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

Alright, LEFTI thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How do you think about vacations as a business owner? Do you take them and if so, how? If you don’t, why not?

Definitely, it’s necessary!

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

My artist name is LEFTI, and my real name is Alexandro Suarez. I’ve been involved in music professionally since 1999, when I began touring as a guitarist in various indie bands across the U.S. I spent my early years in South Florida and eventually moved to Brooklyn in 2005 — right around the time my career really took off. In 2006, I joined the pop band Cobra Starship as their bassist. We toured extensively and had a couple of Hot 100 radio singles you might remember: “Good Girls Go Bad” (feat. Leighton Meester) and “You Make Me Feel” (feat. Sabi). I played with Cobra until 2013.

Meanwhile, I had started DJing back in 2004 while still in Miami and was immediately hooked. Once I moved to New York, I found myself immersed in the local scene, spinning Funk, Soul, Motown, Disco, and New Wave around the city. That passion for DJing has stayed with me ever since.

After leaving Cobra, I transitioned into songwriting and production. With a solid background producing for bands, it felt natural to begin working with other artists. I signed a publishing deal with an indie publisher who set me up with writing sessions in both New York and LA. During that time, I also started composing music for film, TV, and commercials. That’s when the LEFTI project began — around late 2015 — and it quickly gained traction, especially in the sync and licensing world. My music was starting to reach farther than the co-writes I was doing, thanks in large part to the dedication of my indie publisher.

Unfortunately, once that company was acquired by a much larger firm, my sync work fell off — a common challenge when smaller, hands-on companies get absorbed into giant catalogs. So in 2019, I stepped away from the publishing world to focus fully on my own music.

I had big plans and a new manager heading into 2020 — and then, of course, the pandemic hit. Like many artists, I had to pivot. I kept releasing music, pushed through the uncertainty, and eventually launched my own label, Quincy Boy Records. The goal was (and still is) to create a platform for authentic dance music — music that doesn’t rely on social media stats or Spotify numbers to be validated, but that connects with people on a deeper level.

That brings me to now. I’ve been DJing and releasing music non-stop — on my own labels (I now run two), and also with others. 2025 is already off to a great start, with releases on Sam Divine’s DVINE Sounds and Claptone’s Golden Recordings. I’m excited for what’s ahead.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I’ll try to keep it short, but around the age of 21, I found myself at a major crossroads. I had just completed a culinary trade program and was working as a sous chef alongside an executive chef I really respected. Together, we started a high-end catering business that focused on wine dinners and curated food-and-wine pairings — something pretty unique at the time, especially in Orlando where we were based. It had a lot of potential and was starting to take off.

Unfortunately, my business partner struggled with alcohol, and it started to affect our work and our reputation. Despite my efforts to keep things moving forward, I eventually had to walk away from the business.

Around the same time, I was dealing with the end of a long-term relationship. My girlfriend at the time was exploring her identity, and we ultimately went our separate ways. That, combined with the recent breakup of my first touring band, made it feel like every part of my life was shifting all at once.

It was a heavy time — personally and professionally — but those endings ultimately pushed me to make one of the best decisions of my life: moving to New York City. That move changed everything for me. It set me on the path I’m on now, and looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing. Sometimes when everything falls apart, it’s actually the start of something much bigger.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

To me, resilience comes from a realization — the understanding that most things worth building take time. Sure, there are overnight successes, but they’re rare. More often, progress happens in small wins that stack up over time.

I think it’s important to celebrate those smaller victories. If you’re constantly waiting for one big, defining moment, you might miss the value of all the little ones — which are really just pieces of something bigger, spread out across your journey. Without recognizing them, it can feel like you’re not getting anywhere.

Resilience is about staying committed through the ups and downs. Every win — no matter how small — is fuel for the fire. Sometimes resilience means keeping that fire lit even when things feel slow, stagnant, or uninspired. It’s easy to feel like giving up in those moments. But then, one small win can change everything — even if just for a little while — and remind you why you keep going.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.leftimusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leftimusic
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/leftimusic
• Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/leftimusic