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

Jake, appreciate you joining 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?

Earning a full-time living from music was definitely not easy; it wasn’t something that happened overnight. After graduating from Berklee, I juggled low-paying gigs and did a lot of work for free just to build up my portfolio and clientele. I also taught music production and piano on the side. I lived with my parents during this time, which helped a lot in saving money.

The biggest thing I focused on, however, was improving my skillset in music production. After college, I felt like I wasn’t where I wanted to be, so I spent most of my time on getting better before diving into networking. I didn’t want to present myself as a mediocre producer when I started meeting people in the industry.

The biggest break for me came when I moved to LA three years ago. I had saved up some money and decided to make the move. One night, I was at a bar chatting with a complete stranger who turned out to be an alumnus from my school. That chance encounter led to a job referral for a producer position at a South Asian music studio. To this day, I still think about that moment a lot and realize how lucky I was, and the importance of networking. That one connection completely changed my life, transforming me from a struggling freelance musician into someone who can live in one of the most expensive cities in the world doing what I love – producing music.

In hindsight, I would have focused more on building my network and relationships. Although I felt like I wasn’t where I wanted to be in terms of skill before, there are plenty of others in the same boat who understand that you can improve together and support each other on the journey.

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.

Hi, I’m Jake! I was born in South Korea, raised in Hong Kong, and now I’m a music producer based in LA. My main role is as a pop producer at a South Asian label that blends Western music with Indian influences. I specialize in turning ideas into fully developed songs, offering services like production, sound design, recording, and mixing/mastering. I’ve been playing piano since I was five, which has been a big part of my musical journey.

I also have an artist project under the name ‘Frison,’ where I create electronic dance music. I started out as a big fan of dance music and spent a lot of time producing EDM in my earlier years. As my tastes evolved, I got more into pop music, which led me to focus on pop production.

My biggest strength that sets me apart is my versatility. I’m a pop producer with a strong background in electronic music and its sub-genres, along with years of studying jazz piano and music theory. Because of this I’ve been able to produce in multiple styles while taking influences from different genres. I also have perfect pitch :)

One of the things I’m most proud of is my improvement over the years. Because the bar in music production is super high, there’s always something new to learn. It’s been exciting to see my growth over the years and know there’s still more to explore.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Being able to come to work and actually enjoying what I do. I’ve talked to a lot of peers who have chosen more stable and ‘safe’ paths, and many of them don’t enjoy their jobs. This makes me even more appreciative of what I do and gives me perspective whenever I’m stressed. Plus, telling someone you make music for a living sounds cool as hell.

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

Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.frisonmusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frisonmusic
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/frisonmusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@frisonmusic1
• Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/frisonmusic

Image Credits

Alex Winter