We were lucky to catch up with Ronnie Andrade recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ronnie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I have always been surrounded by music. My parents came here from Honduras and El Salvador, so my first language was Spanish and after being in school I became bilingual. I remember my father always playing his guitar in the house, listening to rock and roll, while my mom would play classic romantic Spanish, i.e. Julio Iglesias. I definitely had a range of cultural and musical influences in our house. In 5th grade, I wanted to play the saxophone, like many jazz greats, however my dreams were dashed when I was told that my lips weren’t meant for the saxophone, so trumpet it was! I also grew up in the church and was inspired by the worship leaders. Wanting to be up on stage with them, I decided to teach myself piano and after high school I went to a Bible music school in Houston. Later on, I went to Texas State to get a degree in Music Education with a minor in Jazz as a first generation college graduate. Currently, I am an elementary music teacher K-5th and I love it! Inspiring others through music is what I do and what I’ll continue to do whether that is teaching or performing.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Currently, I am an elementary music teacher and solo artist. When I am not teaching, I reach out and network with local musicians at local open mics or jams. Many times other musicians seek other musicians through pages such as Facebook and because of these resources, I get to perform alongside many different wedding, corporate, variety bands as well as getting to perform solo. These opportunities have led me to become a freelance musician in which I get to help other bands in need of a keyboardist, guitarist or vocalist. When I am not teaching or freelancing, I write my own music. I love piano instrumentals and I have created several albums that are on most streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music.

I am most proud of being able to constantly grow as a musician. All the different experiences when performing with different groups have made me the musician I am today. I love that I am living my dream and get to make music all day long everyday. I currently have an original band called The Skylights and we are in the process of creating our first album as a group. You can follow my personal work on YouTube, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram.

: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I believe there are many musicians that have the dream of sharing their music with the world and going on tour. I still do. I remember growing up in church and having the biggest dream of taking these songs I’ve written and going on mission trips to spread the positivity and joy that music brings us. I’m still dreaming. Since I am a first generation member from my family living in the United States, getting a degree is a must. I’ve pursued a degree and accomplished it. I started to teach and have built comfort in my finances. Lately, I have decided that this upcoming year might be my last year to teach because I’d like pursue my childhood dream full-time. I have many songs and many ideas that I want to share so time is precious. I am blessed to have had the opportunities I’ve encountered and I am excited because I know my next project will be my best work yet.

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

The most rewarding experience of being an artist and creative is that it brings joy or relevance to those around us. The reason we do music is because that is how we express what is inside of us. When people relate to something you’ve created, that’s an incredible feeling. I believe teachers are performers too. Everything they do, inspires their students and communities to keep learning and growing. When you can see the progress of your music having an impact on someone, it is the same feeling when a student internalizes what you have taught them. Music brings us together and I absolutely love it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ronnieandrade.hearnow.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ronnieandrademusic/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RonnieAndradeMusic/photos/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLbCk4jsJc1vdEVSH3uEwOA