We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Anthony Frazer a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Anthony thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?
Sometimes I do wish I would have started my creative career sooner. I sometimes wonder where I would be at had I have started four or five years prior to when I did. I honestly started right before the pandemic on a solo path. So the way things rolled out my first few years as an artist I sometimes think might’ve been a bit different. I will say though I started in the industry back in 2006 when I was about 16 years old. I had plans on coming out as a solo artist back then, but I had to learn a lot of lessons very early on that I think were big pieces of knowledge.Had i skipped that period in time I wouldn’t have learned what i did. Especially the dark part of the industry. So I don’t regret, not starting as young as 16, but also not starting as late as 27 years old if that makes sense.
Anthony, 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?
I started off in this industry in 2006. I was helping guide a friend of mine through a musical career after they had already earned themselves a pretty decent Fanbase on YouTube again this is the time when YouTube just started so we were just figuring things out on that aspect. I myself was heavily involved in music and looked at the careers of Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake very thoroughly. The business side of the music industry were something I was very interested in, but also from the musicians standpoint, I loved songwriting, singing, recording and performing. With my friend, I helped produce a lot of the records that I single-handedly wrote, and I also laid down most of the background, vocals and some lead vocals.
Some of the products and services that I provide are singing, songwriting, producing, managing, editing, choreographing, stage design, live production, costume design. I love creating marketing and promotional products as well as designing products from scratch. I design websites, and also help artist, not only develop who they are, but also help guide them with the overall process of putting together an album and performances.
Truthfully, I think what sets me apart from other people is that I am just heavily involved in all aspects of the business of a musician, and an artist. It’s very hard for me to let go of the reigns when it comes to my own projects. I love to see everything through. Every song has a cycle of life for me and a process from writing, recording, producing, promoting, releasing, coming up with the video concepts, filming the video, editing the video, promoting its again and the performing it. I love also helping artists see what the full process is for themselves as well.
I am most proud of what I have accomplished as an independent solo artist. I’m not saying that I have reached the highest peaks, but to know what I’ve done performance wise. What I have accomplished in quantity and quality of projects. The overall streams that I have reached on multiple platforms. The growth between Albums and Singles, as well as music videos. Just to know everything I’ve done, I’ve done single-handedly by myself and all that I’ve handled financially. No label can say that they’ve brought me to where I am or helped me accomplish what I have. There is a lot of growth that I have yet to experience and there’s a lot of learning that I need to do and I feel like as long as you keep that mindset said that you were never complete, and that you always have more to learn, then you will always continue to grow as an artist.
Is there a mission driving your creative journey?
I have always wanted to be an entertainer. It is always been my goal to follow my dreams. To follow in the footsteps of artist that I have always looked up to. I think having that mindset at such a young age (two years old), has always been in the back of my mind. There have also been so many people who’ve told me that I can’t do it. Between kids in school picking on me saying I can’t sing and dance just to be mean or the adults in my life in school and family. Now they didn’t say I wasn’t talented or that I didn’t belong in entertainment, they have always told me i was talented. I’ve also had many people say that following this path in this industry is so hard. They would say I need to have a back up plan and I need to have something to fall back on if I don’t find success. That in itself has driven me beyond my wildest dreams. Looking up to artists like Michael Jackson, and Britney Spears, seeing what they have gone through in this industry both good and bad. It just shows me that hard work, dedication, drive and determination will lead me to my end result.
As for the ones you told me to have a back up plan, I made it a part of my journey to acquire my bachelors degree in audio engineering and my masters degree in entertainment business through Full Sail University. So if by any chance, I don’t get to make it as an artist, I am still successfully somewhere within the entertainment industry, and with that I can lead future independent artist like myself to find success.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me, the most rewarding part of being a creative entertainer is knowing that I am fulfilling a dream. I am working harder because it’s not being handed to me. I’m able to share my experiences and emotions through my art form as a piece of therapy for myself as well as my fans. Ultimately, I get to create a much deeper meaningful connection with my fans. To show them that they are resilient and they can achieve anything they want to, as long as they stay focused.
Contact Info:
- Website: Anthonyfrazer.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/anthonyfrazer
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/officialanthonyfrazer
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/anthonyfrazer
- Youtube: http://youtube.com/anthonyfrazer
- Other: Bandsintown: Bandsintown.com/anthonyfrazer Store/Merch: Shop.spreadshirt.com/anthonyfrazer Facebook: Facebook.com/officialanthonyfrazer Facebook.com/anthonyfrazermusic Facebook.com/anthonyfrazerrecords MySpace: MySpace.com/Anthonyfrazer MySpace.com/anthonyfrazermusic Snapchat: Snapchat.com/Anthonyfrazer Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3BVe0F4u6zZz8r5lsyODPZ?si=WZRDRPmwQnCYDNoTJKYnQQ Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/anthony-frazer/1391176690 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/This-Me-Explicit-Anthony-Frazer/dp/B07K2J19TP/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?keywords=Anthony+Frazer&qid=1557595813&s=dmusic&sr=1-5 Tidal: tidal.com/browse/album/98347359
Image Credits
Anthony Frazer Mario Monstree