We recently connected with Graham King and have shared our conversation below.

Graham, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I have! I started out as an intern in a studio as an audio engineer in 2020. I had no prior schooling or training as an audio engineer but I knew I wanted to be one. So through lots of Youtube and trial and error with my own music, I learned enough to land me an internship.
From there I continued to learn and develop my skills. It was definitely hard and there was a lot to learn on the technical side of audio recording. Learning the ins and outs out of how a studio functions and fundamentally works was really important in the success of said studio. I was able to learn fairly quickly because I was passionate about using these skills for my own music.

This eventually landed me a full time job at the studio and I still work there to this day.

I am truly passionate about the creative side of music creation and therefore I have been fortunate enough to produce/write and audio engineer music for myself, and other artists as the years went on. Being able to have a job as an audio engineer, while also making a living off producing/writing music has been a dream of mine. So far, audio engineering has been my provision, but I’m working diligently on making production and writing just as fruitful.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m 25, originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, but currently reside in Charlotte, North Carolina. As a kid I was always into music, specifically electronic music. I’ve always loved technology, so once I discovered I can make music with a computer, I was hooked. Skrillex was to blame for this haha. I was also learning guitar at that point with Ed Sheeran being my biggest inspiration. I always find it humorous that Skrillex and Ed Sheeran are my biggest inspirations and influence the music I make.
I started writing music in my bedroom at 13, with my guitar and laptop I truly turned into a “bedroom producer” unashamedly. Throughout high school I managed to learn enough from YouTube to buy an interface and microphone, and started recording my music. After graduating I knew that music was all I wanted to do. So I started collaborating with other artists and work on my music production skills. Eventually I found this opportunity to intern at a studio and that was when I really developed the skills to engineer properly. Both the creative and technical side of music has allowed me to excel in this industry!

I offer music production, writing, and audio engineering services to anyone who’s interested! I work locally and remotely!
My goal is to serve the song so if an artist comes in with a barebones demo or even just an idea, I help take that idea and make it into a radio ready song. My skills and craft allow me to be a “one stop shop” for a song. No need to find someone else for each step of the process ie recording, producing. mixing.

I have a unique sound given my influence and background. My personal music has always been this genre-bending sound that mixes high quality writing (Ed Sheeran influence) with an electronic and catchy flare (Skrillex inlfluence)

I truly love creating my own music and being my own artist just as much as being a producer and writer for other artists.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I think the most rewarding aspect of being an artists is 2 things. The process of creating a song from inception to release is really rewarding. Each step has its own challenges but also its own excitement and fun. It’s inspiring, difficult. fun. and one of the best things you can do. It can be easy to start and hard to finish, but if you can be disciplined enough to finish it. It is so worth it.
Second, is being able to collaborate and work with others. I love people and I love making music with people. Each person has a unique background and upbringing and ideas. So when you collaborate with someone, you make something that you wouldn’t EVER be able to make otherwise. I get so inspired and driven when I work with others because of what they bring to the table.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Society could best support artist by making more spaces for collaboration. Whether it be through events, or even challenges. Challenges really bring the best out of people. For example hosting a remix contest. Or a song creation contest with certain rules. And then displaying those in an event. Something like that would be absolutely amazing. I don’t see enough of that in local communities.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alastairsongs/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@alastairsongs
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/alastairsongs
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@alastairsongs

Image Credits

Madison King, Taylor Dobson