We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emmitt James a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Emmitt thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

For the last 2 and a half years I have been making a living off of my art. What I like to tell people is that I am a full-time artist on a very independent level. So money is made from playing shows, sometimes producing said shows, selling merch at shows and online. Over the last year or so, touring has been a big part of that.

Again this is all done on a DIY-level. So these tours some times are private intimate shows that can take place in backyard spaces or local business who see the benefit in supporting independent artist. I’ve also done a lot of work with a company called Sofar Sounds. They help facilitate some of these private intimate concerts in over 400 cities across the world. in 2022, I played close to 60 of these shows. I planned them out over a few stretches and built tours around them.

December 11, 2020 was my last official day clocking in as a barista. I was living in Los Angeles at the time. My goal was to save for 6 months so when I quit my job I would have a little bit of a safety net. Although that safety net didn’t last long, I wish i would have done this earlier. I encourage everyone to do it — even if you plan on going back to work. If you’re a person that works a day job and wish you had more time for your passions. I encourage you to take time off and dive more into your passions. Or if you’re a person who has always wanted to quit your day job to pursue what you really want to do, I encourage you to go into your job with an exit date in mind (6 month, 1 year, etc.) Package that with a savings plan to build a safety net of your own and you’re on your way!

Emmitt, 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 am a Hip Hop-Jazz artist currently living in Milwaukee, WI. So if you’re in the area, there’s a strong chance you’d be able to catch a show. Aside from that, I also do a great deal of event planning for myself and others. I spend a lot of time trying to figure out ways to draw people to the music via interests outside of the music. I do this by coming up with ideas for merch, short films, or funny sketches that point people to a new song or upcoming shows.

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

I wish I would have learned/discovered grants and sponsorships earlier. I feel like there are people/organizations out there who vision also aligns with supporting artist in the community. I am learning that being an independent doesn’t mean you always do it alone. But often it means the opposite, that you have a strong community behind you.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect at this point in my life would have to be a tie between having more control over how i spend my time and collaborating with other artist/companies to help bridge that gap between the art and the audience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.emmittjames.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emmitt_james/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmmittJamesMusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCY_eKkrZLFRilaq07Eet-vg

Image Credits
All photos that do not display merch are taken by FreakishNerd