Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jordan Levy. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jordan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

There are multiple outlets that I explored to learn the art of music-making. College of course was the most time consuming of the bunch, and although it isn’t necessary to be a creative it did help me with hands-on experience, internships, and industry connections. I studied music business which allowed me to immerse myself in the industry side. This benefits me everyday as an artist when it comes time to draft contracts, understand royalty splits, etc. No matter what part of the entertainment industry you work in I always recommend understanding business because as artists we are a product ourselves and knowing how to get the most out of our brand is incredibly useful.

Putting school aside though, the most essential and beneficial path of learning is just doing. Even when you think you might not be qualified, take every opportunity and put in the extra time to learn while working. Putting yourself in places where everyone else is smarter than you forces you to learn and execute at a high level. For example, when I was first starting sessions for my album a few years ago I had minimal production experience but as time went on I started sitting it on the mixing sessions, asking questions about plug-ins, microphones, etc. Now only a few years later and I take my own production clients and run recording sessions for them.

The only obstacle that stands in my way is me, and it’s always a battle to not let your ego or fear of failure get in the way of your success.

Jordan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a singer/songwriter as well as a music instructor/producer. I love what I do because I can take all the knowledge I gain in creating my own music and then pass that knowledge on to my students and clients. My debut EP was released in August of 2022, and my first full-length album will be out in early fall! What I believe sets me apart as an artist is my storytelling and dedication to making the production fit the story. My producer Coen and I don’t really put pressure on ourselves to make every single song fit some sort of style or genre, but rather we spend time understanding what the lyrics mean and with what instrumentation they would be better understood. Every song I put out will be different in some way but you know they are mine through the lyrical style.

I am so proud of this new project and I cannot wait for everyone to hear it. The next single from the album will be out in late July and I urge you to stick around for the release! I am heavily influenced by the music I loved growing up, so I’m bringing back the early 2000s pop/rock with my own twist!

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

Go to small shows! Truly the best way to support artists is to just get out there and enjoy live music. We all love the big shows, but sometimes there is a hidden gem at a small venue in a lineup of people you may have never heard before. Not only does it benefit the artists playing, but you end up meeting such a fun community of fellow fans as well. There have been countless times I’ve shown up to shows alone and end up dancing with strangers that later became friends of mine.

Along with that, the industry is very saturated now. In many ways this is great because it means that so many people have access to resources that boost their careers, but on the other hand it does become harder to make a living. I urge everyone to invest in physical media, merchandise, etc from small artists because that generates more revenue than streaming. Not to mention that it also gives you something tangible to remember each show with.

Last but definitely not least, listen to songs beyond the singles or big hits! This will turn you from a casual listener to a fan. The popular tracks are popular for a reason, but once again a hidden gem could be sandwiched in between. Full projects take so much time to make, and I know at least for myself it is greatly appreciated if someone takes their time and listens to the full thing.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The best part about being a creative is working with so many incredibly talented people that push me to be better every day. Sure, I could do everything myself, but what’s the fun in that? And after a while all of my stuff would start to sound and look the same. Collaboration is the backbone of this industry and even if I am predominantly in music, I still collaborate with filmmakers, actors, visual artists/graphic designers, and even marketing/business friends. Seeing how other people work inspires me to think outside of the framework that I usually have for myself. It’s of course okay to have your circle and the people you work with the most, but I think artists are doing themselves a disservice if they just stick to that and don’t open themselves up to new collaborators.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/jordanlevymusic
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordanlevyy
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jordanlevymusic
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@jordanlevyy

Image Credits

Brandon Vancour
Alyssa Valenzuela
Chris Jon
Sebastian Gonzalez
Emily Entz