Jay Sean, known for topping the Billboard Hot 100, has shared insights into the music that has influenced him throughout his life. He recalls his parents singing Tony Orlando and Dawn's 'Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree' during childhood road trips, a memory he describes as "quite a nice childhood memory."
The first album Sean bought was Lionel Richie's 'Back To Front' when he was around nine years old. He believes this album significantly shaped his songwriting, noting the country influence in Richie's melodies, which people also say is present in his own work.
His love for R&B and hip-hop developed in his youth, with Alfonzo Hunter’s ‘Just The Way’ being a standout track that he and his best friend would listen to repeatedly. Sean also recounted attending a Roots gig in 1998 at the Camden Jazz Cafe, where Rahzel's beatboxing inspired him to learn the skill, which he now incorporates into his shows.
For karaoke, Sean opts for rap songs like Eminem’s ‘The Real Slim Shady’, as he prefers something different from his professional singing. He also revealed that Stevie Wonder’s ‘Stay Gold’ is the song he would want played at his funeral, appreciating its lyrical message about living life positively.
Sean expressed that Damien Rice’s ‘The Blower’s Daughter’ can make him melancholic regardless of his mood. He also wished he had written Ne-Yo’s ‘So Sick’, citing its influence on him at a pivotal point in his career for blending R&B and pop music. His latest single, ‘Body’, is an uptempo Afro-house production, which he says makes him want to dance.