Billy Dorsey, Jr.

We caught up with Billy Dorsey, Jr., an acclaimed author, music producer and songwriter.

Who or what inspired you to enter the music industry?

My parents, who made me sing in church. Once, they had me get up in front of the congregation to sing, the bug bit me and never let me go. produce for an artist from California named Elhae, a phenomenal young singer and songwriter. His music is soulful and current, and I believe we’d make something special together.

What inspired you to start the Your Word Project?

I had the opportunity in 2015 to partner with United Bible Societies, the world’s largest publisher, distributor, and translator of the Bible, and they shred with me that there were more than 2500 languages and dialects around the world that didn’t have their own translations of the Bible. When UBS shared with me the costs per translation, I wanted to use my gifts of music and strategy to help raise the funds to provide those translations. So I wrote a song, “Your Word,” and partnered with some of the biggest Christian singers in the world to do translations of the song into 14 different languages. We released the songs and did concerts all around the world, with the proceeds from those translations of the songs going to fund brand new translations of the Bible in India, Italy, Uganda, and the Philippines. That project is one of the closest to my heart of all of the projects I’ve ever done, and the idea that sparked the project, We Are the World by Quincy Jones, was one of my biggest inspirations.

Could you give our readers a brief description of the journey of your music career?

I signed my first record deal at 19 years old while a student at Louisiana Tech University, and moved to Houston to begin working on the first album under that deal with my group Serenity. When the label tried to replace one of the members of the group and I fought against it, they froze our contract out and I ended up homeless as a result, living on the streets of 5th Ward in Houston, TX. After nearly a year on the streets, I found a safe place to live and began working on new music. That music was discovered by Nick Velo, an A&R for Beluga Heights in Beverly Hills, CA, and led to the opportunity for me to write and produce songs for major stars, some of which went on to win Grammys and to top a variety of Billboard charts around the world.

You have written songs for prominent artists like Nicki Minaj, B.o.B, and TI. Which up-and-coming artist would you like to collaborate with next?

I would really love the opportunity to write and produce for an artist from California named Elhae, a phenomenal young singer and songwriter. His music is soulful and current, and I believe we’d make something special together.

Many artists talk about the downsides of signing to a record label. What are some of the most important things you learned over time about negotiating label contracts?

I learned that leverage is everything, and that you don’t get what you’re worth; you get what you negotiate. I don’t ever enter into an agreement now unless there is a clear benefit for all parties involved.

What advice would you give to a new artist who is considering signing to a label?

Make sure that you vibe well with the head of the label, with the producer, with the team that will be working on your project. Make sure they truly believe in you and share the same direction and vision for your career. And learn as much of the business as you can so you can maximize the opportunities that will come your way as you grow in the business.

Your recording label “thebridgelife” offers a wide variety of services to meet artists’ needs. In terms of music production, what qualities do you look for in the people you recruit for your in-house production team?

I look for what I call “spark plugs,” which I define as creatives who you can put in any creative environment and they can immediately add value to any song, lyric, or arrangement. Those people can ignite any studio session, and when we combine them together in one room, greatness is the result.

Regarding your own production, what other genres would you like to explore and experiment with?

The only genre I haven’t produced that I still want to is classical; I studied the genre in college and incorporate elements into my pop productions but haven’t yet had the chance to take it head on. I look forward to that moment!

Who are your current musical influences?

My current musical influences are Eric Bellinger, HitMaka, H.E.R., and anything by D’Angelo. Jodeci remains a heavy influence on me as well.

Who and what influenced you to become a Bishop?

My father, Apostle Billy Dorsey Sr., influenced me to become a Bishop. I love God but I have no desire for a title or to be accountable for the souls of other people; to be honest, it’s more than enough work trying to make sure that I walk the straight and narrow myself. But I’ve never been one to run from my calling or from God’s will for my life, and this was going to be no different. I’m honored to serve God and His people.

What was it that inspired you to write a book?

My journey has been one of purpose, and of finding my path, and I’ve learned so much along my own path that I knew could help others in their own purpose journey. I’d spent the past few years traveling the world and giving speeches about being “In the Right Seat,” which means to be at the intersection of your passion, proficiency, and positioning to live a life of purpose. During quarantine, I had nothing but time, and resolved to write the book encapsulating all that I’d learned to help and inspire others.

Looking back on your experiences, who or what have you been the most grateful for throughout your journey?

The thing I’m most grateful for in my journey are faith and the friends and loved ones who have been consistently by my side. My beautiful wife and daughters, my parents, my brother JayTel and Queen’s entire family. I’m grateful for God not forgetting me when I was homeless and alone. And I’m grateful for the lives I get the opportunity to impact every day now.

What are your personal goals outside of music?

I’m working now to build an empire, with music at the foundation, but expanding to public speaking, more books, film and tv projects, and strategic partnerships to expand the reach of our initiatives. We’ve only scratched the surface of what I believe thebridgelife is about to accomplish.

Looking ten years into the future, what do you hope to achieve?

I hope to achieve the across the board, game changing and career making influence of my biggest musical hero, Quincy Jones. He has had so much influence on my moves and my approach to the doors I knock on and walk through in my career. I don’t believe I’m limited to “just” music because Quincy showed me the path to build from music success to films, tv, media, and philanthropy on a level I don’t know if I’d have attained without him blazing the trail.

Where can we find out more about what you have going on these days?

The best places are via my website: www.billydorsey.com, or via all of my social media platforms at: @billydorseyjr ...Tap in!

Photos by Bishop