We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Claudens Louis. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Claudens below.

Claudens, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

Thankfully I am able to make a living by doing what I love full-time! It was not always like this because I used to have to hustle in order to make money before I started to really understand the business side of being a musician. I remember doing a few different jobs from being an accountants assistant at a construction company to doing valet on Miami Beach but I grew tired of not having enough time to be creative, to compose music, perform, teach etc. So I took a big risk and quit my job. After I quit my job, I was determine to get my life finances organized by being more intentional about getting gigs and meeting the right people to enjoy those gigs with. I also had a huge passion for community and building our creative community in the city however I could, so I spoke to everyone I could and tried to get to know all the players in the city. I spent my nights on the music scene at all of the shows, hopping from club to club, catching my favorite musicians, seeking mentorship, taking notes and sitting in to learn and potentially land a job in any band that would hire me! My nights were and endless and during the days I would spend hours in the practice room trying to really develop my sound to be ready for any opportunity that could come my way!

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

I am Haitian-American, born and raised in Miami, FL, in the heart of Little Haiti. My father turned me on to various styles of music from a very young age, including music from our culture and a lot of popular music of the time. Growing up we would listen to anything from the traditional Haitian artists like Tabou Combo, Skah Shah and King Posse to the great American artists like Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson and Celine Dion to name a few. Over the years of my development, I took a liking to other genres and artists like The Roots(Hip Hop), D’Angelo(R&B), Linkin Park(Rock), Lil Wayne(Rap), Gustav Holst(Classical), and the first tenor saxophone sounds in the jazz genre that I heard and fell in love with were Dexter Gordon and Coleman Hawkins. All of these genres and artists have a huge influence on the sound of my original music and the sound of my group, The CieL Experience.

I was introduced to the saxophone at age 13 while attending GW Carver Middle School. I truly fell in love with the instrument when I got introduced to jazz music going into High School at Miami Arts. I continued to study the music, acquiring my degree in Music from Miami-Dade College. Shortly after, I continued on at Florida International University, where I studied Jazz Performance under world-renowned saxophonist, Gary Campbell. Although I did study the music in school, I feel as though I learned so many valuable lessons about the game and this music by actively being in the ever-growing music scene here in Miami. I have had many mentors in this city that have helped shaped my playing throughout the years by attending and participating in their jam sessions, listening to constructive criticism from those who had more experience than I did, and accepting their support and encouragement to keep pushing the music forward in the community.

I am particularly proud of the work that I have been able to accomplish in the community under the CieL name. The Ciel Experience is the name of my collective a group that really is about the people and serves the music and the listeners as much as possible no matter where we are performing in the world. The CieL Experience combines the styles of R&B, swing, hip-hop, and traditional Haitian music, rooted in the harmonies and improvisation of the American jazz tradition. As the bandleader, I try explore the infinite possibilities of these genres by presenting fresh compositions and arrangements accessible to a wide range of listeners. Each piece is personal and based on real-life experience that I feel all people, no matter your background or taste can relate to.

In terms of the community aspect, I have The Ciel Sessions, which is an original concert series featuring the greatest original music makers in my city. I started this series in an effort to bring creatives together in a safe place to enjoy quality music and a space to network and grow together as a community.

I am also proud of the work thatI have been able to do for other communities as well. In 2018, I officially had the honor of performing and teaching master classes in different countries as an American Music Ambassador, for the U.S. Department of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Being a jazz ambassador has changed my life, because it has given me the opportunity to share my knowledge of music and the business on a grander scale, but more importantly, I have been able to experience the unity and love that this music is capable of inspiring between myself and other people around the world despite our cultural differences.

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

I really began to build my audience on social media when I realized that even if I was making the best music on this planet, the people that will truly support you and your music they have to love you as a person and what you stand for. So before I used to only showcase videos and clips of myself playing or rehearsals and studio sessions, but when I started to be more personal letting people into my process and actually using my own voice in videos and speaking to my struggles as well, that is when my following started to grow organically. I am still building that following slowly but I can proudly say I have never paid for any of my followers and the ones that I do have, they genuinely rock with my music and my mission. Being genuinely yourself and allowing your fans to see that will go a long way in building a following.

: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Everyone that knows me knows that my mission is to serve. I want to serve as many people as possible with my music, I want to make people really feel something genuine when they come to my show or hear my music. Whatever resources I may have in the business, including myself, I try to make them accessible to those who are around me. I can’t stop because I know I have big aspirations for my city and I am hungry to help build my community, my family and my close friends that surround me. I won’t stop until I can make some beautiful thing happen for the people I care for the most.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thecielexperience.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/claudensax/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/claudens.louis/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudens-louis-04b719234?trk=people-guest_people_search-card
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/thecool4413