Age, race, sex: they are only an illusion of a barrier which society convinces us is actually there. It might be that a barrier is just a tragedy that’s been pushed closer, so that you might see it clearer, hitting it head-on with all the more conviction…
When artist Jason Joel Desrouleaux, or stage name Jason Derülo’s near-fatal neck injury in January 2012 happened, the always energised performer had to make a career and life defining decision – he either let it break him or embolden him. After making a full recovery, and what must have been a fulfilled one, he is now an artist known to incorporate stunts into his shows; even climbing atop a six-man pyramid, unfazed and uninhibited.
This is nothing new. Artists have been overcoming the odds for as long as art has been around and doing so to their inevitable success. In 1962 it was the band that got told “guitar groups are on their way out”, (The Beatles via The Beatles Bibles) and in 1954 it was Elvis Presley being booted out of his own gig. Afterwards there was Ozzy Osbourne, the trouble child who also had dyslexia, Rick Allen, famous amputee drummer from Def Leppard who was “no victim” of a horrific car crash, the talented blind musician Stevie Wonder – and even deaf composer Beethoven in the 18th century.
But that’s just the point… the success of quality musicians doesn’t come easily, and even though the list goes on, the trend is always the same. By 2014 Derülo had made it to the #1 Most Played Male Artist On Radio. He had nine songs that reached the Top 10 on the Top 40 chart, and as his confidence skyrocketed so too has his popularity. In fact, Derülo was recently crowned The #5 Most Shazamed Artist, The Top 10 Most Played Artist on Pandora, and his hit single ‘Wiggle’ ft. Snoop Dogg was YouTube’s 5th Most Watched Music Video again in 2014.
When January 22, 2015 rolled around Dick Clark Productions announced that Derülo would be a judge on the upcoming Season 12 of So You Think You Can Dance. The hip-hop/pop icon sat alongside new judge Paula Abdul and Nigel Lythgoe. “I am truly excited and eagerly look forward to joining the cast of So You Think You Can Dance,” said Derülo in an article on FOX.com. “It is one of the most respected and longest-tenured shows on network television, and I hope to be a part of new growth and continued success.”
On March 9, Derülo released the first single from his forthcoming fourth studio album, Everything Is 4, called ‘Want to Want Me’. Not surprisingly, three years after his accident, the 25-year-old singer is doing the rounds for his new album, released on April 15, titled Talk Dirty. His horizons, far from dire, are now only concerned with how his fans respond to his “element of growth”.
