We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ariee a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ariee, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

Earning a full time living as an artist can be a challenge when you’re first starting. You can be confused on where to start who to talk to and when the right time would be to start. I’m here to tell you there is no correct blueprint to making a living as an artist.

Location matters! Where you are located will determine how often you can perform live or if there are any opportunities to do studio work and writing. A lot of things have changed since I’ve gotten my start. I was born and raised in New Orleans, LA. The birth place of Jazz. I was exposed early on to many genres and styles of music.

I started singing in school, then also in church. So I was able to practice my craft in real time. That exposure grew my passion for music which led me to get opportunities to just be around the people who were doing it. I met working musicians who would gig in clubs around the city and networked with them. I was then able to get the opportunity to sit in with the band, which just meant that I was able to sing a song or two while the band was playing.

That one opportunity opened the floodgates to my full time career. I was able to travel with that band, then that put me in circles with people who were working with other bands and major recording artist. I was hooked. I was drawn to the ability to be able to do so what I love and make money at the same time. When you love what you do it’s not work. It was my fun. I would be working 7 days a week performing some times and some of those days were two shows.

I’ve just been on the journey ever since loving the growth, relationships, and opportunities that come with it.

Ariee, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Ariee I am a Pop/ R&B artist from New Orleans, LA. I bring the entertainment. I have been touring my entire career and releasing music under my label Ariee Music Group. LLC.

I am fully independent and invested in growing as an artist and entrepreneur.

I also have an online business called Fox & Co Beauty where I am currently selling our first product Laid Edge Gel. This is the best edge gel on the market for all hair types.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The time when I and the world had to pivot was during the Covid 19 pandemic. I was busy working as a full time entertainer and things just made a hard stop. I remember the confusion and anxiety that I had at that time when every show and concert got canceled back to back. I didn’t know what to do or where to turn. Being inside gave me so much time to think and reflect about where I wanted to be in the next few years. I decided that I wanted to step into entrepreneurship. I wanted to continue to work for myself and serve people. I focused on what I really was into and that was beauty. Fox & Co was started during the pandemic and it ended up being a blessing in disguise.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

Non Creatives don’t understand how deep the passion is for art. I believe our brains just are wired differently. A non creative person won’t understand why you would spend hours perfecting a craft and sacrificing family time and outings for something that seem so fleeting to them. They don’t understand how much time and money you would invest into your passion for non creatives to think what you do is easy or dismiss it as a hobby. Non creatives believe they can put a price on your art and you should be grateful that they think it’s good.
Non creatives have a hard time respecting the hustle, blood, sweat, & tears that go into one performance or one art peace to make sure that it is perfection before it is presented to them.
I just want there to be an appreciation and respect for how artist decided to live their lives especially when it’s bringing beauty into the world.
Nothing about producing art is easy acknowledged the raw emotion, pain, & and love that it took to create that work.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.arieemusic.com
• Instagram: @arieeariee
• Facebook: Arieeariee03
• Youtube: Ariee Music
• Other: www.foxandcobeauty.com

Image Credits
Orsen One Shot Ellis