JayWood is the stage name of Jeremy Haywood-Smith, a Canadian musician from Winnipeg, Manitoba. His music blends influences from soul, funk, hip hop, indie rock, and psychedelic rock.
Career
Haywood-Smith began releasing music under the JayWood moniker in the 2010s, issuing a number of singles and EPs. His full-length debut album, Time, was released in 2019. In 2021, he released Some Days, a newly rerecorded version of one of his early EPs. His second full-length album, Slingshot, followed in 2022.
Slingshot was longlisted for the 2023 Polaris Music Prize. His subsequent album, Leo Negro, was longlisted for the 2026 Polaris Music Prize.
Discography
- Time (2019) – debut studio album
- Some Days (2021) – rerecorded EP
- Slingshot (2022) – second studio album
- Leo Negro – most recent album
Style and Influences
JayWood's music is described as fluidly navigating the blurred lines between alternative, hip hop, indie, and neo-soul. He is known as a boundary-pushing producer, musician, and singer-songwriter.
