We were lucky to catch up with Joe Uzzo recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Joe thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?

I’ll never forget that email I received at the very end of 2019 confirming that one of my songs (“Dynamite” by New Sheriffs) would be used in the Showtime series Shameless. It was the first time I would have my music in a hit series, and a show that I was actually a huge fan of. The feeling was so intense that I cried tears of joy, then immediately puked. My wife thought I was having some sort of a nervous breakdown. It was a lot more than a first paycheck to me though. It was validation. It was confirmation that I belonged, and that I can create music at a level competitive enough that people would want to pay for it. In the beginning faith is all you have to go on. You just have to trust the process and do the work. It took about a year and a half of writing and pitching music till I saw my first paycheck.

Joe, 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?

My name is Joe Uzzo and I’m a singer, songwriter & music producer. Aside from custom work, throughout a typical year I’m collaborating with other writers & producers to create a broad range of music for agencies to pitch to a number of applications across film, tv, ads, videogames etc. Clients of mine include Hyundai, Cornetto, Showtime, Hallmark, CW, Hulu & MTV to name a few. Current projects of mine include FAVORITES, New Sheriffs & Trash Party and each one has a completely different vibe ranging from anthemic indie Pop/rock to electrohype/EDM. My love of music started at a very young age. I didn’t come from a musical household but my parents played the good stuff (Marvin Gaye, Phil Collins etc.) in the house. From Pre-K through 5th grade I was always cast in the leading roles of the school play which featured a lot of singing. In 6th grade I got my first guitar and learned a bunch of Nirvana and Green Day songs and played in a handful of bands up until my mid 20s. It was right around this time that I realized that music would be the way I communicate, and that it would always be a part of my life. In my mid 30’s I decided to pivot and take an online course on sync licensing and writing music for film and TV. That’s where I met some of my most trusted friends and collaborators, as well as the people I needed to meet to form long-lasting working relationships. That course opened up so many doors for me and I haven’t looked back since. Dozens of placements later, I can honestly say I’m most proud of the fact that I stuck it out long enough to see some ROI and that my music can be useful and meaningful to someone else. You face a lot of rejection in this business, it’s very disheartening. Having thick skin is a must. I think what clients and fans seem to like about my music is that it believably blends a modern sensibility with just enough of a traditional approach and personality to songwriting that it already seems familiar to you the first time you hear it.

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

There’s so many things that keep me pursuing this creative lifestyle but I can say it’s as essential as breathing to my survival. There’s something about that initial inception of an idea that feels like a lightning bolt of excitement all the way up until that moment that you finish it, where it’s in a state where it can be appreciated in its final form. I’m addicted to it. It’s the respect and admiration from my peers and people that inspire me in return. And of course the listeners that connect with my work. This past August I received an email from a young couple from Japan who had heard my song “Live This Life” on the Netflix Series Love is Blind. (Shout-out to my Co-writers Celia Rose & Danny Schmitz.) They wanted to know if they could use my song for their wedding party. I was both flattered and flabbergasted. I couldn’t believe that out of ANY song in the world they could choose for their ceremony, they would choose one of mine. I of course obliged. You never know how your art will resonate with someone. That was an overwhelming feeling of joy for me.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I have a song called “Let’s Make a Mess” that was denied by every agency I submitted it to. This could have been for a number of reasons: The song’s mix, production or vocals weren’t competitive enough, the agency doesn’t believe they’ll be able to pitch it anywhere successfully etc. After being turned down by about 10 agencies, I uploaded it to a website called Songtradr. Songtradr is an online marketplace where clients can license music for their projects from recording artists. One day we received an email saying that the Unilever brand Cornetto was going to use it for one of their ice cream campaigns in Indonesia. Since then it’s been renewed twice and is still airing. It is now one of my highest earning songs. This taught me to not be discouraged by rejection and keep pushing if you believe in your work. You might get 10 “no’s” before you get one “yes.”

Contact Info:

• Website: www.joeuzzo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joeuzzo/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joeuzzomusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@favoritestheband

Image Credits
Justin Connelly, Natalie Raffaele, Matt Pavone