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

Kaleab, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?

I started my creative career in music, and although music is my main passion and the center core of everything I do, I feel as if people are often confused and not understanding the path and mission that I’m on with my craft. I view myself as an artist in the general term because my ultimate goal is to create without limit to medium or form. I’ve always done way more than what my title suggests but I feel like It’s always being dumbed down by a title.

I just create and express through any medium I can think of whether it is through a gallery ( I had my first showing as a visual artist this year ) through clothes, design, etc.

A lot of my peers and friends always try to ask me what my goals are and why I do things the way I do but I have no other answer other than I just felt like making whatever it is I’m working on. Inspiration is fleeting and if the magic is able to be caught in the moment why limit that opportunity?

Kaleab, 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?

Hello,

My name is Kaleab Samuel and I’m an Art Director and Musician based out of Los Angeles California. I make music and I build worlds for the songs I release. This lets me work with various mediums and artists at any given moment. When I’m not working on campaigns for myself I’ll be working with other artists and helping them with their art direction as well, whether it be an idea for a rollout, artwork, the actual song or etc.

The problems I solve for myself and my clients boil down to one question. “How do we make people care?” I grew up passionately observing and looking forward to my favorite artists and their products intertwined within the releases and there’s nothing that builds a stronger connection than building an experience that consumers and purists can live in.

It’s always fun to think outside of the box and there’s nothing more rewarding than doing something new that inspires people and seeing that reaction.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think the best thing society can do is to have free thought. A lot of the time the artists who are really saying something get drowned out because they’re not conforming to traditional rules whether it be in the music world, the visual art world, the photography world and etc.

That’s why passion is important because a lot of times you won’t always get back what you put in but that’s how great artists eventually break through the noise. It’s difficult because finding the right balance can be a challenge for the artist as well

. As creators, we need to be mindful of our consumers so striking a sweet middle ground where we can be conscious enough to not alienate our viewers but at the same time leave space for the consumer to think a little more critically about what they’re consuming is ideal.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I just do my best and try to help out the people around me by using expression as my tool whether it be through architecture, entertainment, design, etc. I always have ideas and as we’re entering a new world where limitations to tools and knowledge are becoming more available so I can see a future where I spend my whole life problem-solving for the benefit of humanity.

As I’m growing older I’m learning new skills, one of them being design it has helped me understand the importance of empathy whenever something is being created. I see great and bad examples of it every day in every facet of life possible. When I’m walking in my neighborhood and It feels sketchy I look at the streetlights that are not lit and think to myself “If we replaced the lightbulbs on this street the neighborhood would feel 10x safer at night”.

I have the same thought process whenever I’m listening to songs, or looking at clothes, or giving advice to my peers if they ask for it. That is what drives me to keep going, I just want to help as much as I can while I’m still here.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kaleabhasvision.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/kaleabsamuel
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaleab-samuel-795aa0221/
• Twitter: Kaleab Samuel (@KaleabSamuel) / Twitterhttps://twitter.com › kaleabsamuel
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kaleabsamuel7345

Image Credits
Main Picture of myself was taken by Ed Divens