In the current age of music, artists enjoy having as much control of the creative process as possible. In hip-hop especially, the industry has seen the rise of numerous multi-talented icons—your favorite rapper doesn't only rap; he might also produce and sing. As an artist myself, one of my main goals is to be able to translate my thoughts as clearly as possible to whatever medium I'm using at the time, whether that be music, visual art or the like. As a result, I've been trying to learn everything I can about the industry and cut back on outsourcing.
One artist who has pushed me to challenge myself is Abra, the self-proclaimed Dark Wave Duchess of Atlanta's super-collective Awful Records. After working with several producers, she eventually decided to take matters into her own hands and self-produced her first EP of 2015, "BLQ Velvet." While collaboration is a beautiful event in its own right, there's something even more gratifying in bringing your own ideas to fruition by yourself. (If you're interested in learning more about Abra, check out my full article on her here).
Fellow singer/songwriter Kyle Dion has also shaped my philosophy. I recently had the opportunity to interview him and his fountain of wisdom allowed me to realize that, despite its over-saturation, the music industry doesn't necessarily have to be a competition. Everyone has something unique to offer and shouldn't be afraid to embrace themselves. Check out our conversation here.
As the industry continues to foster innovation, both Dion and Abra remind me to be unafraid of experimentation. You don't have to be an expert at everything, but you never know what new hobby you could fall in love with. Dabble in all that you can. One of the main aspects I love about UCSD is how multitalented everyone is. Often times their passions are in completely different fields; someone might be majoring in biology but have an underlying passion for producing electronic music. Go out there and explore!
