We recently connected with Khris Audio and have shared our conversation below.

Khris Audio, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

At first, I was ONLY interested in making beats to shop to industry artists. And to be honest, I underestimated how challenging that could be. Then I decided to go to school to become an audio engineer. My thought at that time was that I would be able to work in a studio and make connections with several artists. On top of that, I figured everything I learned as an audio engineer would help improve the quality of my production. In terms of how I learned to set up shows and handle the booking process, it was entirely trial-and-error. There really wasn’t anyone willing to take me under their wing and show me the “dos and don’ts”. But somewhere in that growth, I was able to tweak our process to a great point.

It’s hard to say what could’ve sped up the process. One thing I will say is that I did allow personal situations to take up time that otherwise could have been spent honing my craft, networking, learning more, etc. I can’t complain though. It sounds cliché, but the fact is all of the ups and downs needed to happen in order for me to get to where I am at this point now. Eight projects released (with more on the way), two annual festivals, and numerous other shows and tours. Everything has happened exactly as it should have, even if it happened differently than I originally expected it to.

There are two main skills that I think helped me most along the way. And neither of them is technical at all. First, I had to be flexible. Like I have always said, I originally thought I would be the guy making beats all day and sending them out to major label artists. But I realized that I needed to learn other aspects of the industry if I wanted to make moves at the pace that I wanted to. The other skill that has helped a lot is one that I did not think would be so useful. I spent so many years working in customer service-type of jobs. So I have been able to communicate and make connections with people in the industry so much more easily. Without that, I’m not sure how far some of the business connections would have gone.

One of the biggest obstacles I had early on was not realizing how versatile and flexible we need to be as creators of art. Being talented is great. But understanding the importance of networking, collaboration, and marketing are all equally important. This took a while for me to accept.

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

Originally I was interested in only being a music producer. As I grew and realized what other skills I needed in order to progress in the music industry, I began to learn other components like audio engineering, DJing, promotion, booking, and more.

Eventually I decided to start my company Soundbreaking Music. I like to refer to my business as a one-stop shop for artists. We still offer music production, as well as most engineering services, including mixing and mastering. But on top of that, I branched out and began curating and promoting events, offering consulting services for artists, and handling tour and show bookings too. For many artists getting started, it can be overwhelming trying to find studios and producers to work with and get booked for shows. Meanwhile, they are also trying to focus on the art itself. My hope is to make that growth smoother for up-and-coming artists.

There are several things that I am proud of over the years. First, I’m proud of the music that I have been able to release over the years. Not just because I played a huge part in creating it. But because we haven’t shifted our sound just to be part of a “wave” or fad. We come from an era of Hip Hop that has become mostly niche at this point. But that hasn’t stopped us from making what we KNOW to still be good. We kept it authentic through-and-through. And I know our fans appreciate that. The other thing I am proud of that really stands out is the creation of the Ozone Hip Hop Fest. My business partner, Ben Phrases, and I took years of networking and fine-tuning our show format in order to give central Florida artists an amazing live performance platform to showcase their talent. This year marks the fifth Ozone Hip Hop Fest, and we always have plans to make it bigger and better moving forward.

If there is one thing that I would like potential new fans and followers to take away from our music is that we have always tried to do everything with integrity, and have made every move with the art (and artists) as the most important aspect of the process. And I don’t see that changing any time soon.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

One of the most rewarding parts from my position is releasing an album and getting the feedback. Although I have released 8 projects to this point, I still appreciate every single person who takes the time to listen then reach out to me about it. Another thing that is rewarding is giving artists (who I believe to be extremely talented) an opportunity to perform, then hearing the praise they receive for their performance. It’s great knowing that I had at least a small part in that victory.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

One thing that I believe non-creatives may not consider when it comes to musicians, actors, or any type of art, is simply how much work goes into honing that craft and creating that art. Most recording artists–regardless of genre–spend hours/days/weeks/months creating an album or EP. That process also requires a pretty decent financial investment by the artist. And all we ask in return is that people take the time to listen to it. You never know…you might like it!

The other issue comes along with that is the lack of financial support for artists. People will be very reluctant to spend $5-10 on an album that someone has spent so much time to create and will live forever. But those very people don’t hesitate to spend that same $5-10 on a drink/coffee at Starbucks. I don’t think any of it is on purpose. But I think there is just a general lack of awareness when it comes to how much WORK goes into creating art of any form.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.soundbreakingmusicllc.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soundbreakingmusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoundbreakingMusic
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/KhrisAudio
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaf1Mfdx69NHieK6bTdcybQ
• Other: Associated accounts: https://www.facebook.com/OzoneHipHopFest https://www.facebook.com/SouthFloridaIndieFest https://www.facebook.com/khrisaudio https://www.instagram.com/khrisaudio/ https://www.instagram.com/ozonehiphopfest/ https://www.instagram.com/sofloindiefest/