For years, Jay and Manwell Lundy were just trying to figure it out—writing songs, leading worship, balancing day jobs and side hustles in their hometown of Abilene, Texas. They didn’t have a label, a plan or a polished brand. Just a shared love of music and a sense that maybe God was doing something through it.
Then one of their songs went viral.
Now performing as Jay Manwell, the brothers have quietly emerged as one of the most compelling new acts in Christian R&B and hip-hop. Their sound is honest. Their visuals are sharp. And their conviction—about faith, purpose and creative excellence—has made them stand out in a crowded space.
But none of this came quickly. And none of it came easy.
They started under the name Lundi—a stylized version of their last name—but dropped it after running into too many issues, primarily stemming from an overall sense that it just didn’t fit who they wanted to be. That led them to reintroduce themselves simply as Jay Manwell.
“It was just cleaner,” Manwell said. “It felt more like us.”
They grew up in a musical household where nothing was off-limits. Their mom’s playlists jumped from Kirk Franklin to Reliant K to Michael Jackson, and that range shows up in the layered, genre-blurring tracks they make today.
Before producing their first hip-hop track, they were fronting a Christian punk band called Red Moon, playing guitar and drums in garages with the door open and skateboards parked nearby.
“We didn’t realize it at the time, but that season taught us everything about how to build something from scratch,” Jay said.
The shift to Christian hip-hop started slowly. At first, it felt like a long shot. But after a prayer for clarity and a message from artist V. Rose—who found their early work on Instagram—they began connecting with artists they’d long admired, including 1K Phew and Whatuprg.
Their momentum picked up after submitting songs to Rapzilla’s Critique Fridays, a weekly showcase for independent Christian artists.
“Some nights we got Song of the Night, and that put us on playlists, helped us grow,” Jay said. “That’s really where we started getting noticed.”
Their first major live performance came at Rapzilla’s Freshman Class showcase in Atlanta. It was the first time they’d performed original music live in front of a crowd.
“We were nervous,” Manwell said. “We were used to leading worship. Now it was just us and a mic.”
But the experience shifted something.
They started investing in their craft differently, making schedules around rehearsals, planning releases and slowly assembling a team. Their parents stepped in as managers and began learning the business alongside them.
Labels started to notice—but the brothers stayed independent.
“A couple of offers came in, but we knew what we wanted,” Jay said. “We don’t want to compromise the message.”
That message—clear, consistent and rooted in their faith—is what keeps them grounded. They’ve turned down collaborations that didn’t align with their values, even when it meant sacrificing exposure.
“There’s a responsibility that comes with influence,” Manwell said. “We’ve seen how much of an impact our music has on young people. So we’ve got to be intentional about every move we make.”
That intentionality has started to pay off. Their breakout song “Old Ways” brought in thousands of new fans, including many who had never listened to Christian music before. The feedback was immediate and unexpected.
“We had people messaging us saying, ‘I don’t believe in God, but this song got me through a hard time,’” Jay said. “That’s the kind of impact we want.”
This summer, they’re scheduled to play the Siervos Festival in Houston, a major Christian hip-hop event that’s hosted artists like Lecrae and Andy Mineo. Leading up to that, they plan to release a new single every month, building toward a future EP.
“We’d love to do a full album eventually,” Jay said. “But right now, this pace works. It gives us space to keep growing.”
Their live shows reflect their range. Onstage, they might switch from mic to guitar mid-song or jump behind the drum kit—leaning into their punk roots even while delivering smooth, melodic R&B vocals.
“Sometimes people don’t expect it,” Manwell said. “But that’s part of what makes it fun. It’s just who we are.”
Social media has played a major role in their growth. It’s helped them reach far beyond Texas—but it hasn’t come without pressure. With attention comes criticism, and they’ve seen both.
“People say wild stuff in the comments,” Manwell said. “You have to know who you are in Christ. That’s the only way to keep going.”
They try to stay engaged with their followers, responding to messages and showing up with authenticity. That connection, they say, is more important than the metrics.
“We’re not just trying to build a platform,” Jay said. “We’re trying to build relationships. It’s ministry.”
And after five years of slow but steady momentum, they’re finally seeing what faithfulness looks like over the long haul.
“If God gives you something to steward, you don’t quit on it when it gets hard,” Manwell said. “You just keep showing up.”
For Jay Manwell, that’s the plan—one track, one show, one conversation at a time.
