We were lucky to catch up with Kevin Kuh recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Kevin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

It’s funny this question should come up. It’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately and something I continue to grapple with at times as I navigate my career. I absolutely believe that I’m happier as an artist and creative. I’m a firm believer that art can express feelings and emotions that transcend words or text, and I love the moments where I either experience a strong emotional response to a piece of art or when I’m able to create something that connects with people in a deeply personal, emotional and relevant way. Especially in the last few years, I’ve begun to come into my own as an artist, both professionally and creatively and that’s given me more confidence to trust myself and continue pursuing my artistic career. Over the years, I’ve also had the opportunity to work on some amazing projects that I could have only dreamed of when I was younger and I’ve had experiences on and off stage that I never could have had with a “regular” job. Nevertheless, I think whether it’s for security, or benefits, or money, having a regular job can provide things that a freelance career may not and vice versa but living in NYC, money and stability is always in the back of your mind.

Up until just a few months ago, I’ve almost always held a full-time job while pursuing my artistic and freelancing career in NYC. Right out of my undergrad, I was the Principal Music Librarian and Operations Manager for the orchestral program at NYU. It was a good job, I had some autonomy, it was safe with great benefits and so I stayed for almost nine years. But the job was relatively the same year in year out, and that was a struggle with my mental health and my own desire to grow and challenge myself. So in my spare time, I freelanced, pursued my photography more seriously, picked up videography and started helping a friend produce videos for his Youtube channel and played all sorts of gigs. I figured with more skills, I had more opportunities to take on other projects and make money. Eventually that side hustle did lead to more work and in October 2021, while pursuing my Master’s Degree, I got recruited into a role as the Content and Community Manager for a startup brand in Brooklyn. It seemed perfect, with so much opportunity and a culmination of all the skills I had been independently working on. I felt I could really make a difference, but in the end I was there less than a year, and in October of 2022, was laid off. At that moment, I felt devastated, not only did I take a massive risk leaving a job I knew extremely well, but felt betrayed in a way. I was promised so much only to be kicked to the curb. That “security” that I had always relied on was now gone without warning and so I was left to make a choice, do I start looking for another role or do I take this unique opportunity to shift gears, take a chance on myself, and go full-time into my artistic career. And that’s where I’m at now. I got engaged right after I was laid off, and will be getting married later this year. I’m incredibly excited, but also nervous when I think about what the future looks like and the ability to start a family, and have the things that I want.

Looking back, in all the time I worked a regular job, I always wished that I could spend more time just working on my art, performing, painting, traveling and taking pictures. Yes, the regular job gave me security, with benefits and a steady paycheck but the roles also never satisfied my creative itch.
I felt at times they were monotonous, and though I always gave my work 100%, it wasn’t my passion. It was also its own stress to balance a full-time role and all the responsibilities that came with that, while also trying to carve time to create and gig. At times it felt like I was working constantly, and I’m honestly proud of all that I’ve been able to accomplish, but having some time to rebalance has been a blessing in disguise.

I think it all comes down to what you want your life to look like and what you’re willing to sacrifice. Does having a full-time regular job make you any less of an artist? I don’t necessarily think so. And can you be a successful artist while also having a real job? Definitely. It’s all about a trade-off in one way or another, but the important thing I’ve learned is that you have to follow your gut and what your heart wants. It seems uncertain but part of that is also society telling you it’s not possible, it’s not lucrative, when in reality I’ve seen so many examples of successful artists, especially in 2023. I also think what I learned, and this came from years of experience (and therapy), is that time is the most valuable thing anybody on this earth has. You will never be as young as you are today, right now, and therefore you shouldn’t waste it away with things you don’t care about. Use it wisely, and that could mean being productive and hustling, but also to enjoy your time and the pleasures of life. The other thing I’ve come to realize is that nobody is going to work harder for you, than you. Nobody will care more or be more invested. That’s all to say that it’s worth taking a bet on yourself and giving your dreams, and passions a real shot.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Hi! My name is Kevin. I’m a multi-disciplinary violinist, producer, painter and photographer based in New York City. I primarily work as a session and live-performance musician, having performed with artists like Paul Simon, Christina Aguilera, Charli XCX, D-Nice, Why Don’t We, Jessie Reyez, Lauv, and Sofia Carson. I started playing the violin when I was 4 years old and was introduced to the instrument by my father. I attended the Manhattan School of Music for my pre-college studies, and went to NYU for my bachelor’s degree in Instrumental Performance and my master’s degree in Music Business. In college, I met musicians, producers, artists and creatives that really changed my perspective and approach to music, and meanwhile I developed my passion for improvisation, a theme that extends through all my creative work. I particularly love the unpredictability and reactionary nature of improvisation and so there’s some magic in that that’s hard to quantify. Those early years are also where I began writing my own songs, exploring new genres, and learned to produce and from there, slowly built connections and networked which has really been the major key to my career.

I’m also a producer, and offer remote production and recording services as well as string arranging for live performances or recording sessions. Over the pandemic, I utilized my home studio setup to record on dozens of remote projects and now run a service adding strings to recordings and film scores. In addition, I’m also a core member of Pool Cosby, a Brooklyn based production trio, who has released several full length projects, collaborated with artists like Adrianne Lenker, Raekwon, and Ivy Sole, and has been featured by BMW, Harman/Kardon, Neil deGrasse Tyson’s Startalk Podcast and Casey Neistat”s Youtube vlog.

In addition to my musical pursuits, I’m also a photographer, content creator and painter. My photography work stems from my love to explore and travel. I’ve always had a camera since I was a kid and love nothing more than to take photos whenever I’m out or traveling to a foreign place. Periodically, I’ll sell framed art prints of my travel and street photography through my website. Commercially, I’ve done work for brands and organizations like Atoms, Wild Honey Pie, New York Youth Symphony and most recently had a portrait I took published in Entrepreneur Magazine. Though music is my primary creative outlet, it’s been great to have other mediums to express myself, especially when I feel frustrated or stuck with music. I also paint, and have been running a small art business for the last four years selling paintings directly to collectors.

Finally this year, I’m launching my new project called Big Bites Only Dining Club. A monthly dining event that partners to highlight local restaurants, chefs, and sommeliers in NYC, and allows people to meet new friends, dine in a large family style settings, and explore new cuisines (one of my favorite things to do). We’ll also be making some fun merch so keep an eye out for that!

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

Growing up in a Chinese household, expectations were always super high. The pressure was not only to do something but to be the best at it. Perfection was the standard and if I messed up my parents were also very hard on me. Unfortunately (or fortunately) though, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve also realized that’s not how life works. One can strive for perfection but rarely do you achieve it, and that’s okay. That’s not to say you shouldn’t demand a quality and a certain standard from yourself and your work, but it’s also not all or nothing. It’s also all about perspective. Life isn’t black and white, good or bad, right or wrong. More often than not, there’s a great deal of nuance and the more perspective you have the more understanding you can be. So I think unlearning both this perfectionist as well as the right and wrong mindset has been one of the most challenging things for me but also one of the biggest unlocks in my life lately. It’s hard to unlearn something. It often feels so engrained, and your natural reaction, but I’ve been trying to be more mindful and kind to myself.

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

I think art and society are inextricably tied to each other. To me, art is for the people. It enhances and colors our lives, and can convey ideas, emotions, and experiences that are integral to how we experience the world, and understand how we fit into it all. Artists also need society to share their work with, they need patrons, supporters, and people to commission new work. To put it simply, the world absolutely needs art, and therefore artists and creatives. Yet, even with this co-dependence, I unfortunately think society doesn’t give art and artists the value they deserve. Value creation in art, which is inherently such a subjective medium to me, has always been interesting. How are some paintings worth hundreds of thousands of dollars while other work that could be arguably just as good, if not better, only fetch a few hundred? But maybe that’s a discussion for another time.

In my opinion, there’s not only a lot that society can do to support artists and creatives, it is their duty to do so. We’re already seeing a shift in the creator economy, as more artists can connect with their audiences and get discovered through social media. Meanwhile major brands and companies are partnering, supporting and even giving full-time positions to creatives. Those with money, access, and opportunity should continue to give back, sponsor new artwork, put people on, and create new spaces where artists can perform and show their work. I also think collaboration is important for a thriving ecosystem. So artists, go see your friends perform, buy their albums, share their work, and be open to working with each other and artists of different genres, to create new work. Artists and creatives should be the biggest advocates and supporters of each other. I also think education is such a huge component. We should ensure the proper funding and development of arts and music programs in public schools, and change the narrative of what life in the arts looks like. Barriers to access should also be lower, museums should be free for everyone, always, and ticket prices should be more accessible to concerts and shows. One great example is what the new David Geffen Hall and Lincoln Center have been doing lately with their open house weekend and public media screen to share concerts with the public for free. Exposure in general is so crucial, especially at a young age, and can really affect the trajectory of someone’s life. I really believe that we should be encouraging people, young and old, to pursue the arts, to explore new crafts, and to share it with the world. Being creative is for everyone out there, it’s never too late, and I think that’s the message people need to be hearing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kevinkuh.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevin_kuh/?hl=en
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw-PEq–w-o3nZmdxMJP-kg

Image Credits
-Alex S. K. Brown -Kevin W. Condon -Cheilean Jacob