Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tyler McMaster. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Tyler, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
Pursuing a career in music is an inherent risk; I am reminded of this every time I put myself out there in an attempt to make it BIG. My success is based on the opinion of others and those opinions, in the age of endless digital content, are often ambivalent. There are a million and one people who want the same dream as me, so how am I going to stand out in a crowd? I probably need to become a giant or something, I don’t know.
The risk of performing for a new audience is scary but necessary for singer/songwriters. There is an endless pool of questions that swirl in my head: Do they like how I look? Do they like how I sing? Was I charismatic enough? Was I annoying? Did they like my song choices? Do they know how much effort when into these songs? Do they even care?
I try to push myself with my music career by taking as many risks as possible. Collaborating with someone new lead to my debut single. Taking that crazy gig made me feel so fulfilled in my progress as an artist. Singing that song I love but no one else knows found ways to stop people in their tracks and listen. If I learned one thing, it’s that when I start from the bottom, it can’t hurt to reach for what I want because I can only go higher. As a performer, I control how I present myself to the world. That risk, being vulnerable and confident at the same time, has led to incredible opportunities! I wouldn’t be where I am today, releasing my own music, performing for others, and leaving a music legacy, without taking a risk or two.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Tyler McMaster and I am a pop artist and songwriter from Columbus, Ohio. I write and record songs that take people on a journey, because songwriting takes me on journeys all the time. Songwriting presented itself as an alternate route, a road that would offer a much more scenic view while traveling through my life. I chose to take that scenic route and have never looked back. Now, I share my life story through music. When people say they relate to my songs, I feel honored because that means they saw my scenic view as the song transported them to a new place. My goal is to provide the world with music that brings people together, makes people smile, and helps people understand feelings they couldn’t put into words before. It’s truly an amazing thing and I’m so glad I took a detour to find my passion for songwriting.
I have meticulously selected songs to be a part of my debut album, ‘Oasis’. Two songs are currently out in the world, “Under the Lights (feat. Teresa Suydam)” and “Mediterranean”. I’m so proud of both of these songs and I want them to connect with as many people as possible. My songs explore the many layers of love as I learned what love is and what love is not, and fell in love for the first time. More songs are on the way very soon and I can’t wait to share the entire body of work, my album, ‘Oasis’. You can check out the released songs anywhere you stream/download music and be sure to follow me @tylermcmaster22 on Instagram and TikTok so you know when more music is released.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Recording music is one of the most exciting and scary points of the songwriting process. It’s where the song I formed and fell in love with comes to life, and I want it to be the best version it can be. A lot of its success relies on me as the creative. I work with a very small team in the recording studio: myself, my friend and producer Al, and sometimes Al’s dog Luca. I love bouncing ideas off Al to sift through the good and the bad, but at the end of the day, I have the final say on how this song turns out. It’s a weird feeling to have this much control because I must have the confidence to say, “this is amazing” before anyone else gets to hear it. I’ve sent some of my songs to fellow songwriters for constructive criticism and it’s sometimes tough to hear what they have to say. When I hear ten new opinions on a song that, for most of its existence, has only been heard by me and Al, it can feel like I lose control of the song. However, I have learned that I am still in control of the song’s destiny. I can take the criticism at face value, evaluate its alignment with my vision for the song, and incorporate it on my own terms. I still choose how my song lives and thrives, with some hints of advice strewn in there.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
In an age where there is an uncountable amount of creatives wishing to entertain you, support the ones that speak to you. Let them know that you look forward to their releases, that you listen to them before you go to work, or you talk about them with your friends. Small connections like these mean the world to creatives such as myself because we all want to give and give and give until we have no more left. But, when we receive something in return, it reminds ourselves why we do what we do and keeps up motivated to provide premium content to those who care. 
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tylermcmaster.com
- Instagram: @tylermcmaster22
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tylermcmaster22
- TikTok: @tylermcmaster22 Spotify
- Artist Page: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1hNaFFdCsaQXITgBT12aQJ?si=kRFzi3VMSx-WuhZhjLda7w
- Apple Music Artist Page: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/tyler-mcmaster/1666414634
Image Credits
IMG_4668.jpg (featured image): Steele & Savannah Eckenrode of Pittsburch Photo + Video DSC_0862 2 and Oasis Single Artwork Square – Back Cover.jpg – Robin & Vicki McMaster Thumbnail 6: Kylie Osmond Mediterranean FINAL cover.jpeg: Sophie Ott & Tyler McMaster Under the Lights Cover Art FINAL.jpg: Teresa Suydam & Tyler McMaster Thumbnail 2: Tyler McMaster