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

Alright, Joey Grace thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been one of the most interesting investments you’ve made – and did you win or lose? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)

As a music producer, the best investment I’ve made has been purchasing lighting, decor, objects, and instruments that I vibe with over the years. Having my own space filled with these things brings me joy and allows me to relax from the outside world and get into a creative flow. My studio is my very own little “nook”. The space is quirky and fun. There’s a hot pink neon sign, signed art from my favorite artist, a projector playing music videos on the wall, instruments such as my keytar and laser harp, and glittery roller skates hanging as decoration. As time goes on it has become increasingly more important for me to focus on my physical health, so I’ve also got an inversion table, yoga mat, and weights in there. There’s a purple velvet couch, green velvet curtains, and a giant tapestry hanging on one wall that shows two deer in a field of daisies. My studio is a vibe! I guess you could say it’s an unconventional space… but when people see it, they think it’s pretty cool.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Joey Grace and I am a singer, songwriter, live performer and self-taught music producer. I’ve loved music ever since I can remember. There’s a photo of me singing into a wooden spoon that was probably taken when I was about 6 years old or so. (Thanks, Grandma!) Over the years I’ve ALWAYS been into music, in some capacity. In 2018 I decided to go off on my own as a “one woman show”. I built up my studio and started learning how to record and release music, so I would be able to do it literally any time I wanted.

Something that sets me apart from others is that I teach special education students by day, and make music by night. It’s been hard to find a balance, but I love making music and performing SO much that I find a way. When other people make excuses that they can’t follow their dreams because they have a day job, I call them out on it. If I can do it then they can, too. I’ve been working with the special education population full time for almost 20 years now, and I still make the time to perform live shows, record and distribute music, upkeep my website, do social media, promote, get interviews and press, and much more. Honestly, I feel like if you’re really passionate about something, you’ll find a way to make it work!

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

As an independent musician, I’m doing the job of 20 people. From getting played on radio stations, to getting interviews, to updating my website, to recording my own music, I’m quite literally doing it all myself. And I’m paying out of pocket for everything as well. But I keep on doing it because I love it. There are millions of talented musicians out there, and I don’t want to compare myself or feel like I have to compete with anybody. My goals are often changing based on where I’m at in my music journey, but right now at this very moment my main goal is to be nicer to myself when I need to take a day, a week, or even a month off to just relax and reset. Sometimes I need to just go out on my stand-up paddle board and float around in the water, or walk on the trail overlooking Los Angeles, or spend a day bicycle riding along the beach path. Our culture is so focused on constantly working, and I think it’s gotten to a point of being unhealthy. I’ve also stepped back a bit from social media because I realized that it takes time away from working in the studio. If people are following me on Instagram because they truly want to follow my journey and they believe in me, then they won’t “unfollow” me simply because I haven’t posted in a week. There’s only so much time in the day, and there’s only so much time in a lifetime.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a musician has been connecting and collaborating with people all over the world and having opportunities that I would never have if it weren’t for music. My favorite artist, Esra Roise, lives in Norway and she designed the art for my Beautiful Storm EP! I’ve also released two songs with a producer who lives in Italy, and a song with a musician who lives in Colorado. It has also been an honor to have my music played at NFT gallery shows in China, Spain, and Australia. I was also thrilled to sing the National Anthem for thousands of people in Los Angeles at the LA Sparks basketball game! Right now I’m collaborating with a DJ/Producer in the UK to release three new songs. There’s always something exciting going on, and I love having things to look forward to!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.joeygrace.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joeygracemusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joeygracemusic/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JoeyGrace/playlists

Image Credits
I Can’t Catch You, Beautiful Storm, & Galaxy Eyes art by Esra Roise @esrarois Live stage photos of Joey Grace by Don Marcelo @marcdphotos Biorobot art by Ariel Rucker Ehlers @soireeinthefoyer