We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful JP Rabusa. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with JP below.

Hi JP, thanks for joining 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)

The best investment I’ve ever made has been the time spent getting to know myself. Growing up an American-born son in a family of Filipino immigrants, I spent years assimilating to a culture in the United States that I never quite resonated with. As a sort of social survival tactic, I tried to wear the same clothes, speak the same way, and like the same things as all the other kids, stripping my personality to fit in. After a childhood of being stuck between two cultures—never being quite Filipino enough or quite American enough—I decided in college to choose myself and pursue a degree in music. Music was my only true passion, and it was while studying music I learned I was only a shell of myself. Technical subjects like music theory and DAW literacy I picked up incredibly quickly, but when it came to actually making music, it took years until I wrote a song I fully connected with.

Creativity needs authenticity to thrive. If you don’t know who you are, it will be extremely difficult to make art that will satisfy you. A few years ago, I actively started dedicating time and money getting to know myself. I went to therapy, took myself out on walks through the park, and consumed art for the sake of MY well-being (not anyone else’s). I think it’s starting to translate to my music now. I am more confident in my artistic decisions and what I bring to a recording session. I feel more freedom to express myself on stage while performing. And I know that this is just the beginning of my journey. Progress is a process, and I plan on investing in myself for the rest of my life.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is JP Rabusa, and I’m a music producer and artist from Phoenix, AZ. I aim to serve artists and help them realize their musical goals. Production and audio engineering are my main services, but I also do audio editing (Melodyne, drum alignment), lead sheet and chord chart transcription, mixing, songwriting, and performance/production lessons. I’ve worked on a variety of genres, from feel-good R&B and Pop to moody Indie Folk and Jazz. But overall, I enjoy producing any style of music that feels authentic to the artist.

I prioritize connection and relationships over technical ability. If you’re the type of musician who could spend hours chatting about the story and meaning behind your music, while adamantly searching for the right sounds and arrangement to match the emotion of your songs…. then you are someone I want to collaborate with.

My most recent project, my “Live at Fusion” YouTube series, is a live jam session video series where I had over 25 musicians, engineers, videographers, and mentors capture magic at the Fusion On First studios in Downtown Phoenix. I had the opportunity to collaborate with my best friends and produce some incredibly fulfilling songs. Any chance I get to work with inspiring artists and down-to-earth people is a dream come true for me.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The lesson I had to unlearn was that I had to do everything myself. There’s a lot of talk nowadays about the self-sufficient, independent artist who can write, produce, mix, master, and market their music all on their own. With the social media boom and the increase in accessibility to higher-end production equipment, I do believe that artists can truly do everything on their own. That doesn’t mean they should. I spent years trying to learn pro video and audio equipment while going to seminars and conferences about marketing and business. I gathered so much information on what I could be doing as an artist, that I forgot what it felt like to actually be an artist—to make authentic art without external pressures getting in the way.

While it’s important to be proactive and put in 110% effort, it’s equally as important to build a team, collaborate, and delegate work for the longevity of the art. That’s a lesson I’m constantly grappling with even now and am working towards embracing as I build my team and my career.

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

It’s so rewarding to share stories through art and find people who resonate with your work. To help people feel seen and understood is so powerful. It’s also incredibly fulfilling to collaborate and create music with other like-minded artists. In my most recent project, I got the chance to work with so many different creative minds who brought their own personalities and lived experiences to the same musical playground. When musicians play off each other and add to an arrangement live, it’s such a beautiful thing. The stories and sounds I get to hear doing what I do keep me coming back for more.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jprabusa.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/jp.rabusa
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jp.rabusa

Image Credits

Madison Haynie, Neil Schwartz, Emilia Linos, Cameron Jeong, Donovan Johnson, Sydney Witte