We recently connected with CRTFD and have shared our conversation below.

CRTFD, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

My love for music started at a young age, and as I grew older I was particularly drawn to electronic dance music. Inspired by legendary DJs and Producers, such as Kaskade, Tiesto and Cosmic Gate I knew that I wanted to create my own unique sounds and share them with the world. Armed with a passion for beats and melodies, and a love for the culture that surrounds electronic music I embarked on a mission to learn the art of producing.

This journey began in my bedroom. I spent countless hours experimenting on Fruity Loops, trying to recreate the sounds that had inspired me so much. I also knew I had to get as involve with the scene as possible so I throwing shows and working as a promoter for brands or events I felt would move me forward. As many artists will attest, the road to success is never smooth. I faced numerous obstacles, including self-doubt and moments of creative block. There were even moments I thought about quitting altogether.

However, I was determined and set on my path. I fought through my setbacks and used each challenge as an opportunity to grow, refine my skills and evolve into a greater version of myself as an artist. I started to learn more softwares and hone in my Dj skills and as my confidence grew and my skills improved I started to receive recognition and support from those around me. This eventually led to me being able to play in front of a live audience for the very first time.

After starting to play smaller venues and underground parties in Los Angeles and Orange County I realized this was a turning point on my journey. This new feeling of being able to perform in front of people and have them react positively to what I was doing was so amazing I knew I would be pursuing this dream until I made it to the big stage.

As time went on, my hard work paid off, and I found myself playing at bigger and more prestigious venues. I have been able to share my love and passion for this music at places considered to be the best in the world such as Academy, Exchange LA and Time nightclub. All while supporting artists I’ve looked up to since before this journey had even started. Each gig presented new opportunities to connect with the audience, to share my love for electronic music, and to keep refining my skills as an artist.

Today, I am still on this journey of learning and growing. I constantly push myself to evolve as an artist, exploring new sounds, and collaborating with other musicians. The EDM community in Los Angeles and Orange County have become like family to me, and we support and inspire each other to reach new heights.

Looking back, I am grateful for every step of the process, both the highs and the lows, the challenges and triumphs. Learning this craft has been a transformative experience, not only in my career but in my personal growth as well.

CRTFD, 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?

For anyone who is discovering me for the first time, I go by CRTFD, pronounced (sur · tuh · fide).

Thank you for taking the time to read about my story up to this point. I am a Producer and DJ who primarily makes house music. You can always catch me playing shows in LA and Orange County as well as clubs and festivals around the country.

I’ve been working so hard lately on a ton of new tracks and am so excited to share all this new music with you guys. If you have a passion for EDM you can check out my music on any of the major streaming platforms and be sure to follow me on social media to get the latest updates on what is next from CRTFD

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

Whether it is music related or not, going into business for yourself and creating a brand is one of the hardest things you will ever do. It will show you who is really going to support you through anything and that’s why getting to connect with my audience and perform for them is the most rewarding aspects of being an artist. Getting to see massive crowds dancing to your music and having the time of their lives is such a good feeling I couldn’t imagine ever giving it up.

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

I believe creative people follow their feelings and chase their dreams. As a creative person not everything I do may make sense from the outside perspective. Even when it might seem impossible there is always a drive in me that gets me to chase these goals that may seem out of reach to most, but to me it is worth it because I know I may never get the opportunity to pursue these dreams again. Some things I strive for in my music career may seem unobtainable when you first start but through consistency, determination and maybe even a little bit of luck, progress is always being made. Almost never all at once but little by little just like when you start any other business venture.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/crtfd_music
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crtfd_music/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CRTFD.MUSIC/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/CRTFD_MUSIC
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5xRMgTdshh9HUozJVSUuZN?si=Lz4-R2ogTOu1JATBOjJI5Q https://soundcloud.com/crtfd_music

Image Credits
Dutches Richards Steven Garcia Troy Acevado