We were lucky to catch up with Chase Coy recently and have shared our conversation below.

Chase, appreciate you joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?

Working in a creative industry, it’s easy to keep track of numbers and lose track of the real purpose and intent of what you’re making. But I find that whether an artist achieves outstanding commercial success or they remain an underground sensation, success for an artist creatively comes in small victories.

I have played sold out shows, I’ve hit streaming targets, and I’ve had all sorts of amazing opportunities to work with my heroes and my peers on amazing art. In the midst of all that, the moments that stay with me are the private conversations I’ve had one-on-one with people who have been deeply affected by the music I’ve helped create. Being able to take my trauma and my experiences, translate that to song and see it take root and comfort someone else in the midst of their own struggles is my greatest joy.

Ultimately, so much of what we do as creatives is out of our control once the art is out in the world. It has its own will, its own life, and it is never quite in our control again after we share it with others. The art I’ve made may last a year or a hundred years or a thousand years, but I hope that when people think back on what I’ve accomplished, they can see that the art I made connected people. That it made them feel less alone and more connected to something greater than themselves.

Music has an incredible ability to communicate things where words alone cannot. I hope that with the time I have, I’m able to make things of beauty and have an impact on the people around me, whether that’s big or small.

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.

As a producer and artist, I’ve always looked up to people who made self-contained art. When I say self-contained, I mean the kind of experiences that come from a single mind. Often a little rough around the edges, but brimming with a unique perspective and voice.

When I was in middle school, I learned how to record on the most basic little two-track device. By the time I was in high school, I was obsessed. I would eventually record my first two releases and make them available on Myspace, where they took on a life all their own.

My first two EP’s did phenomenally well, and I was quickly unable to fulfill the demand for them (my friend and I had been burning blank CD’s, applying labels, and shipping them out to people individually). I finally made the jump to get this music on to iTunes, which at the time was fairly new and revolutionary. The first week, sales were insane. I was chosen as an iTunes Rising Artist, and my songs were featured in iTunes Essentials playlist for folk music and songwriters.

Off the success of these releases and specifically my song “If the Moon Fell Down,” I was able to sign a record deal my senior year of high school with Universal Republic, and a publishing deal with Sony/ATV. I self-produced my debut album, which included a duet with Grammy award-winner Collie Caillat.

After the release of my album, I continued on with Universal for a time before splitting ways and going back to independently releasing my music. I moved to Nashville and began to establish a presence here, continuing all the while to work with more artists as a producer and writer. Eventually, I was able to sign with Tree Vibez Music as a producer, where I spent a short time working on country and pop music.

I have had the unique opportunity to work on many sides of the music industry, and I use that perspective to help my clients learn how not only to make great art, but how to present themselves and their art to people in a way that supports and reinforces their message.

In the current music industry, artists are the product more than even the songs are. People want to feel connected, to feel compelled, and to be entertained. Many artists have great things to say, but no idea how to effectively share those ideas with other people.

One of my main goals is always to specifically identify what matters to the artist, both creatively and as far as their goals with music. With the growing ability of independent creators to find a sustainable audience, it’s super important to figure out exactly what you’re aiming to get out of a career in music. Some people want to be touring 300 days a year, other people want to hear their music in TV or movies. There are an unlimited number of paths and destinations in this space, and it’s my joy to help artists navigate and gain a better understanding of themselves.

Have you ever had to pivot?

In the music industry, it seems like people are constantly shifting around. Creative people move to desk jobs, desk employees move on to creative roles, the cycle goes on and on.

My position requires that I constantly grow and learn new things. I never know what project is coming up next, and I like to work on a variety of things so it’s always a fun mix. The skills I’ve gathered over my near 20 years of experience have come to me from a variety of sources, but almost all of proven useful. While my main role is always music production, I have helped artists with brand identity, video content creation, graphic design, and more. All of those were things I’ve learned on my own time to fill gaps in my own experience.

Especially working with so many independent artists, it’s crucial that I make sure I can fill in gaps where needed or find collaborators to do it instead. Every team I put together is made of people who have a unique and eclectic set of skills, it’s part of what makes my job so fun.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I have successfully launched multiple artists social media accounts, including side projects of my own. I will also admit that I am not naturally inclined to engage with social media in the ways that are often required.

That said, my own personal philosophy for social media has been: I will make content I like, that feels like art to me. After all, “content” is art. Or it can be. For me, bridging the gap in my mind to make it “feel” like art is key. I hate feeling I have to make “content” but I love to make art! Once I really internalized this distinction, I was forced to admit that I didn’t see the content I made as being artful… and ultimately, that’s my hurdle to overcome by becoming more skilled at making content.

The same general thinking goes toward videos that do or don’t do well. Some things like the algorithm are out of your control, but the only thing I can focus on is improving the actual content and conveying my message and vibe clearly. I try to think of it as practice; after all, being an artists is mainly selling people on what you have to say.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hazylaneproduction.com
• Instagram: @hazylanechase