Joi “JoiStaRR” Campbell posing on the set of the music video for “Love Story”.
There has been a lot of buzz around the real estate industry since home prices began to rise during the pandemic. However, that is not the only thing to note about the industry. Between the pandemic and the expected recession in the near future, the arrival of real estate agents has also increased. With real estate offering flexible hours and high royalties, the industry has attracted many people, from burned-out healthcare workers to parents looking for an extra income. Artists also began to explore the benefits of becoming an agent, especially as tours were canceled and Hollywood stopped filming. According to the National Association of Realtors, more than 156,000 people joined in 2021 and 2020 combined, nearly 60% more than the previous two years.
Joi Campbell, popularly known throughout the music and entertainment industry for her songwriting under the moniker JoiStaRR, is an example of how up-and-coming artists can create different verticals to grow their brands. After Kanye West’s planned two-month tour turned into a multi-year hiatus, he realized he needed to expand his reach and turned his attention to real estate. Although she is recognized for her work behind the scenes of Mary J. Blige and Chris Brown, she has made a name for herself in Nest Seekers in the past two years, especially during the pandemic. among the leading gatekeepers of their luxury real estate. In addition, her resume includes acting, and her first single, Love Story, was released in February.
“I tiptoed into [real estate] because I’d only been talking about music,” Campbell says. “I thought no one would understand; Nobody cares. My fear was to really cross or reveal who I really am. Because I was afraid of that, I didn’t know how to talk on social media, which is very important. To run a business, you need to connect with people so they know what you want to do. And it was very difficult for me to do that. So I would do it behind the scenes and through word of mouth because of that fear. More recently, as I’ve grown and this new company Nest Seekers is connected to what I do as an entertainer. It made me feel more comfortable talking about it.’
Joi “JoiStaRR” Campbell at her Nest Seekers International real estate agency.
Campbell’s singing career began in the church choir. As his talent developed, he began writing songs. Witnessing the success of his brother, Warryn Campbell, as an artist and record producer, he wanted to follow in his footsteps. However, he was studying to be a doctor. During his medical program orientation, he realized that he wanted to pursue a career in music.
He had the opportunity to perform as a singer in the band West. At one point, he asked her if she could be permanent as a backing singer. West told Campbell that if he agreed, he would stick with it because he recognized his talent. So he invited her to join him on the Fame Kills tour with Lady Gaga. However, it was canceled following public controversy over West’s interruption of Taylor Swift’s Best Female Video acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Campbell quickly found himself at a crossroads.
“When that didn’t happen the rebound was interesting, ‘OK, what exactly is going on?'” he said. “For me it was business. Usually, most artists think of being an artist as “I want to be a star”. I want the world to love me.’ I wanted business. I’m like, ‘Oh my God, like JoiStaRR my business is at a standstill. What do I do?’ I had to find my passion. I didn’t want to do anything that made me feel like I was losing everything. I prayed that I could jump into a situation or something that was a passion for me. I wanted to feel the same way I felt about music. And that was real estate.”
Joi “JoiStaRR” Campbell and Kanye West on the 2008 “Glow in the Dark” Tour.
Campbell lived in fear at the beginning of his real estate journey. Doubting whether it was right for him, he knew he couldn’t stay in that position for long, or else business would be paralyzed. But, step by step, he realized how being in that space would help him as an entrepreneur.
Gradually, he became more comfortable as his brand expanded into real estate, released his first single, and even had the motivation to continue working on his album. He also added to his acting credits by starring in Strive opposite Danny Glover.
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 29: Artist JoiStaRR performs at The Blend Launch And Screening … [+] Event presented by Collaborative Effort Entertainment at Harmony Gold Preview House and Theater on September 29, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Unique Nicole/Getty Images)
As Campbell continues to pivot in his career, he focuses on the following key steps:
“I’ve learned to stand up for myself when I need to, and to stand up for what I believe in and not go with the flow,” concluded Campbell. “In business, I’m in two giant worlds that are primarily boys’ games. So, as a woman, she taught me to dig deeper into that, and to be that leader and doesn’t care that I’m being something other than a beautiful queen.”
