We were lucky to catch up with Etsuko Tajima recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Etsuko thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?
I grew up musical family with my father a classical saxophone player, and my mother a classical piano teacher in Japan. So I knew I was going to be in the music industry somehow, and never thought of any other job options. It wasn’t even a question of if I wanted to pursue an artistic career. My question was how to become a musician, and how to make living as a musician. I took piano and violin lessons from 4 years old to 16 years old. In my senior year in high school, my mom sent me to New York during my summer vacation. That’s when I was exposed to so many different kinds of music such as jazz, Blues, rock..etc for the first time. Shortly after I enrolled in jazz music school and after graduating, that’s when I decided that I will pursue my artistic life seriously.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I got into my industry after I graduated from music school as a jazz piano performance in 2007 December. I started going out to jam sessions where lots of musicians sit in (play) and mingle. Since then, I slowly started to get gigs by connecting with musicians in the scene. I am a completely freelance musician. So I play live shows with multiple groups at concert halls, music festivals, events and etc. I have also released my first full album back in 2016. My style of playing is pretty versatile as I come from many different kinds of musical inspirations, and backgrounds. So as a versatile musician, I can provide a unique taste of music to the bands. As a performer, I’m often realized how amazing moments I create with the audiences.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is to be able to share the beautiful moments with people through music. We dedicate lots of time and energy on our craft work such as production process. Every show I play, regardless big or small shows, I find my soul is fullflled with love. I receive so much positive energies from the total strangers. Maybe we don’t get to talk, or we never come across in our life, but we definately shared the moment through the music, and we all move on to the next day carrying the piece of memory we shared the music together. I think that is so beautiful and it’s such a rewarding experience.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
There were situations people looked down on me it’s because I was a female and on top of that, I was asian. There were times I got discouraged by that reality. But then I have met so many female artists who inspired me through their talent, and their confidence. Now I don’t think about that anymore. I have learned how unique and special my talent is. I am my own person. I just have to believe in my art.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.etsukotajima.com
- Instagram: etsukoletsgo