for having me. I truly feel honoured — and thank you as well for your kind words! The fact that my music uplifts people means the world to me. That’s actually one of the biggest reasons I keep going! 

At the heart of my artistic journey is something really simple: putting smiles on people’s faces. That feeling — whether it’s through my songs, live shows, or even a social media post — is what started it all for me. That little moment of joy or connection someone experiences because of something I created… that’s the magic, and that’s what keeps me going.

Especially in times like these — where the world can feel heavy or uncertain — it motivates me even more to spread something light, something joyful. If my music can offer even a small escape, a nostalgic feeling, or just good vibes that brighten someone’s day, then I know I’m doing what I was meant to do!

That’s my driving force: reaching as many people as possible and, hopefully, making them feel better, happier. That’s everything to me!

Delving deeper into your influences, it seems to me that you absorbed a great deal of soulful goodness and R&B growing up. Is that true? Is there an artist or two you are particularly fond of?

You’re absolutely right about that. I definitely soaked up a lot of soulful goodness growing up! It’s always hard to narrow it down to just one or two artists, but if I had to give flowers where they’re due, I’d start with the three legends that shaped it all for me: Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Prince. Those three are in a league of their own, haha! To this day, they remain at the very top of my list!

When it comes to more modern influences —especially those I grew up with — I’ve always been drawn to artists like Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars, and Usher. Their artistry really spoke to me. The way they blend incredible vocals, songwriting, dancing, showmanship, and even musicianship — they’re the full package. What also stands out to me is how genuine they feel. You can tell they love what they do, and they bring that joy to every performance. That’s something I really connect with.

I’ve always tried to stay true to myself, no matter what phase I’m in creatively. And artists like them reminded me that you can evolve and stay authentic. Their ability to light up the stage — with energy, dancing, live instruments, huge productions — that inspired the kind of shows I create now.

Of course, I could go on forever… Brian McKnight, Robin Thicke, there are so many artists that shaped me! But those names I mentioned — they’re definitely the core pillars of my sound and spirit!

Your career has expanded a lot in the last few years, reaching a global audience and millions of streams on Spotify alone. How do you cope with such popularity, and would you say that it has had any effect on your music?

Honestly, it’s still a bit surreal to think about. I often don’t even realise how far I’ve come, because I still feel so deeply in the middle of my journey. But thankfully, I’ve got my people around me who remind me to pause and look at the bigger picture — like, “Hey, look where you are already!” And when I do stop to reflect, it’s pretty incredible. I’ve been able to travel the world, reach people from so many different places… that’s such a blessing.

What really hits me are the little messages I get — whether from people I know or fans I’ve never even met. Every DM, every comment from someone saying my music made their day or that they’ve followed me since the early days… It’s hard to put into words how much that means. Especially knowing that for so long, I was mainly featured on other people’s tracks. Now, having my own solo project and seeing those same listeners stick around and embrace my sound — that’s everything.

So yes, I’d say the growing audience has definitely affected my music, but only in the best way. It’s added fuel to the fire! It’s this beautiful mix of gratitude for where I am now and excitement for where I’m headed.

I’ve always had this strong, almost divine sense of direction — I know where I’m going, and I know it’s just the beginning. The “popularity” part doesn’t change who I am, but it does reinforce that I’m on the right path. And it makes me even more excited to keep sharing my joy, my energy, and my story with the world!

‘All I Need’ is your latest effort, a charming, disco-flavoured pop anthem. Boasting an eclectic character and wide-ranging influences, the piece is a striking example of your carefree, feel-good lyrical outlook. What does the record mean to you?

Thank you again! That means a lot. ‘All I Need’ really holds a special place in my heart. I’ve got a lot of songs lying around, but this one has always been a little favourite of mine. There’s just something about the melodies, and that feeling of love it captures… it felt different from the start.

I remember writing it so vividly. At the time, I wasn’t even in a relationship, but I could already tap into that infatuation — that dreamy, floaty kind of love. It was like I could see my future self feeling that way. Almost like I was writing it from the heart of something that hadn’t happened yet, but I knew it would.

And that’s what makes it even more special: when I finally finished the song — just the second verse, really — I was with my current girlfriend, now the love of my life. So in a way, the song came full circle. It started as a hopeful vision, and it ended up becoming my reality! That gives it such a beautiful emotional layer for me.

What’s wild is that after finishing it, the song actually started reminding me of one of my all-time favourite Michael Jackson tracks: ‘Rock With You’. That same carefree, feel-good, timeless energy. And the fact that some people even said that exact thing to me? That made it even more special.

So yeah, this song means a lot. It’s fun, it’s groovy, it makes people happy — which is exactly how I felt when we were making it. And at its core, it’s really about love. A little magical, a little nostalgic, and full of heart. That’s what I hoped to share with it.

From a production standpoint, can you take us behind the creative process for ‘All I Need’? Were there any collaborators? Do you like to retain exclusive creative control over anything you release?

Absolutely — this song wouldn’t be what it is without the amazing people I had around me. I actually wrote ‘All I Need’ with a good friend, the super talented Leon Sherman. I remember that day clearly — we had already written tons of songs before, for other projects, but this time he said, “Today, we’re writing something specifically for you!” That really stuck with me.

At the time, I was still getting used to letting others into my creative process for my own songs. I’d done so many collaborations as a featured artist, but when it came to my solo work, I usually wrote most of it myself. So this was a new dynamic — but a great one. We had some deep talks, got into the story, and before we knew it, we wrote most of the track. I think we started in the evening and finished the bones of the song by around 4 in the morning. It was just one of those magical sessions.

Later on, I finished the production with my main guy — Tariq Pijning — who’s now my go-to producer. He just gets me. He knew exactly how to bring out that dreamy, pop-meets-R&B vibe I was aiming for. He even added some great melodic ideas and musical touches. It all came together effortlessly with him.

I also worked with my talented friend Bram Juist for the vocal production, and with Pete Miller, my guitarist and brother-in-music for over ten years. Pete played the guitar parts, and honestly, he doesn’t even need direction anymore — he just knows what I want instinctively.

So no, I wouldn’t call myself someone who holds onto exclusive creative control these days. Maybe that was true 10 years ago, but I’ve learned that letting people into the process actually unlocks more of who I am. Collaborating with people I trust just makes everything richer — it’s still my vision, but they help elevate it to a whole new level.

Do you feel more confident writing music alone, or within a team?

To dive into the process a little more: I honestly love creating music in a team. Even though I get a lot of ideas on my own — sometimes they come to me randomly in the shower or on a flight to a gig — I’ve found that sharing those ideas with the right people always elevates the process.

I still write full songs by myself from time to time, and I feel super confident doing that. But even then, I like to run it by my team — whether that’s a trusted songwriter I’ve worked with or a producer who also has a strong songwriting ear. That back-and-forth energy? It’s gold.

In recent years, I’ve definitely developed a preference for working in a collaborative space. Two minds in a room — especially when there’s real trust and connection — can take something good and make it great! It’s not just about polishing ideas; it’s about unlocking different creative sides of yourself that might not surface when you’re alone.

So for me, it’s both. I feel at home writing solo, but I really thrive in a team — especially when we vibe both creatively and as human beings!

Artistically speaking, what challenges have the last two years presented you with?

Oof, yeah — artistically speaking, the past two years have definitely brought their own set of challenges. One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that everything takes more time than I think it will — especially when it comes to everything around the release.

These days, being an artist also means being a content creator. And while I genuinely love coming up with fun, creative ways to share my music through content — things that make people smile or connect deeper with the song — it’s still a lot!. You’re not just creating music anymore, you’re also editing, filming, planning, posting, engaging… It’s a full-time job in itself!

For me personally, the biggest challenge has been finding balance. I’m doing a lot of shows every year, I’m writing and recording in the studio, and then on top of that, I’m creating and editing all my content myself. That juggling act can be tough.

When I released my previous single, ‘For One Day’, I posted content every single day for 150 days straight. It was a crazy run — great results, amazing connection with fans — but afterwards I told myself: I’m never doing that again haha! It just took too much out of me and actually delayed me from moving on creatively.

That said, I don’t regret it. It was beautiful to see how much of me I got to share with my audience. But I’ve learned the importance of pacing myself — balancing the shows, the songwriting, the finishing of songs, and the content creation. It’s like this never-ending dance that you keep tweaking along the way.

It’s a challenge, yes — but it’s also part of the job, part of the artistry. And thankfully, I’ve got great people around me who support me and help keep the joy in the process. So I take it all head-on and try to enjoy the ride as much as possible!

What are the next steps for Jermaine Fleur? Anything exciting on the horizon?

Absolutely! I’m super excited about what’s ahead! One of the biggest next steps for me is that I’m planning to move from Amsterdam to Los Angeles — the City of Angels. It’s a huge leap, both personally and professionally, and I really feel like it’s the right time to take that step forward in my career.

Musically, there’s definitely more on the way. I’ve got another single dropping later this year, and I’m already planning to release a lot more in 2026. I’m building toward an album — possibly with an EP before that — but I won’t give away too much just yet. What I can say is that the upcoming music is very personal. There’s a lot more of me in these songs.

We’re tapping into the sounds I grew up with — bringing it all back and paying homage to the artists and influences that shaped me from my teenage years through my 20s. It’s nostalgic, with a modern twist, and still full of that feel-good energy. I honestly can’t wait to share it with everyone!

Right now, we’re building. There are tons of songs in the vault, and I’ve got my release roadmap laid out. So definitely keep an eye out — follow me on IG and TikTok, and stay tuned as I roll out the next chapter. It’s going to be an exciting ride!


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