When did you make up your mind that you wanted to be a musician?
I’ve always known that I wanted to be a singer. From a young age, I felt a spiritual connection to music in general, so music has really always been a part of me.
Please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans.
My main forms of fan interactions come from Instagram and YouTube. I have fans from around the world that find me on those channels and leave comments on my posts and videos. I make it a point to regularly respond to their comments. Their words of encouragement are always so kind, and it’s one of my favorite parts of being a musician.
When performing and the crowd is singing along, how does that energy make you feel?
There’s no feeling like it. Since I’m just starting out, many fans don’t yet know all of the words to my music, but when they do, it’s this surreal moment! Seeing and hearing words I wrote come out of someone else’s mouth with such confidence is wild and extremely gratifying.
What’s the biggest highlight of your career thus far?
Going on tour in LA and Colorado this last summer. I learned so much about myself personally and professionally, and got to meet so many new people! It was such a great learning experience and I gotta do what I love while doing it.
Is there a hidden meaning in any of your music?
Definitely! When people first listen to my songs, they can assume that I’m just talking about falling or being in love on the surface. But most of my songs have a much deeper meaning than that. I’m a 29-year-old who is still figuring himself out, so I put a lot of my personal experiences (good and bad) into my songs in subtle ways. I’m all about transparency at this point in my life, but I understand how the music business works. I want to make my songs as digestible as possible at this point in my career, so I’m careful to overtly showcase the ‘deep’ meaning behind them sometimes.
Which famous musicians have you learned from?
I take a lot of musical and personal inspiration from Beyonce, Michael Jackson, Usher, Justin Timberlake, and Chris Brown. They are groundbreaking artists that changed the music industry and the world, and I am going to do the same with my career.
What makes a performance/song good? How do you judge a performance/song?
Having a good performance and/or song comes down to human connection. We’re all living this beautiful and crazy thing called life, so we all essentially have something in common. No matter the genre, make a song that comes from deep within you, or when you perform try and give meaning to the words you’re singing, and both will be great! That’s how I like to judge music regardless if the genre happens to be one of my favorites or not.
How often and for how long do you practice?
I’m always practicing! Whether it’s directly for an upcoming performance or practicing songwriting, you can always find me singing or writing in my house.
Do you have any advice for anyone wanting to sing as a career?
You must believe in yourself before you expect anyone else to. Don’t expect other people to do things for you in the industry because they really don’t have to. You have to give people something to believe in first, and that starts with you!
Who helped you most in your journey?
All of my help comes from the Lord and my mom. She is the GOAT for taking me to countless auditions as a kid and never letting me give up on my dreams.
What would you do differently if you were to start over again from day one?
I would tell myself to take things a lot easier on myself. I put so much pressure on myself to be successful, that I wasn’t really having fun with it. Today, I’m loving the process and am not result-oriented. The results are going to come, so I might as well enjoy the ride!
If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
I would want people to remove their egos! Ego and self-righteousness are the death of creativity in my opinion and the music industry would be better without it.
How would your peers describe you in the music industry?
Hardworking, naturally gifted, and great to work with!
How would the people closest to you describe you outside of the industry?
Loving, compassionate, hardworking, and fun to be around.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
Yes! I love traveling, staying in shape, and fashion. I’ve been to over 30 countries, I work out 3-4 times per week and I’m constantly researching style trends and ways to improve my wardrobe. I plan on professionally developing all three of my other hobbies by using my music career as a vehicle for them.
End of Interview