Press kit

Press kit

Jonathan Anthony Burkett

Author, poet, songwriter, recording artist and founder of Upstormed Inc. Everything journalists need is below. For the latest coverage, see Press.

Short bio

Jonathan Anthony Burkett is an author, poet, recording artist and entrepreneur from South Florida. Born in Miami in 1987 and raised in Jamaica by his grandparents, he came through a hard childhood and brain surgery in 2006 and turned that story into music and books about faith and perseverance. He is the founder of Upstormed Inc.

Press bio

Jonathan Anthony Burkett is an author, poet, songwriter, recording artist and the founder and CEO of Upstormed Inc. Born in Miami, Florida, in 1987, he was raised in Westmoreland, Jamaica, by his grandparents before returning to Florida at about age six. He grew up facing money troubles, seizures and the absence of his mother, and on January 30, 2006, he underwent brain surgery. He credits his faith with carrying him through, and that faith shapes all of his work.

Burkett tells his story in the memoir Neglected But Undefeated. His fiction includes the ten-book Friends 2 Lovers series, with Books 1 to 3 available, and the novel Fighting To Become Champions. Six life-lesson books named after his songs are forthcoming.

Through his label, Upstormed Records, he releases hip hop, soul and reggae, including “One Life” featuring Ambelique (2014), “Changes” featuring Polancapop (2018), which Hot Indie News reviewed in July 2018, and the EP Life As I Know It (2024). His companies span e-commerce, music, publishing, news and real estate. His motto: “I live to inspire, not start the fire.”

Key facts

  • Full name: Jonathan Anthony Burkett
  • Born: 1987, Miami, Florida
  • Raised: Westmoreland, Jamaica, until about age 6, then South Florida
  • Roles: author, poet, songwriter, recording artist, entrepreneur; founder and CEO of Upstormed Inc (founded 2013, headquartered in New York)
  • Music: hip hop, soul and reggae on Upstormed Records; on Spotify, YouTube and SoundCloud
  • Selected releases: “One Life” feat. Ambelique (2014), “Changes” feat. Polancapop (2018), “Crush on You” feat. Mykul Leeric, “Born To Make It”, Life As I Know It EP (2024)
  • Books: 18 titles, 5 available now (Neglected But Undefeated; Friends 2 Lovers Books 1 to 3; Fighting To Become Champions), 13 coming
  • Poems: 23
  • Motto: “I live to inspire, not start the fire.”
  • Websites: jonathanburkett.com, upstormed.com, upstormedshop.com, upstormed.shop, upstormedrecords.com

In the press

Interview topics and reader resources

Jonathan’s work offers several starting points for a conversation: turning personal experience into memoir, writing relationships across a fiction series, the influence of Jamaica and South Florida on his music, and the practical work of developing Upstormed while continuing to create. His books, songs and poems approach perseverance through different forms of storytelling.

For a profile, interview, review-copy inquiry or image request, email contact@upstormed.com. Include your publication, topic, deadline and preferred format, and name the book or release you are covering. Explore His Story for the extended biography, Photos for available portraits, and Books for titles and forthcoming work. Corporate background is available separately in the Upstormed Media Kit.

Press contact

Upstormed Inc
14900 SW 30th St, Unit 278133, Miramar, FL 33027
(954) 552-7737
contact@upstormed.com