Music

So, you want to get into Music?

An interview with Levi Ransom

This blog is slightly different from usual; in this post I interview Levi Ransom , a young pop/rock artist from Atlanta, GA. Levi started singing in church when he was just 4 years old and began writing his own music at the age of 11. Levi himself is currently embarking on the tough journey into the music industry. I thought it’d be helpful to get some insight from someone who is actively working their way into a field of work; perhaps some of you will be able to relate to some of Levi’s answers! If you enjoy this, please let me know and I will continue to interview people in a similar position to Levi. His newest project “The Search For Happiness, Pt. 1” is available everywhere now!

I would like to thank Levi for reaching out to me and for agreeing to do this with me, I really hope you find it helpful! You can find out more about Levi on his Instagram @leviransommusic and his website https://leviransommusic.squarespace.com/about

Why did you decide to embark on a career as a Musician?

Well, I started singing in church when I was 4, I didn’t really think that it would do anything for me but then when I was 11 I started learning how to play guitar. After that, the songwriting started for me and from there I knew that music is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I went to Nashville, TN to record my first EP in 2014 and that sparked my interest in wanting to teach myself how to record. So, I then taught myself how to record/produce my own music when I was in high school and am currently going to school for music production as well!

Have you considered any other career path, or is this what you have always wanted to do?

Honestly, I’ve never really ever thought about it. Music stuck and that’s been my life for what feels like forever. I like writing a lot so I think that could be a possibility, but music is my life. I don’t know where I’d be without it.

What are some obstacles you have had to cross on this journey?

Myself. My own judgement. Sometimes I’ll write a song or release a song I produce on my own, and later on I realize it’s not as good as it could’ve been if I took more time to do it. Obviously I know more now than I did in regards to production, which has helped me stay on track to what I’m really striving for. I think we can sometimes get it so stuck in our head that we have to be as good or better than this person or that person, that the genuine work or quality slips away. I struggled with it for the longest time and sometimes still do, but my advice is to keep working on your craft and keep trying to be the best you can be.

What are you doing currently to try to find opportunities within the music industry?

It took a little bit of time to find “my sound”, but when I did it’s felt more freeing and it’s so much more comfortable to make the music I do. I’m constantly trying to get my name out as an artist and also a producer to make sure people hear my name for any potential success in the future. I write songs all the time, it’s very therapeutic for me when I’m stressed or just need to write my feelings down. Like I said before, I’m currently going to school for music production which has broadened my horizons and opened my eyes to so many new ways of producing/making music. I also play shows as much as I can to keep growing my fanbase, which I can totally give a lot of credit to my wife for because she’s helped me grow just in this past year, more than I could have done on my own.

Have you ever had moments where you feel as though you want to give up? What are your recommendations to deal with these moments?

Most definitely. I feel like if you don’t feel that, you’re not doing something right. It can’t always be smooth sailing, it can’t always be easy. Even the top artists and producers have their moments. I know I have. There have been times where I just feel like maybe I’m never gonna get to where I wanna be and all this time is just time wasted. But then I realize that doesn’t help me reach further to get to that goal, it hinders me from getting anywhere. If I had any advice on this subject, it would be to know your limits. If you feel you need to step back and take a break for a while, do it. Don’t overwork yourself, there would be nothing to produce, write or sing if you’re not there to do it. I took a year break a couple years ago from making music and it helped me bounce back even better than before. It’s okay to take time for yourself, don’t overdo it!

What is your favorite thing about being a musician?

I love being able to write my life into song. It gives me the ability to show people parts of my life that they wouldn’t know if they hadn’t met me in person. I love the feeling when I’m on stage, singing my heart out to people who may have never heard of my name before. It’s more intimate than just hearing your song on Spotify or something. You see that person and you can see how much a certain song means to them with the passion they exert in a live setting. I love producing too, it’s very cool to see a song come to life. I usually do everything on my own, so being able to experiment and see what could go where in a song is very interesting to me. It’s probably the hardest part of the job, but it pays off in the end when you finish a record and get to hear the finished product.

What has been your least favourite thing about working your way into the music industry?

How long it takes. I may never “get to the top” but it takes a lot of hard work and effort to get your name out there and make sure no one forgets it. I started my career in 2014, so going on 6 years now and still steadily growing is very humbling. But I’m also impatient and always just want something to finally happen. You’ve gotta find other artists and people to connect with, which has been one of my favorite things about this. I’ve made so many friends since I started and it’s just so cool to see how they translate their stories into songs. In the end we all are reaching for the same goal, so the best thing we can do for each other is to give as much support as we can. But there will be a few bad apples you will encounter that will look out for only themselves; I have learnt to stay away from those kind of people. One last thing I see is that It’s not healthy to compare yourself to other artists because it will tear you down and hold you back. Sometimes it doesn’t make sense why someone is achieving more than you are in the moment, but the hard work pays off in the end so you just gotta keep working at it.

Where do you want to be in 5 years?

Hopefully signed to a label. That’s the dream anyway. I wanna be touring, producing for my own label, making even more music than I have made in the past 6 years. I have learned that we can’t ever predict the future and we are not guaranteed tomorrow, so I have just taught myself to take it one day at a time. My dad passed away the first year I started this thing, which was really hard for me. But one thing he wanted me to do was succeed and keep at it. So I do what I do in honour of him and I always will.

What is your advice to those trying to work their way into the music industry?

Don’t over underestimate yourself. One problem I’ve seen is people not living up to their full potential because they wanna take the easy route. Try things you didn’t know you could do! It makes the finish line more worth it. I would also say to keep collaborating with other people, keep getting your name out there and keep making music. Even if you don’t release it, it’s good to have something to test out and practice your craft with. Practicing is key and it will get you to where you wanna be if you keep it up. Music can be such a big mind game that we can beat if we just prove the voice in our head wrong by doing something it said we can’t. You just gotta keep your head up through it all to make sure you keep growing as a person and an artist.

Thank you for reading!