Jlin | |
---|---|
![]() Jlin performing in Brooklyn in 2021 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Jerrilynn Patton |
Born | Gary, Indiana, U.S. | July 30, 1987
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Musician, producer, DJ |
Years active | 2008–present |
Labels | Planet Mu |
Jerrilynn Patton (born July 30, 1987), [1] known as Jlin, is an electronic musician. She began producing music in 2008 and received early attention for her 2011 track "Erotic Heat". Jlin's debut album, Dark Energy , was released in 2015 to critical praise. [2] Her follow-up Black Origami (2017) received further acclaim. [3]
Patton was raised in Gary, Indiana. [4] Growing up, she was exposed to music through her parents, and her favorite artists were Anita Baker, Rachelle Ferrell, and Sade. She also heard footwork at an early age. [5] She briefly attended Purdue University as a math major. [4] As an adult, she supported herself by working at a steel mill, although she claims this did not substantively influence her work. [6] Patton began making her own music in 2008, and was inspired by her mother to pursue a unique sound. [5] She also received encouragement from figures such as DJ Rashad, who she communicated with online. [5]
After making the track "Erotic Heat", she was hesitant to release it because it did not fit the conventional sound of a footwork song. [5] The track was ultimately released on Planet Mu's Bangs & Works, Vol. 2 compilation in 2011, which showcased Chicago juke and footwork artists and brought Jlin attention. The song was later used to accompany a 2014 Rick Owens fashion show. [5] She released her debut album Dark Energy in 2015 to critical acclaim. [7] Dark Energy would help to popularize footwork on a global stage. [8]
In 2017, Jlin released her second album Black Origami . It features collaborations with William Basinski, Holly Herndon, Fawkes, and Dope Saint Jude. [9] It received universal acclaim and was named among the best albums of the year by various publications. [3]
Also in 2017, Jlin was commissioned to compose the score for "AutoBIOgraphy", a new work by Company Wayne McGregor that has its premiere at Sadler's Wells in London in October 2017. [10] In 2020, Jlin created the new work "Perspectives", commissioned by the Boulanger Initiative for performance by Third Coast Percussion. [11] In 2022, Jlin launched a course with online music school Soundfly, "Jlin: Rhythm, Variation, & Vulnerability".
In 2023, Jlin was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Music for her composition Perspective. [12]