We recently connected with Brandon Maahs and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Brandon, thanks for joining us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?

This year I was diagnosed with leukemia. It was a surprise when the word came from the doctor, but I had been struggling with the symptoms for months: exhaustion, weakness, lack of energy. It really gave me pause because I’d been playing through the pain for so long, and really only hearing from my coworkers and clients and peers about where and when I wasn’t keeping up. Of course, when the doctor finally told me, all of a sudden I was hearing “I’m so sorry” and “please take a break”. But that wasn’t the sentiment until a doctor confirmed it. It really made me stop and examine the “grind culture”, the “hustle culture” that’s baked into the creative industry and the modern workforce. You’re not really given a space to be honest with your mental and physical well-being until (for me) it was (almost) too late. I would almost say that now I’m working twice as hard as I’ve ever worked — not only to keep up with those around me, but to accomplish things I want to see finished in case the worst happens. But I’m constantly listening to what my body and mind are trying to tell me. When they tell me I’m tired, I sleep. When I’m in pain, I rest and recuperate. I wish I’d known to do that before, but it’s made all the difference in how hard I’m able to work now: all for the better!

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

When I was young all I wanted to be was a rockstar. I loved how the biggest hooks in a song made me feel — how they gave me literal goosebumps and made me want to cry. I wanted to drive that vehicle, so to speak. I wanted to make people feel that way. I tried for years to make a band, and like all bands comprised of children, we broke up again and again and again. Finally I realized that making music in the studio was something that didn’t require other people. And so gradually I moved away from being a rockstar to being a composer. Plenty of films had given me the goosebumps that music did, a lot of time BECAUSE of the music in the film. So I became a student of that craft. I wrote a symphony for orchestra while in high school after teaching myself orchestration and theory. The Austin Symphony Orchestra picked it up for performance, and with that I earned a scholarship to study composition at the University of North Texas. I’ve continued to write soundtracks for films, and even revisited my rockstar fantasies with my band Color Failure. Now, I make a lot of music in a lot of ways for a lot of things. I’m really proud that in my anxious diversification of my endeavors, I’ve still been able to reach those few people who feel those goosebumps because of something I’ve written. You never know which song or what piece it might be, and a lot of times it’ll be the one you least expect. But whether I’m writing a song with my band or scoring the climax of someone’s indie film, my hope is always just to make the listener feel something. Prioritizing that has been the most rewarding catalyst to the things I’ve succeeded at.

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

Not just artists, but all people. I think one of the greatest detriments to our progress is how many struggle simply with living. A good majority of the population (be they artists, potential grad-students in STEM fields, or those interested in social services) don’t get to pursue the education they want or have adequate resources to create because they’re worried about feeding themselves and housing themselves. People love listening to music but think musicians should also have “a real job”.

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

Connecting with people. I think that’s really why I got into making things in general — I might talk to someone for hours without ever getting to know them on a fundamental level, because a lot of conversation is a social dance. But making something that moves you, and seeing it move someone else? You shortcut the social politeness and really know them after that. You have a visceral connection through the music, or the words, or the film.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.brandonmaahs.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandonmaahs/?hl=en