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

Esabalu, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

As a relatively new, full-time freelancer, I have taken my fair share of risks. Living in a world where we expect instant gratification and have very short attention spans, it’s hard to know whether you’re taking the right chances because seeing results takes time. One of my first big risks was moving from New York (a city where I had lived and built up my career for ten years) to LA in October of 2020—during the height of a global pandemic. Because of the almost overnight progress made on remote collaboration, the re-location worked out well and allowed me to explore a new city but I had no idea how it would pan out, aside from making sure I had a roof over my head.

More recently, I transitioned from supplementing my income with a desk job to relying solely on music to sustain my needs. I have never felt so fulfilled and scared all at once. As someone who has worked since she was 16, starting with a cashier position at my local Food Lion in Apex, North Carolina, I have always dreamed of the day where I would be able to have infinite time to create, sing, write, and collaborate. The freedom is beautiful and I’ve only just begun. I’ve also learned how much my ego is tied to my work, especially when I have nothing to fall back on, and it’s helping me to learn a lot about myself.

Esabalu, 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?

I’m Esabalu—an LA based artist with Kenyan roots and a southern upbringing. As a graduate of Berklee College of Music, I found myself working on the production and engineering side of the business right out of school but I eventually found my way back to stages throughout New York (Saturday Night Live supporting Kacey Musgraves, Jimmy Fallon supporting Bastille and Wallows, and Seth Meyers) and am now exploring the West coast. I’m currently breaking ground in the world of sync licensing and have worked on campaigns for Google, Ulta, Linkedin, Doordash, Samsung, and more. I’ve also had my music featured in BelAir, Fallen Angels Murder Club, and Milkwater. I recently released my debut EP, “Moon”—find it wherever you listen to music and check out patreon.com/esabalu to hear unreleased sync music weekly!

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I have to shout out Women In Music (womeninmusic.org) for the incredible work they do connecting women in cities across the globe. They have created such a fun, collaborative space for me throughout my time as a member and I have made some invaluable connections through their organization. The best resources I’ve had in my career have always been my relationships with the people I’ve met at various stages in my journey. I’m a voting member of the Recording Academy, a SAG-AFTRA member, and an advocate for Women In Music which are all important resources for me. The reason that these organizations have been invaluable is because of the people behind the scenes and the members that I’m able to connect with at events, mixers, and more.

Last year, I was able to travel to Vegas for a songwriting workshop with the Recording Academy, I recently supported the Women in Music x Sofar Sounds show with an acoustic performance alongside three other incredible women, and I’m currently standing with SAG members as they fight for a fair deal from the AMPTP. I have found wonderful people through these resources and continue to find people to collaborate with both within and outside of the music industry.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being creative is problem solving through my work. I’ve recently been writing for film, tv, and ads which means that my collaborator(s) and I usually start with a lot of information on what we need to make into a song. We may have a tempo, concept, keywords, and/or things that we cannot do within the parameters of a song, and it’s our job to make it work. I thrive in those situations because it’s like figuring out a puzzle. How do I make a song all of these things and still make it sound like a song? It makes my job fun and rewarding when I can rise to the occasion.

I’ve also started to explore new software/gear—much of which was already in my workspace left untouched. My latest project has been to transition from Protools to Ableton after 15+ years of using the same DAW. Learning (and unlearning an old system) has been challenging and frustrating at times but as I start to ramp up my knowledge I’m having more and more fun with it!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.esabalu.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/esabalumusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/esabalumusic
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/esabalumusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@esabalu
• Other: patreon.com/esabalu

Image Credits
Main photo: Jeyhoun Allebaugh Additional Photo Credit: Drew Bordeaux