Early life

During his youth, Soupraya was a dedicated soccer player. But at the age of twelve he sustained a paralyzing injury that nearly disabled him permanently. Jean-Michel had to be sent to a special children's hospital in Paris where his mother introduced him to music by bringing him keyboards, believing in the power of music to heal him. During this two-year convalescence, Jean-Michel became a self-taught master of the keyboard and walked out of the hospital despite a grim initial prognosis.

In his early teens, Soupraya attended boarding school in Le Mans, France where his popularity grew with self-inspired concerts. Discovering another passion, Soupraya also taught himself how to read, write, and compose music.^[5]

Musical career

Soupraya with Quincy Jones

Soupraya spent five years under contract at television channel France 2, composing music for several popular television shows. In addition to composing popular music, he has created music for film, stage, orchestras, and video games. A song he composed called "Tenderness" (sung in French) made it to the^[6] Eurovision 2000 competition finals. Soupraya then began working internationally, between London, Paris, New York, and Montreal, as he worked to debut his first multi-cultural album, "L'enfant du monde." The album, produced in Montreal, united musicians from four countries.

Soupraya began work with a French singer Jenny Zana, seventeen at the time, in 1998. The large scale production of the song "Tenderness" performed by Zana in the Eurovision competition (2000).^[7]

In 2000, Jean-Michel discovered and partnered with Sofie Mazeyrat, a Parisian-born singer of Italian descent, who gained recognition and an international following, singing in English, French, Italian and Spanish. After Sophie appeared in the Eurovision television contest at L'Olympia,^[8] the largest concert hall in Paris, Soupraya produced her debut album "I Can Do It".^[9]

Soupraya moved to Los Angeles in 2004, where he founded JMWest Records USA (2004), and produced the Lea Jones album, "Lucky Boy" which was critically received encouragingly well.^[10]

Soupraya created JMWest Entertainment label (www.jmwestentertainment.com) in 2006, devoting himself to the development and production of multiple artists. Including, pop recording artist Citlalii, (2009), Kazakhstan-born alternative pop recording artist and songwriter RuZANNA, (2010), female pop recording artist JUSTICE (Lauren Justice – www.JUSTICEmusicDaily.com),(2011), R&B/Pop recording artist/songwriter Kylie Marcus (2013), and Finn (2013).^[11]

Soupraya produced and co-wrote for JMWest Entertainment "Find A Way" by JUSTICE, the pop artist's Top 40 (#30 TOP 40 Billboard Indicator) debut single (March 2012).^[12] Soupraya also produced "Will You Be There (Kazakh Version)" by RuZANNA which released on music television in Kazakhstan (September 2012). In March 2013, JUSTICE's second single "By My Side" was released – also produced and co-written by Soupraya.^[13] In November 2013, "Yellow Shirt" by Kylie Marcus (co-written/produced by Soupraya) released.^[14][15]

Soupraya settled in Beverly Hills, where he currently resides and operates JMWest Entertainment Group, LLC and JMWest LIVE!.^[16]

In 2014 the single "Yellow shirt" by Kylie Marcus reached number 4 in Billboard single chart. In 2017, the first single by CARMA "The Recipe" reached number 7 in Billboard single chart.^[17]

Social Activism

In 2005 Jean-Michel Soupraya produced the new CD single "HOPE" for JMWest Records, performed by Lea Jones with Abraham Laboriel, Luis Conte, Tom Walsh, Franck Gelibert, JD Daniel, Dave Aron and others. Title song lyrics were by Solomon J. LeFlore, for the documentary produced by Solomon J. LeFlore and Susan Gee to benefit the Mary Ellen Gerber (M.E.G.) Foundation about the devastating 1999 Orissa, India cyclone and the 2004 Indonesian tsunami and the foundation started by Mary Ellen Gerber to "nurture children in need."

Frequently applauded for his unique ability to recruit top talent^[18][19] Soupraya began JMWest LIVE! in 2010. JMWest LIVE!'s altruistic effort to provide up and coming artist (musicians, singers, songwriters, AND production team) with an affordable forum with which to introduce themselves to the industry has hosted events at venues throughout Los Angeles including the Roxy, VIP Lounge and The House of Blues, Foundation Room.