When gospel R&B artist J. Pyles stepped into The Nightly Spirit, the warmth was instant. Host Darlene McCoy welcomed him like family, calling him “nephew” and celebrating an artist she has quietly cheered on for years.
“God is doing his thing, opening up doors, making some really dope connections,” J. Pyles shared. “I’m just trying my best to be a good steward over everything God is blessing me with.”
Much of that momentum, he says, comes from his manager Nakaya, whom he calls his “superwoman.” Her guidance pushed him toward one of his boldest moves yet: his new single, “Jesus.” The track blends his signature R&B feel with a fresh spiritual message.
“She’s like, ‘JP, I really want you to challenge yourself, staying true to your authenticity, but also see if you can bridge the gap between your typical gospel sound and what you do,’” he recalled. “That was my attempt with ‘Jesus.’”
McCoy immediately heard something special. “When I first heard your song ‘Jesus,’ you know who I thought about? Giveon.” J. Pyles lit up. “I’ve never heard anybody say that. I take that as a compliment.” He credited his team at Madison and the live instrumentation for bringing the record to life.
His musical roots run deep. When asked about his influences, he named his top three without hesitation: “I love Daryl Coley. He’s my absolute favorite artist of all time. I love Zacardi too. But Daryl Coley, for sure. That’s where everything started for me.”
Staying Authentic in an Industry That Demands Conformity
The conversation turned honest as the two discussed the pressures young artists face today. McCoy, with more than 30 years in the industry, spoke candidly about her generation’s role in creating a culture of judgment.
“I think we are the ones that started cancel culture, because we’ll start hating on people for being different,” she admitted. J. Pyles agreed, opening up about the weight of social media. “It’s so hard out here just to be confident and be your authentic self. Social media is beautiful, but in the wrong hands, it can make things so hard.”
Still, both artists returned to a shared truth: God’s calling requires courage. “When God has called you to do something, you got to do what he says,” J. Pyles said. “You’re really getting set up to be set apart.”
McCoy shared her mission to build platforms for Christian R&B, hip-hop, pop, and house music. “Gospel is expanding into all these different sounds,” she said. “That’s the bridge that’s going to connect so many people to Christ. Our churches are going to look like heaven.”
Follow J. Pyles on social media @JPylesII and subscribe to his YouTube channel, J Pyles, for all the visuals.
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