Exclusive Interview
Produced by: Rudy Manager
Edited by: Rudy Manager & Andrej Aroch
Jarom Su’a - Multi-Platinum Producer Behind DANNA & DC The Don on Music, Fashion and Film
On April 20, we linked with Jarom Su’a in LA for a quick conversation inside his apartment building, catching up on everything that’s been happening since we last spoke. A lot has changed in that time. Jarom has continued building his name as a producer, landing records across both the American and Latin music scenes, while also expanding his creative world beyond music. In this interview, Jarom talks about his clothing brand Oandas Palace, the story behind his recent record with DANNA, his viral placement with DC The Don, and how his creative process has shifted over time. He also shares his perspective on working across different markets, advice for the next generation of producers, and what’s next for him as he continues growing in music, fashion, and film.
“My end goal is to figure out how I can move as many people as possible with the music I create.”
- Jarom Su’a
It’s been over a year since we last spoke. How are you doing now, and how was that time period for you?
I’m doing great. So many things have happened since then. I started a brand, and I’m actually producing a movie right now while also composing the music for it. I’ve also had a lot of cool songs come out and do really well on social media and streaming platforms. I moved into a new spot too. I’m just super grateful.
What’s your vision for your clothing brand Oandas Palace, and how did the idea to start it first come to you?
I think I told you about this when we spoke a year ago, but I’ve always had the idea of starting something. I’ve always been super creative, so being able to transfer my creativity from music into clothing has always been something I’ve wanted to do.
My vision for the brand is just to grow it as big as possible and be as honest as possible. For me, all I’m really doing is making clothes that I would wear. That’s really it. Then it’s about getting it to as many people as possible and seeing how big we can make it. I wouldn’t say it’s just a passion project because I fully believe it could be really big. The same way I was able to scale my music career, I want to see how I can scale the clothing brand.
One of the placements you’ve done is “GET NAKED” by DC The Don. How did it come together from your perspective?
It was actually super crazy. Me and DC originally got connected through this producer named Supah Mario way back in the day. At first, I was sending stuff for DC’s album REBIRTH, which was a super cool project.
That was around the time when I was slowly getting into singing too. I was just starting to get into the idea of sending demos. I was sending stuff to Supah Mario, and he was like, “Yo, this is fire. Let me send this to my boy DC.” He sent it to DC, connected us over text, and DC was like, “Yo, you’re super dope.” From there, we started working.
Years passed, the album came out, and I actually had a cut on there where I helped write a little bit of the song. Then he hit me up like, “Yo, come to the studio tonight.” I pulled up, his people were there and everything, and he told me, “I’m looking for a hit. I need something for the club that’s just going to go.”
I was like, “Okay, cool.” They already had the idea to sample “Hollaback Girl,” and they were basically like, “We just need it done. Sample this and get it done.” So they sent it to me, I loaded it up, and I made the beat in maybe five minutes, maybe less. It was super quick. Then I gave it back to him, he wrote it, did his thing, and it went viral immediately. He absolutely took over the internet with it, which was crazy.
What’s your creative process like right now? When you start working on music, what do you usually like to do first?
Over time, it’s gotten way simpler. Before, I was really thinking about how I could make something, and I was working with samples at the time. I was making compositions and thinking about chords and all these different things. Right now, the main thing I keep saying to people is that I want to feel free. My creative process is just making music whenever I feel like making music. Today, I didn’t make anything. Tomorrow, I might make seven beats, and then I might not do anything for three months. It’s literally whenever I feel like it and whenever creativity hits.
For me, it’s almost like that idea people have talked about before, where it feels like I’m just borrowing ideas. When I open up my laptop now, I’m no longer thinking, “Let me send beats to this person.” It’s more like, “I’m going to make whatever I make and find a home for it later.” When it comes to these records, like the song I have with DANNA that just came out, or the DC The Don stuff, everything is starting to find its home. That’s the way I’ve been thinking about music this whole time.
It’s always been super heavy-hitting in terms of style. Right now, I feel like I’m becoming more and more honest with what I used to listen to back in the day. It’s just about having fun. As long as I’m having fun in the studio and making music that I would want to listen to, it’s going to go. It’s the same thing with the clothes. It’s that Su’a swag. That’s what I’ve been doing.
You’ve worked in both the U.S. and Latin music markets. What differences have you noticed between the two?
I think, unfortunately, there are so many people who stay in their little bubble. I’ve been super blessed and I’m super grateful that early in my career, I knew I wanted to do it all. As producers, we usually start with one specific genre. I was super focused on rap at first, and then I realized, “Wait, I actually like listening to this too. I like doing this too.” There’s music for all different types of occasions, and the moment I started exploring other genres, life changed. Literally, life changed.
The Latin music space is incredible. The support you get from other countries can be so much bigger than having a rap song that a couple people are playing in the club. When you can get a whole country backing you, it’s over. The Bad Bunny and Myke Towers record took over. The record with DANNA, who’s a Mexican artist, took over too, and Mexican people were going crazy for the song as well.
It’s the same thing with K-pop. The more I’m leaning into K-pop, the more I realize how much we’re in a bubble with American music. There are people selling three million physical copies of music, which is unheard of. We don’t do that in America. Being able to see that level of support is incredible.
My end goal is to figure out how I can move as many people as possible with the music I create and create a familiar sound where people are like, “Yeah, that’s Su’a.” The only way to do that is by making American music, Latin music, K-pop, European music, and everything else.
How did you first link up with DANNA, and what was the story behind creating “YOU COULD BE THAT BOY?”
I actually met DANNA’s boyfriend, Alex Hoyer, when I was either 14 or 15 in Miami. I was at NEON16, and I don’t remember if I actually met him there, but somebody connected the dots. My good friend and producer Daramola, who’s super talented, helped connect everything. I was originally working on my own producer album back in 2022, and Alex was kind enough to feature on the project at the time. From there, we just kept building a relationship and working together. It was never anything too intentional. We just liked the vibes and kept connecting.
Then I started going over to his house, hanging out, making music, and having conversations. It was always super cool. If we made music, we made music. If we didn’t, we still had good conversations. It’s always been good energy with Alex. I don’t exactly remember how I ended up in the studio with him and DANNA, but I ended up there with Alex, DANNA, and her manager. DANNA was talking about her project, and then it was like, “Let’s just make music.” I was like, “Cool, let’s do it.”
Immediately, I started doing the same stompy music that I’d been doing. I literally started bringing that into the record, and then I added more cumbia and other Hispanic elements to it. Alex played some of the guitar as well, and they started writing. DANNA has one of the craziest voices live. I was expecting her to be great in the studio because I knew her music, but when you hear a great artist who’s also an incredible vocalist, it blows you away. She was both. Being in there and watching her creative process was incredible.
The song itself was incredible too. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a record like that before. It was truly super unique. After that, we didn’t really work on the song again. I mean, Alex and I kept working, but there wasn’t really any specific intention behind that record. I didn’t even think about the song that much. Then two years passed, and they were like, “We want to put it out.” I was like, “Cool.” The song came out, and now it’s absolutely taking over and doing its thing. It’s been super crazy to see the love for this song, and being able to be part of that is incredible.
What kind of music do you listen to in your free time when you’re not working on music?
I want to be 100 percent honest. I’m a big rap fan. I absolutely love rap music. I’m in the gym all the time, so the only time I’m really in the car is when I’m going to the gym. If I’m going to the studio, I’m usually listening to my own music. Besides that, it’s really rap right now.
There are occasions when I’m listening to some Dijon, some Mk.gee, and maybe some other underground R&B artists as well. Besides that, it’s a lot of rap music. It could change in a month, but that’s where I’m at right now.
What advice would you give to the new generation of music producers who want to work with established artists?
I’ll just say what I did. I don’t know if I’ve said this on your show before, but it takes so much time. If you love it, though, it’s going to absolutely fly by. I was talking to my girlfriend the other day, and I literally can’t remember a time as a kid when I wasn’t making music. As far back as I can remember, I was always making music. It was always on my mind. So you have to fall in love with the music first, and then everything else will take care of itself afterward.
At this point, I do know that making music isn’t the only important thing. Now it’s also about meeting people and connecting the dots, because I know my music is where it’s supposed to be. Obviously, I’m still learning and getting better, but first, you’ve got to love the music and fall in love with making it. Then it’s about figuring out new creative ways to put yourself out there.
Right now, I’d say social media is in the best and worst place it’s ever been. I think it’s a lot harder to blow up as a producer now than it was when I was starting. I was posting beat videos on Instagram when not many people were really doing that, and those videos started blowing up. That’s kind of how I got into this space. So being able to find a new way to get seen is crucial. I truly wouldn’t be able to give the exact answer for how to do it now, so props to the new guys coming up. There are so many talented people blowing up all the time. But you just have to get creative with it.
What plans do you have for the rest of the year, both personally and professionally?
In terms of music, I just want to keep going. I have so many more songs on the way and so many more projects I’m working on. With the clothing brand, I’m just as passionate about fashion as I am about music, so I want to continue to scale and grow it as well. There’s nothing more fulfilling than seeing people cheer on your music and then wear your clothes. That’s just absolutely insane.
Right now, there’s also something in the works that nobody really knows about yet. I’m a producer on this new film that’s being developed, and it’s a psychological thriller. You’ll be hearing more about that pretty soon, but I’m producing it and also composing the music for it. So it’s really those three things, with a lot of other stuff sprinkled in. I’m locked in on all of that, so I just want to keep going.
Follow Jarom Su'a on Instagram: @jaromsua
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