Meet 54 Ultra: The NYC Artist Redefining Latin Music on His Own Terms
From the heart of New York City, a sonic explorer named 54 Ultra is quietly crafting a sound that defies genre and transcends boundaries. This isn’t just another artist chasing fleeting trends; it’s a passionate innovator weaving together Latin soul, indie rock sensibilities, and a deep appreciation for musical history into something entirely his own. Get ready to delve into the world of 54 Ultra, where vulnerability meets ambition, and the journey of self-discovery is as captivating as the music itself.
FEATURE INTERVIEW:
Tell me a little bit about your childhood.
I grew up in a small town and stayed in the house for a long time. I didn’t go out very much until I was much older. I just stayed with my brothers. I’m in a very family-oriented household. I worked a lot of jobs when I was little and then just kept going. I got into music when I was 15. I used to try to make rap beats and then I taught myself guitar and piano over time in high school and community college.
What’s the most random job you had growing up?
I worked at a gas station for a long time – like seven years. Pumping gas.
Shirt & Pants: @anthonyjamesonline Blazer: @mrsmommabearofficial Boots: @zara Jewelry: @flyingsolonyc
You said when you were 15, you got into music but when did you actually take this step into making it a career?
From when I was 15, I knew I wanted it to be a career, whether it was being a producer or being an engineer or anything. I never thought it’d be a hobby. I always saw myself doing it to be somebody, to do it the right way, whether success in my head, I measure it as just being happy. So once I was making beats, I tried to be an engineer in the studio just trying to work for TV or recording artists or something as a full-time job. That was my other goal. And then when I started writing songs in 2020, same thing. I never doubted it. I had this idea that it was always going to go a certain way.
Who were your musical influences growing up?
A lot. It’s pieces, it’s a lot of pieces. But I think now it’s kind of, I like the Blood Orange a lot and Kali Uchis and Steve Lacy. When I was like 19, 20, I liked the Mac DeMarco and Beach House. And I kind of thought that’d be a nice trajectory to follow.
Pants: @bode Jewelry: @flyingsolonyc
Imagine I was a genie, okay? And I could give you any type of wish in the world, any type of collaboration, alive, dead, whatever. What three dream collabs would you ask me for?
Definitely, probably, I’d like to maybe Hector Lavoe, Michael Jackson and Blood Orange probably. Dev Hynes.
And so, when you were younger, you saw yourself as a producer, you saw yourself creating music for other people. When was that moment that you were like, “No, this is for me. I am the artist. I am the person who’s going to give the voice, give the art, give the everything?”
Yeah, it was in 2019. I was interning at a recording studio and then I finished the program and I got hired. And then right before the pandemic started, I was making R & B and trying to make like Brent Faiyaz type of music, almost like writing for people. And when the pandemic hit, I wasn’t able to go to the studio anymore. They closed it. And I had all these songs that I was teaching myself how to sing and to write songs. And I figured, let me just test it. So I recorded all the songs that I had and hoped that other people would use them and then I didn’t really know that many people So I just kept it and I put it out as like Here’s the thing, you know, just here’s something to listen to. For myself really and then from there. That’s it. I ended up enjoying it and writing every day. And that’s it. I just kept doing that for years and years.
Pants: @anthonyjamesonline Shoes: @flyingsolonyc Jewelry: @flyingsolonyc
How would you describe your style now?
I think I like old-fashioned recording techniques. I kind of learned that when I was in community college and I think I combine modern Pop ideas with, you know, vintage sounds and styles, so I think because I started out first, trying to sound like different R & B artists and then I tried to do indie rock and then I tried to do Bedroom pop and then I wasn’t satisfied being like other people and I kind of tried to combine it and then Here we are I guess with I learned, I learned as I go and every time I learned something I remembered and I tried to keep it to apply, you know, and I think now it’s like, now I’m, I’m like older and I feel like I know what I’m doing. So it’s a little easier.
What has been one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned so far in this journey?
I think just being patient, because when I was in high school, I thought I’d have a Bentley by the time I was a senior. I assumed everybody was just going to support you and figure it out. And I learned very quickly. That’s not how it works, you know, and so it’s just being patient and being consistent and open minded to learning because you got to do a lot on your own. And if you don’t adapt, you don’t get brought over, you get left behind very quickly. So I try to keep an eye open for new ideas and new trends and kind of listening to as much as I can.
Shirt & Pants: @anthonyjamesonline Blazer: @mrsmommabearofficial Boots: @zara Jewelry: @flyingsolonyc
How do you adapt to this fast-moving pace and world of this industry without losing your essence?
I think it’s having a balance of when to pay attention and when to be selfish, trying to put yourself first and like self-care. But also again, don’t be grumpy and don’t be like in your own box ’cause you don’t get work that way, you know? And I learned that when I was trying to be an engineer, I wanted to work as much as possible. So I wanted to learn as many ideas as possible, you know? And as many types of recordings and types of music to record as possible. And in turn, you get a lot more work that way. So when I started for myself, I just kept that in mind. I just kept listening to everything that I could of course.
When you were in college you saw yourself with a Bentley, and you know like in this small frame of time How do you see yourself now like if I told you how do you see Johnny in five years?
I think it’s funny cuz five years ago that asked me I remember I did an interview once for like a school thing and they asked me the same thing and I told them what I was doing now, you know, so I hit it pretty good. So I think in five years I want to be still touring and producing for people and growing a fan base and growing a family there in regards to the music and like growing a team and continuing to Give people experiences and memories and everything and just continuing to make it really, you know, to keep working and being excited about writing is what I really want to keep doing, you know. So I think five years will be okay. Maybe an award or something, but I, you know, I don’t just for fun for my mom.
Jewelry: @flyingsolonyc Sunglasses: @rayban Blazer: @jiwya_official
How do you balance and represent your day-to-day life with your music? Like not falling into these type of cycles?
I mean, you know, it’s just, I try to, again, I don’t really think about it too much. I kind of, when I feel like I wanna, if I feel something emotionally and I need comfort, I’ve been used to comforting myself for a long time. So I used to, when I was younger, I used to journal, just to write things out of my head and then I talk to myself or something. And then I just end up writing the music by nature, I ended up putting music to what I was writing in the journal or we’re saying out loud. So the balance comes from it just happening organically. I don’t think about what I write so much, I just kind of live and then, you know, I take in things and time and experience.
And then when I need to vent, I put music behind it that I enjoy. What, what the hell? Why is it doing that? I don’t know but I’ve been feeling like I’ve been watching “The Office” all along, like I can zoom in, zoom out, everything. But it keeps it interesting. It keeps you hooked. I didn’t even know I was doing that. But yeah, that’s it. No, that’s it. Like just letting things happen. And then that’s why I try to keep my music organic. I like to think that it’s very raw because I don’t think about it. It’s just a feeling. And then I hope that people get the feeling, you know, or it matches what they’re feeling, if they like a song that they can, we can feel it together, you know.
What’s your most intimate song to this moment?
Well, probably “Where are you?” I think that was the first one that I did to have the Latin sound and I kind of was it was just a combination of emotion. I hadn’t written a song in so long at that point that I was just like I woke up I didn’t write any of it down I just went in and freestyle the whole thing.
Wow, I still don’t know how I did that. I just when you have nothing to lose and everything to gain it’s like you can’t think of anything it’s just raw performance. I guess I didn’t have it you know, I was just running around and I ended up singing and I woke up that morning. I just wanted to sing and I put the mic on and I made the beat and I just sang.
Pants: @bode Jewelry: @flyingsolonyc
If you could go back in time and any song that already exists, make it yours, which song would it be?
That’s a good question. Ooh, probably “Te Seguiré Queriendo” by Los Hermanos Rosario. My mom showed me that one, and I was like, wow, this is exactly what I’m trying to do. You know, so it’s like just a ballad thing, but it’s really cool.
What music are you experimenting with right now?
I mean, I keep doing soul, Latin Soul and Indie Rock stuff or Punk Rock. I’m trying to combine it. So I’m in the process now of trying to make soul that’s faster paced and a lot more hard hitting because kids these days want things to be fast and punchy, so that’s kind of where I’m at kids these days.
Pants: @anthonyjamesonline Shoes: @flyingsolonyc Jewelry: @flyingsolonyc
What type of music did you grow up around?
It was all, you know, so some merengue and bachata just kind of and typical like merengue typical kind of all the time. And it’s by nature, it’s just like my heartbeat at that point, you know, and I would try to, you know, I don’t know, I just, it’s literally that it was very, my mom was very musically inclined. She likes music a lot. And she’d always pay attention. So she was always at Aventura concerts or like random Bachata concerts all in New Jersey. And then so they were, you know, my parents are very into music, so a little bit of that and my dad would play a lot of American pop, you know, from the 80s and 70s and stuff, and I think over time, when I stopped, when I really started getting into my own kind of music, that was part of it, you know, easy.
How would you describe the era you’re in right now, the stage of your life?
I’m in hustle mode, you know, I’m still working very hard, so I’m learning a lot. I’m still learning very much about myself and everybody around me and how to be in this business and how to continue to be a performer and a songwriter. That’s it you know I’m never going to be comfortable I think so you know if that makes sense no yeah I see.
Shirt & Pants: @anthonyjamesonline Blazer: @mrsmommabearofficial Boots: @zara Jewelry: @flyingsolonyc
Do you think unrestrained ambition can destroy you?
Yeah, but you gotta make sure that you hold it down. You know you have to have to be open minded and be smart. How do you hold it down? Just try to read books, you know, try to be honest, be nice to yourself and that’s it.
Can you give a message to kids who’s starting to do music, listening to merengue en casa de su mamá, que le diga su mensaje de que ahora ya tienes más conocimiento, ¿qué le dirías a ese niño?
Different ideas along the way, but you have to remember knowing what you want is very important. You know, that’s it. And manifestation is also very real. So be careful. And I think that’s all, you know, that’s it.
Jewelry: @flyingsolonyc Sunglasses: @rayban Blazer: @jiwya_official
TEAM CREDITS:
Editor-in-Chief: Prince Chenoa
Feature Editor: Taylor Winter Wilson (@taylorwinter)
Writer: Frida García D Adda (@fridadda_)
Photographer: Noa Griffel (@noagriffel)
Assistant Photographer: Luke Hezekiah Walter (@lukeheze)
Creative Director, Stylist & Producer: Kafuí A (@mufashdia) , Kafui Washere (@kafuiwashere)
Production & Wardrobe Styling Assistant: Laya Ikes (@layaikes)
Hair Stylist & Makeup Artist: Nigella Miller (@hairbynigella)
Special Thanks To Club Bohemia NYC (@clubbohemia.nyc)
