Lucas Jimenez, a junior marketing major with an entrepreneurship minor, released his first single in January 2025: “For Me.”

Jimenez has been writing and producing music for just over a year before releasing his first single. 

“It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do, and I just never did it. I kind of had to push over that hump of ‘Okay, just, just try, just work,’” said Jimenez. 

He started writing and producing the single after he transferred to Rowan University in his sophomore year. 

“Actually over the summertime, I was at home, and I had some of my friends over, and we just listened to different instrumentals and different beats, and we just started free-styling over them,” said Jimenez. “And all of a sudden I feel like the hook, the main part of the song, and they look at me and like, ‘Yo, bro. You gotta- that’s good. You’ve got to write that song today.”

Jimenez kept the song private for several months after he finished recording around Halloween. 

“I held on,” said Jimenez. “…and then I was like, You know what? New Year 2025, came– just release it and let it go. Everybody sort of seemed to gravitate to it…people said it was a good song. It was fun, just seeing the hard work kind of pay off in a way.”

With Hispanic and Dominican roots, he and his family have always led a very musical life. 

“I grew up listening to a lot of music, so, like, my dad is very, very musical, and I think he’s poured that into us,” said Jimenez. “And if you listen to Spanish music, it has a lot of different instruments played in it, so learning that, but then also being open to all sorts of different genres. When I was younger, my dad used to be a DJ back in the Dominican Republic. So he kind of has an understanding of music and how it feels and when to play certain things at certain times for certain reasons. Music is full of vibrations and full of energy, and it can really change your mood. That’s why we listened to it before we go to the gym, or when you’re going through certain things, to match that mood.” 

Currently, Jimenez is keeping on top of his marketing and entrepreneurship studies, as he believes that learning how to “sell yourself” in the music industry is just as important as being a talented musician or singer. 

“As an artist, I’ve had different hobbies or things that I want to achieve, and it all falls down to how you sell yourself in certain ways when it comes to the business aspect,” said Jimenez. “Just learning how to work in those businesses, you know, set up your own businesses, and it also teaches how to work with people. ‘What do people need? What’s the problem that people need to solve?’”

Even though focusing on his studies remains his priority at the moment, music remains on the horizon for Jimenez. 

“Singles are in the works, and I’m currently just listening to different instrumentals and writing some lyrics down,” said Jimenez. “And now, still dealing with this marketing and this entrepreneurship major, so it is a bit hectic, but I am writing, and I’m taking my time, definitely excited, but definitely the music on the way, for sure, hopefully, summer 2025.”

Jimenez believes it is important to step out of your comfort zone when it comes to anything you are working on or pursuing. He had this advice to share with fellow creatives:

“Once you take that first step, you realize that’s all you really need, and that first step isn’t as big as you thought, said Jimenez.  Just start and just follow your dreams. We only live once, and we tend to overcomplicate things like this life is to create and to have fun, and obviously, there are serious matters to it, but just go out there and do your thing, it’s your life. Don’t harm anybody, be good to others, be kind, and chase your dreams. Be a tad bit selfish when it comes to what you want and also put time into what you make. Just focus on your work. It takes time, but it is worth it, and people do receive it.”

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