Jordan Young has definitely kept himself busy since graduating from Full Sail's Recording Arts program in 2005. Working under the name DJ Swivel, he’s built a successful career in the New York music scene as a producer, mixer, and engineer on a number of platinum albums and singles.
After graduation he landed an internship with influential mixer and producer Ken “Duro” Ifill, and quickly moved into the role of assistant engineer, which led to his big break on Fabolous' hit album From Nothin' to Somethin'. That early success opened up a wealth of opportunities, and would help Jordan become a staple in the pop, hip hop, and R&B world, working on tracks for artists like Britney Spears, Whitney Houston, Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Tiesto, and Michael Jackson.
Since 2010 Jordan has also developed a creative partnership with Beyoncé, which has included work as mixer on the double platinum I Am… World Tour DVD, as well as engineer on her number one album 4, which spawned the singles “Run the World (Girls),” “Best Thing I Never Had,” and “Countdown.”
It’s been an inspiring run of success, and to learn more about his experiences in the industry we sat down with Jordan during his recent return visit to the Full Sail campus and talked about his credits, work ethic, and the recording of Beyonce’s 4.
Full Sail: You’ve had the opportunity to work with so many iconic artists, at what point in your career did you get used to being alongside that level of talent in the studio?
Jordan Young: It still kind of surprises me sometimes, but it’s always felt normal. I’ve been in the studio with Mariah Carey, Kanye, Diddy, and they just need to get a job done, and you’re there to facilitate what they want. So there’s no sense in being nervous, you just have to go in and do what you do.
FS: That attitude has obviously made a good impression, how important has the personal aspect of working in the studio been to your success?
JY: Having the right attitude is really essential, and I’ve met so many assistants who have come and gone because they just don’t have it. At the end of the day these artists are coming into a place where they want to be entirely comfortable, so a lot of your job is being able to connect with them and having the right temperament.
FS: You’ve teamed with Beyonce on a couple different projects, how did that partnership start?
JY: A friend of mine used to work with Destiny’s Child and he just called me one day and asked if I could come in and record Beyonce, and I was like ‘Of course, absolutely!’ That first session went very smoothly so they called me in again. The rest is history.
FS: What was it like working together on the 4 sessions?
JY: That project by far was the biggest undertaking I’ve been a part of. It took a year, we recorded on three different continents, about in about 10 different studios. I also got the chance to be more hands-on than with that any other album I’ve worked on. She noticed that I have a good pop ear, so I got a little bit of freedom to get creative.
FS: What’s the most rewarding part of the recording process for you?
JY: For me it’s going out and seeing the reaction to the songs that I’ve worked on. Beyonce did four shows at Roseland Ballroom in New York for this album, and to be able to hear those songs live in front of an audience was just amazing. Those are the moments that I live for – watching the fans who aren’t in on the recording process get as excited as we are about the songs, or even more so.
FS: What’s it like to be back on Full Sail campus and think about how far you’ve come since you were a student in the Recording Arts program?
JY: It’s crazy because I don’t feel like Full Sail was that long ago, so it’s an interesting perspective to be on the other side of it. Full Sail gave me a great base, and then you take that knowledge and apply it to wherever you need to. When you’re in the industry every artist is different, so being able to adapt to their needs and the different studios you work in has really helped me.
FS: With all of your success, what keeps driving you in your career?
JY: My goals are changing and evolving all the time. How can I improve on what I’ve done, how can I mix more songs, how can I produce more? It’s never ending. There’s always something new in the music industry, and that’s what keeps me excited to be doing this.
http://www.fullsail.edu/grads/grad-profiles/2011-10-25-jordan-young