Radio personality, event planner, public relations (PR) practitioner and family woman are just some of the hats worn by the multitalented Janice Young. She has been in the music industry for more than a decade and has established herself as the go-to person for many things entertainment. When an artiste wants that extra push for his career, Young is the woman he or she calls upon. Her expertise, combined with her fun-loving, people-pleasing personality has made her a standout in the never-ending pool of PR officers. This week, 5 Questions caught up with the vivacious, full-figured dynamite, Janice Young.

1. Why did you decide on a career in entertainment?

It started in about 2004 when I was introduced to radio. When I started, there was something about it that just made me feel alive. It may sound like a cliché, but I fell in love with it and said this is the industry that I want to be a part of. In about 2013, I moved from just being a radio personality and event planner to actually representing artistes when I started my company, StreetCred Jamaica. I started working with artistes such as RDX, Voicemail, Yanique Curvy Diva and others. Whether it’s artiste management or event planning or PR representation, I’ve done it all.

2. What is it like working with artistes? Do you enjoy it, and what are some of the difficulties you face in your line of work?

Artistes have different personalities, and as professionals we have to understand that. For every artiste who you work with, you will have a different experience. You have to get to know the person, adjust to their personality, and remember there is no one set of rules to govern how you manage or work with an artiste. Once you understand your client and who they are at the core, there is really very little difficulty in working together.

3. If you were not in the entertainment industry, what would you be doing?

I was in a very boring profession of accounting (laughs) which I am actually pretty good at, but I think it’s absolutely boring. If I wasn’t in entertainment I don’t know what I’d be doing, but I really would have to be doing something event-related, parties or music.

4. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?

I am a homebody kind of person and I like to enjoy nature. It’s weird, because I’m in music and entertainment. But I think because of so many years working in the industry, party planning, touring on the road with my artistes, I think when I usually get some time alone, I want to just drive to the country, even if it’s just to go to Faith’s Pen alone to buy one ackee breakfast.

5. Having been a part of the industry for so long, if you could change one thing about the business of it, what would it be?

I think it would be how artistes understand that this really is a business. Over the years, you would realise that a lot of artistes just live the music, but they don’t fully understand the business part of it, so they don’t have the right people representing them in the right ways. They make mistakes in organising their business portfolios, making the right deals, making themselves more accessible to corporate, etc. I think we want to have a lot more people who are able to assist artistes to understand the business and what their rights are as content creators.

Bonus: Where is your favourite chill spot?

My favourite chill spot is somewhere mi nah tell nobody because mi nuh want nuhbody deh (laughs). My chill spot is somewhere in Portland or Negril that is tucked away in a little nook that nobody or few people know about and that is where I unwind. Sometimes I would do that in the middle of the week (pre-coronavirus) and nobody even knows that I’m out of town until they actually want to meet up with me. I just love enjoying nature, so you’ll probably find me rafting on the Black River Safari or something.