We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Joey Ariemma. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Joey below.
Joey, appreciate you joining 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?
I have had to learn how to be malleable and go with the flow to develop a full-time living as an artist. This is a chosen vocation ripe with uncertainty and trial and error.
Along this path you will meet many people with dreams. One way to incrementaly build a living in this business is being of service to these people and their dreams. As an example: I learned music production and songwriting to have control over my career but often find myself offering my services to other great artists, both signed and independent, to help build theirs.
We have to wear many hats in this business and we have to get very comfortable with risk. I face rejection multiple times a day, whereas someone at a more conventional job may face it 3-4 times a year. It’s not for everybody. It’s all in what you want you want your life to be and what your risk tolerance is.
Joey, 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 Joey Ariemma. I am a world-touring musician, producer, guitarist, actor, and business owner living in Los Angeles, California from Cleveland, Ohio. I have been blessed to tour the world making and performing music, have been lead actor on network television and film, and have a new growing YouTube channel based on my personal brand as an artist, producer, educator, and public figure.
I got into the industry very young starting with my love for the guitar. I became obsessed with it and devoted my life to it. It took me all over the world on tour. This brought me to Nashville where I further honed the craft of songwriting and production and then to Los Angeles. When I got to LA, I decided to start acting and started booking and the rest is history.
I provide multiple services for clients:
– songwriter / producer / guitarist / singer (background or lead) / musical director
– educator (music production, guitar, voice, music theory)
– consultant
– actor (tv, film, commercial)
My ability to problem solve and craft unique solutions for my customers is what sets me apart. I am built on authenticity and integrity: nothing in my life is transactional. I believe authenticity is becoming increasingly rare in this world.
In the music business, it’s my ability to serve the artist and project with whatever the project needs. “What the project needs” is often overlooked as many people make things about themselves. I believe it is our job to serve the art, the story, the artist.
As an educator, I custom-tailor a plan specifically designed for the individual student to take them from wherever they are to where they want go as soon as possible. I empower each student with the technique and skill I learned from some of the best in the world. My real world, road-tested experience prepares the student for their life as an artist.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
When I was very young I learned that if you want something, you have to take it. I had built a personality based on trying to get what I want and get others to like me. That entire thing had to go. Not only was it not serving me or others, it was a complete hinderance. What you want is already yours, you have to grow into the human strong enough to receive it.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I left a beautiful fiancee, home, and production business in the midwest and move into a trailer in Laurel Canyon to build my film career after the pandemic. I was showering outdoors in freezing water while affluent neighbors walked by me with their dogs in the morning. I wanted to go back, immediately. I took up several side jobs to give me time to build my network up again out here. I remember bartending one night; by the grace of God making the exact amount I needed for rent that next week and then getting a call that I booked a film.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.joeyariemma.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joey.ariemma
- Facebook: www.facebook,com/iamjoeya
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeyariemma
- Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/joeyariemma
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/joeyariemma
