We were lucky to catch up with Amar Monroe recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Amar thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I’ve always been in love with the idea of creating. My Aunt used to tell me that when I was 2 or 3 years old, I would emulate singers on the radio, and I remember writing music as young as 4… But I think the moment that made me realize it was possible to create for a living- was when my older brother, who is a producer, came to my house in Beaverton, Oregon with his portable piano in hand. I had to be around 5 when he first started showing me chords and the different sounds an electronic keyboard could make. I remember being so intrigued and from that moment on- I was hooked.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

What’s good everyone?! Let me introduce myself by saying, I’m Amar Monroe, a professional Singer, Songwriter, and Event Host whose mission is to cultivate and foster a new intentional culture for a more inclusive, professional independent artist network.

I know many artists struggle with marketing themselves, networking or even finding effective ways to get feedback on their music. I know this because it’s something I struggled with for a long time. I was tired of asking for feedback on my music only to get a “🔥 ” or a compliment that didn’t help enhance or develop my sound. That’s why I founded “The Review Room,” an online show dedicated to providing constructive feedback and fostering unity among indie artists of all genres. Through “The Review Room,” I aim to create a supportive community where artists can receive meaningful critiques that help them evolve creatively.

My journey in the music industry has been marked by some pretty cool achievements that I’m very proud of – including receiving a grant from the city of Houston to take “The Review Room” live and in-person. This grant not only validates the importance of what I’m aiming to do but also provides resources to expand the impact and reach even more artists. I’m incredibly proud of how I’ve grown my community and following, from humble beginnings to over 20,000 followers and over in just a little over a year. I’ve even had the opportunity of having Grammy nominated producers (Terrence “Esquire” Higgins), Marketing Agency CEO’s (Jazz Jackson), jazz musicians (Omar Valenzuela) on the show!

What sets me apart from others in my field is my unwavering commitment to positivity, inclusivity, and constructive criticism. No matter who you are or where you’re from, you’re welcome in my community. As a trans, Persian, Salvadoran artist who has faced adversity and overcome numerous challenges, I understand the importance of creating spaces where everyone feels valued, respected, and like they can get valuable information.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

People underestimate the fact that supporting an artist is free in a lot of ways.

I saw a picture online once that went something like:

“A like costs nothing, a comments gives us motivation, a share introduces others to your page and a save helps with engagement” and I think that captures exactly what I mean when I say how much people underestimate how much these means of support mean to us as artists.

Obviously, if you’re buying merch or something – that’s a form of support that isn’t free.. but if you are going out of your way to support an artist by purchasing their merch- that is the best way to show an artist you believe in them so they can continue pursuing their passion…and that means the world to artists.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I built my audience by just sharing my thoughts and being vulnerable about my every struggles with imposter syndrome, mental health, etc, not only as an artist but as a person. Once people started to realize they could resonate with my life and experiences, they started to become more interested in my music and personal journey. I realize it’s not easy to tell your life story to people you don’t know… but when you share pieces of yourself- that new song you’re dropping, the vision behind that lyric- it can go such a long way when it comes to connecting with your audience.

If I had a piece of advice…it would be just to be authentic in your interactions with people. Be yourself and love the person that you are. When you truly know yourself and your intentions, that’s when people really start to rock with you.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theAmarMonroe.com
• Instagram: @AmarMonroe
• Facebook: @TheAmarMonroe
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amar-monroe-3b4122261
• Twitter: @AmarMonroe
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@AmarMonroe

Image Credits
Payton Templeton Leo Gip Darrian Thomas Tony Chavria