We recently connected with 8fonk and have shared our conversation below.

8fonk, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

When I was 12 years old, I got my first acoustic guitar. My music journey started at that moment. I made a band with my best friend Bob and we started playing pop music for kids around the block. Parents didn’t understood potential of music career, so it was more like a hobby. But it was so beautiful, childhood with music and many friends around, it was really perfect. We played mostly pop music and we composed many songs. By visiting radio and tv stations, publishers and people that had impact in music, we hit the wall many times. People in the state that I live in (Serbia, Europe), they love folk and dance music the most and back then, trying to bring some fresh pop music was very hard. As years passed by, I was playing guitar and singing with many bands. Then at 2015, I formed band called Funky State of Mind and we played disco funky and soul music. The kind of music I was always fond of. I was the song composer and writer, but the guys who played with me were extraordinary. We played at many festivals, but still, something was missing. In 2019. I decided to do only the things that I love, so I sold all my gear for public performance and invested in home studio. I am a guy who loves funk and soul and I said to myself: “Now, you will do the music you love. Compose, record and produce. There are 7 billion people out there, sure there will be someone who will support your work”.
Since then, my music time is mostly spent at my home studio, producing music and collaborating with many artist across the world. If I could go back to past…oh boy, I would definitely dedicate myself 100% to music production only.

8fonk, 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 artist name is 8fonk. My guitar playing, composition and production are influenced by 70’s and 80’s funk and soul vibes. The results of my recording sessions were groovy sounds blended with funk, soul, disco and retro wave. There was a lot of work behind me. I was working on music for TV and fashion shows, playing live with bands and at the same time, I was always producing music. By doing all that, I made a lot of new friends, DJs, producers and artist. In 2010, I teamed up with famous Greek producer and DJ Sanny X, who presented me to the world as “Funky Spacer”. The first song we did together was called “Saturday” with Tina Charles as lead vocal. That was a great moment in my music career, because, I got opportunity to work with people who were my role models when I was younger. After that one, we continued working mostly on Nu-disco and funky music for many other artists. The sound was unique cause we put together old vibes with new disco arrangements. This musical friendship and collaboration is still on and it is made to last forever.
Around 2019, I started more focusing to my production – 80’s kind of music. That is the kind of music I love the most. 80’s funk, disco and soul, ballads and synth pop, I can never be tired of these music genres. I started composing and producing 80’s music and that was the time when everything became so clear to me:
“Talent is not enough for success. For great achievements, FOLLOW YOUR PASSION!”
And all I did, was – I started following my passion.
I created web page (beat store) and uploaded my music which was composed to be presented to artists who has no experience with composing and producing, so they can find and connect with instrumentals they like and write lyrics and melody to it. People’s reaction to what I did with music was great. Artists from all over the world started reaching out to me. They found in my music that secret spice they’ve been looking for, and I was so grateful. I think that they felt passion and true emotions in my instrumentals, which leaded them to contact me. When someone understand and feel your music and when someone is determined to implement their own feelings into your music, then you know you did something beautiful. So, those people made 8fonk alive. I am so thankful for their collaborations with me and I know that we will have so many things to do in the future. Now, we are all part of #team8fonk.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me personally, most rewarding aspect of being a musician and music producer is opportunity to help other artists to express their creativity and feelings thorough music. Music as an art, gives you ability to go deeper into yourself, to “let it all out”. When I compose and when I finish my music peace, artist is a person who will bring all of the emotions to the surface. If artists understand your music and emotions, it is easy for them to tell their side of the story by writing lyrics and singing. Then you get a perfect song. I’m not talking about technical aspect of the song, but about something more divine. Tons of emotions, captured in one song, feelings and state of mind that brought us together to complete our goal. And you know you did the right thing, because, when you hit that play button, goosebumps will tell you everything you have to know. Together, we brought pure passion to the surface. The best reward you can get is emotional fulfillment. And it is priceless.

Have you ever had to pivot?

No matter what you do in life, sooner or later, a time will come when you will look into everything you did until that point. As a musician, especially when I was younger, I felt hunger for popularity, you know, to be recognized by people, like I was looking for their attention cause I had to say many things with my songs. Being in a need for that, I’ve been searching for most popular genre of music at the time and I was following it. The point is I thought that I was happy while i was playing and performing and I knew that I want to get on the surface with my music, no matter what. I was following trends, not my inner self. And that was my biggest mistake. Switching to different genres of music, I found myself lost in everything. But then, one day, I just stopped doing that. Somehow I overcome what people will tell about my music, what they will feel and think about it. And that was the pivot for me. I said to myself that I want to do music that I feel the most, I didn’t want to run for popularity no more, It wasn’t matter to me anymore. I wanted to feel what I was work on, Funky and 80’s kind of music. That day, inspiration hit me and until today, it keeps coming over and over again. Being truthful with yourself is the hardest thing, but at the end, it gives you all the freedom you can get.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.8fonk.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/8fonk
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/8fonk
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/8fonk
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@8fonk

Image Credits
Nebojsa Medic