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

Juan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

I just released my 3rd album, “Out of My Head”. It is without a doubt the most meaningful project I’ve worked on, and I had the pleasure of working on it with all of my best friends. It truly felt like a family affair!

I started it last summer at the end of a huge creative rut. I felt like I wasn’t making music that I connected with, and that was eating away at the joy of creating which I know is what I am here to do. I’d been searching for some kind of inspiration for quite a while, and was wondering if writing songs was going to be what I continued doing. Around this time. my favorite artist – Theo Katzman – released an album called “Be The Wheel”. I had been listening to the singles that had come out before its release, and loved them, but I didn’t understand the amount of influence this album would have until after the album came out, when I went to Theo’s Show at the House of Blues in Boston. It was easily the best show i’ve ever been to, and it completely flipped my world around. I could feel every part of the music, I couldn’t believe that so much love could be put into music, and that music could be made with so much freedom and intention, so unapologetically. I wanted to create a project like that. A project filled with so much love that the listener can’t help but feel it, and more importantly, share it. After that, I began working.

I wrote about the things nearest and dearest to me, the way I percieved life, and the way I felt at a given moment. Tried to be as honest as possible, with no unecessary embellishment. After the songs were written, I realized I wanted to call the project “Out of My Head”. I believe one of my biggest problems in life is being too self-sabotaging, by thinking more, and acting less. This album was a celebration of action. Not only action but self-acceptance.

Juan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I started playing music around Dallas in 2018. Started a band with my friend that we called “Green Peach”. We played around Rockwall/Royse City and a little bit of Mesquite. This was my introduction to gigging, putting together shows, and being in a band. Luckily, it was with my best friends who were all so talented. I knew that live music was what I loved to do pretty much off the bat. I could present a version of myself that was unapologetic, built on the foundation of playing good music, which is what I love doing the most.

After green peach, I began making my own music, starting my project “Botero”. I had produced the album that Green Peach made, but with this project I was really trying to put together my sound. I was inspired by artists like Boy Pablo, Mac Demarco, Clairo, and many other indie giants. I released “Rose-Colored Glasses” in 2019, and released “Some Kind of Normal” in 2020. These albums performed fairly well for my first solo project. The vision for Botero was to make music that showed people the beauty of the world, and to provide an optimistic outlook in an otherwise pessimistic world.

After moving to Boston for Berklee, I began a duo project called “Two Smooth”. This was an adventure in RnB with my great friend Kyle Takata – genius writer – who had begin playing keys in the Botero band. Upon writing with Kyle I realized how much I enjoyed it, and how well it worked. We brought extremely complementing styles to the table, and ultimately our creation culminated as an album called “Somebody Like You”. Some of my favorite music i’ve made so far in my life. We maxed out our soul, and made the music with so much passion – through this also meeting the people that have become our best friends. Our family.

Now i’ve graduated Berklee, and have released my 3rd Botero album, 5th album all time, about to enter the world as a musician. I’m headed to Los Angeles – a beast of a city – to pursue my career as a writer, drummer, singer, and artist.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Truly – i’ve realized that my calling is to play live music. It’s where I belong. And if im being honest, my goals for the next 3 years are: opening for a bigger artist, playing a festival and going on tour. Live performance is where I serve my purpose! Someone in the crowd will have had a bad day, or will have been going through something difficult. If my music can help them at all, I’ve served my purpose.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Art is tricky. Art can be made from a place of pain, or a place of abundance. People ultimately looking to express feelings that they otherwise would not have. I believe a thriving creative ecosystem forms when openness is king. The ability to express emotion freely without judgement is where the best art is made. I believe prioritizing mental health, and strengthening our understading of it would lead to some beautiful art being made.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juanjo.botero/
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/n63Od4QEmFM?si=O_X5a3GCFKXCJfzs

Image Credits

Craig Etchison: [email protected]