We recently connected with Nathan Gross and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Nathan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I am very happy as an artist and satisfied with my direction in life. I wouldn’t have it any other way. The universe was calling me to share my art with the world and pursue being an entrepreneur. I have felt the challenges of ‘will I make it’ in the industry, dealt with the uncertainty (especially finances), and wondered if I should only have a normal job (I still work part-time as a music teacher). But being an artist is about growing and expanding. It’s about facing challenges in spite of uncertainty to find purpose in life. If I had any insights, I would say don’t give up on your dreams and ambitions. While there are hurdles in this industry, don’t let them stop you from finding a way to make it work.

Nathan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started piano lessons when I was six years old. I’m glad I was encouraged to keep going, because I almost quit. I just hadn’t discovered what I liked yet. But when I heard Nightwish in high school, I wanted to start pursuing music professionally. They were a band that changed my life, and I wanted to attend university to learn about classical music, composition, piano performance, and orchestration. Other bands that inspired me along the way were Dream Theater, Sonata Arctica, Stratovarious, Epica, and Kamelot. I know I wanted to be in a band and create the music I wanted to hear with like-minded people, which was symphonic metal music.

I am the keyboardist of Age of Athena (symphonic metalcore). We released our debut album ‘Gate to Oblivion’ in December of 2021. We’re very proud of the writing on that album. I am also the founder/composer of Haven Dream, which is an ‘Epic Dream Metal’ project. We are currently working on a debut album called ‘Internal’, which is an album that focuses on mental health topics. I also joined with Blood of Indigo along the way, which is a ‘Dark Fantasy Metal’ band. We released our debut album ‘Dawn of The Shaded World’ in August of 2022. This is a proud moment in our careers, as we feel we created a truly unique experience and world through characters, storytelling, riffs, and orchestrations. So that’s where I started getting into the industry, simply by creating music with the people I love.

Through these musical experiences, I was discovering more and more possibilities in creating new sounds, which is what fascinated me the most. This is why I fell into the producer-mindset direction. I wanted to make my own sound, I just didn’t know how to get it yet. I spent the last few years learning on my own, and through online production courses (such as URM Academy), and classes in school at Western University and Fanshawe College.

I started my own business Studio Grandiose, which aims to help artists in finding their own sound and bring their visions to life. I fell into lots of categories (keyboards, orchestration, production, mixing, mastering, songwriting), so I created a business out of necessity to offer all of what I have to clients, while satisfying all of those creative assets. It’s been wonderful collaborating with other artists on their visions (Snowmaiden, Solarus, Kelseidoscope, Battlefate, Nameless Friends, Nachtmuse, and Tom McKay are artists I’ve worked with).

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect is being able to create the music you like with the people you love most. And there are also no limits and no end to being a creative. Once you’re a creative, you’re a creative for life. Another rewarding aspect is getting the opportunity to let my unique voice shine.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My biggest mission is expanding the colour palette of what exists already. Challenging what the norm is, unveiling boundaries, and being my authentic self when it comes to music; I love finding new combinations that have never been heard before, and that is always the goal. For example, I discovered that I love soundscapes and ambient music in recent years, and combining that with metal felt fresh. That process is exciting to me.

I also love finding artist’s authenticity in their music, and being able to craft a sound that is true to themselves. This is very rewarding and satisfying with every new project.

Contact Info:

• Website: studiograndiose.ca
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studiograndiose/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/studiograndiose
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@studiograndiose

Image Credits

Personal Photo: Pogalova Evgenia Photographer

Additional Photos

1: Andrea Hunter Photography

2: Artwork by Dee Gozali

3: Artwork by Pierre-Alain D. // 3mmi Design

4: Andrea Hunter Photography

5: Pogalova Evgenia Photographer

6: Photo by Jerome Joyce, Edited by Northern Luna

7: Logo made with Tailor Brands