Jastin Martin

Jastin Martin’s minimalist R&B transports you straight to her Houston bedroom—one of the few intimate spaces she writes and records her evocative tell-alls. The self-taught singer-songwriter and producer rarely goes a day without creating something—a slippery beat, a shrewd lyric, a silvery guitar line. She’s been writing songs since age nine, and her consistent work ethic has taken her from the dorms of Louisiana’s Grambling State University to Houston’s freewheeling open mics to Def Jam’s star-studded roster. With breakout tracks “Again” and “Reassurance,” her soft-spoken sultriness and hard-hitting candidness struck a chord online. Riding that momentum, she’s now putting the finishing touches on her vibrant, rich debut album, Miss Me Yet?, a collection of all-new songs that show off her vulnerability and versatility. Since 2016, she’s been diligently posting original songs online, organically building a loyal following with her hushed confessions. While Martin is very much an independent artist, she’s grown more comfortable with collaborating—especially with producers she’s long looked up to, some of whose credits will be on her debut album. Still, Martin’s process remains pure and organic, whether she’s writing lyrics at the local park or figuring out a melody to a guitar loop from her rooftop complex. “If I’m gonna give something of myself,” she says, “I might as well give all of it.”