We caught up with the brilliant and insightful FOR3ST HILLS a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, FOR3ST HILLS thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Have you been 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? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
While we do work on our music full-time, both members of our band have also always worked various side-hustles and other jobs; both to help us pay the bills, as well as to help us continue learning new skills to broaden our minds! We have our hard work to thank, because without the various jobs we’ve worked over the years, our band would not have been able to purchase and build out the tour bus we’re currently working on.
FOR3ST HILLS, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
FOR3ST HILLS is an independent rock band formed by Zero Surico and Jack Burton in the United States. Our band is both LGBT+ and Christian, and we believe that music is medicine and can resonate and help others when they need it the most. Whether you’re happy, sad, angry, excited, or lonesome, music is there and helps make life better in countless ways. Music has always been in both of our hearts, and our band has always striven to help others and let our fans know they’re not alone in this world.
How did you build your audience on social media?
Consistency is key. As an independent rock band, we do everything ourselves. Not just the music, but also creating merchandise, shipping orders, running our website, doing photoshoots, reaching out to brands and businesses for partnerships and interviews, running ad campaigns, scheduling shows, and so much more. It’s a lot of work, but being consistent and having a solid game-plan really helps. If you’re trying to build your social media and you’re not sure where to start – first, figure out your niche. What image are you trying to portray? What kind of people do you want following your content, and what kind of content would those people find interesting? Start creating content, and remember it doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, people prefer a more genuine approach most of the time. Post every day, and don’t be afraid to interact with your followers; they love it!
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
FOR3ST HILLS has been through a lot. From experiencing homelessness, to moving to several different states unexpectedly, to near-death experiences and illness, to being rejected and threatened by our family because we are LGBT+, our band can’t seem to catch a break sometimes! Even so, we’re still chugging along and creating music that resonates with our fans and makes a lasting impact. We’ve been through a lot, but we are more blessed than most, and we can thank our supportive fans for why we’re as resilient as we have been.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://for3sthills.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/FOR3STHILLS/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FOR3STHILLS
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/FOR3STHILLS
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/for3sthills
- Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5U6os1QzFAjL4TgryAm1x5?si=jVeDlCMhTU6yaOaa3u450Q TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@for3sthills? Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/for3st-hills/1615851168 Pandora: https://www.pandora.com/artist/for3st-hills/ARK343xvrPw6w7c
Image Credits
FOR3ST HILLS