Coco Jones, a Grammy-winning R&B artist and actress from the Nashville area, recently sat down with Tennessee State University music business students to chat about the evolving music industry and the rise of R&B and hip-hop. The conversation took place as part of Universal Music Group’s Behind the Business educational series, which was live-streamed on Twitch and sponsored by Discover.
During the event, Jones met with the university’s legendary Aristocrat of Bands, the Grammy-winning marching band, and also sat down with a local newspaper to discuss her upcoming debut album, Why Not Now?, set to drop on April 25. She reflected on her journey from being a Disney child star to becoming a platinum-selling artist.
The event was hosted by a Tennessee State University student and aspiring performer, with the university’s Assistant Director of the Aristocrat of Bands, Larry Jenkins, also in attendance.
The conversation touched on how the music industry is navigating the rise of R&B and hip-hop, which now share the top spot in both the domestic and global music markets alongside genres like rock, pop, country, and Latin music. It was clear from the discussion that the future of the industry looks bright for artists like Jones, who are versatile and able to adapt and collaborate in a constantly changing creative landscape.
At 27, Jones explained that while she’s known for her roles as both an actress and a vocalist, she feels more comfortable defining herself through other aspects of her creative journey. She’s part of a generation of artists under 40 who draw inspiration from a wide range of influences, thanks to growing up in an era where online and real-life interactions are intertwined.
Jones can speak to this generation’s experience not just because her character, Hilary Banks, in the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot is a social media influencer, but also because her own career has been revitalized through social media. After promoting her independently released 2019 EP, H.D.W.Y., on TikTok during the pandemic, she quickly gained a viral following. She covered everything from SZA’s “Good Days” to Normani’s “Wild Side” and Lucky Daye’s “Over.”
“I went from not knowing what TikTok was to going viral a few times,” Jones said. She explained that moving away from Disney’s high-pressure culture and connecting with fans directly in a relaxed, authentic way was key to reigniting her career.
