Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kiyoshi Shelton. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kiyoshi, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I knew when I was a little boy. Ever since I was a child, I knew in my heart that I was destined for greatness and I would be some sort of music entertainer or musician of some sort.  It got clear to me as a young teenager when I would watch/listen to poets on tv deliver their pieces and also when I would listen to pastors deliver their sermons on Sundays at church.  I’d get chills in my spine, knowing that I had the gift to do what they did… and I had a deeper knowing that I had something to say to the people…that I had the gift of using my voice to inspire.  I remember performing my poem “The Risen Son Cometh” at the age of 17 in 1999 and receiving a standing ovation when I performed it during a poetry slam in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  The response and feedback afterwards confirmed what I felt…that it was my life purpose to inspire through my words and my music.

Born in Saginaw, Michigan, I grew up in a very musical family.  My father has been a music teacher since before I was born.  I grew up with instruments in different rooms in our house.  My father was a marching band director as well as music teacher for the local schools.  In the late 1980’s-1990s, the high school jazz band he led, competed nationally for Jazz music and so he was a local hero in our town.  During this time, we would attend 1st church of God regularly every Sunday.  We grew up pretty religious.  This was actually where I performed in front a crowd of people for the first time.  At the tender age of 5 years old, I sung “Jesus Loves Me.”  I was super nervous and scared but rose to the occasion and rocked it during our church holiday Christmas celebration in the late 80’s.   At the age of 8 years old, my music teacher father started me out learning to play basic acoustic guitar.  As a kid, I would sing around the house.  My parents said that out of all their 5 kids, I displayed the earliest signs of rhythm and swagger when I was a toddler, bouncing around to tunes played in the house.
Background on my name:  My mother is Pacific Islander.  She was born in the Marshall Islands.  Her adopted mother was half Japanese.  My mother met my father (a black man) at Defiance College in the early 1970’s.
So my Mom decided to name my siblings and I all Japanese names in honor of her heritage and her Asian-influenced cultural upbringing.
As a young child, I grew up listening to classic Motown (we lived close enough to Detroit, Michigan), Christian/Gospel, R&B Soul, and some Country and Rock.
As a young kid, my teenage brother Akira (who later became my music producer) introduced me to rap music.  He’d breakdance around the house and compete and dance with his friends at roller rinks and other nearby venues. He also would play famous rappers on cassette tapes like Run DMC, Beastie Boys, Sugar Hill Gang, Fat Boys etc.  We watched a lot of Yo MTV Raps around this time as well.  During these years, my mother would play music from her Pacific Island home.  They use a lot of vocal harmonies and guitar and so this introduced me to harmony (melodies or vocal parts stacked on top of each other below or above each other simultaneously, creating a a bigger, beautiful group sound).
When I was 7 years old, my oldest brother Akira became a professional jazz musician (he was 14) and he’d perform everywhere.  He later started making beats in his 20’s (1990’s) producing a bulk of my now released music.
As you can see, I was heavily influenced by my African American Father, Pacific Island Mother, Church, Brother Akira, and MTV/BET/TV/Radio.

I started getting into writing poetry, raps, and songs when I was 14 years old.
My father wanted me to switch to playing bass guitar, since he felt the way I was playing my acoustic guitar when I was young was more like how a bass player plays a bass.  I got pretty descent and played in my father’s steel drum band the following year (1997).  We even traveled to Jamaica and performed there that year and also in 2000 right after I graduated high school.

I started writing poetry when I was 14 during English class.  I then started writing raps when I was 17 and performing my rap songs at our church.  I entered a couple poetry slams later in high school, competing nationally my senior year.  These opportunities allowed me to get more comfortable on stage.  So in 2000,  I made the 7-person Ann Arbor, Michigan team out of 70+ high schoolers that competed that year.  This was the first time I traveled to California (San Francisco), performing at the Brave New Voices National Youth Poetry Slam Invitationals.

The following year, I joined the Ypsilanti Youth Poetry Slam team and competed nationally   in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
I attended Eastern Michigan University the fall of 2000, where I later joined the EMU Poetry Society.
During college (2000-2005), I competed and won a lot of college talent shows and also joined a hiphop/funk band with my college buddies.  We were called “Open Mic Affiliates.”  I played bass and rapped in the group.
I took to rapping more seriously in the 2000’s and released my first music album in 2004.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My friend and music partner Krista encouraged me to coach people with rap for many years since 2013 and I finally began doing so in 2018. I offer 1-on-1 private coaching, group in-person workshops, live performances, and online courses. This sets me aside from others because it’s a unique niche where I help people gain more confidence, speak creatively, and tap into more personal self development using the voice as a tool for embodiment.

What I am most proud of is being able to help over 30 people create their own personal songs that represent their stories and who they are. To be able to help people feel more self expressed is very rewarding.

The main things I want potential clients/followers/fans to know about me and my brand and work are:
1. I’m able to help them gain more confidence writing and speaking.
2. They’ll feel more expressed
3. They’ll move through their limitations, blocks, and doubts.
4. They’ll be able to create more from a place of safety, guidance, and support.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I spent more time on learning how to monetize my music.    I spent more time creating music and learning how to rap and perform and not enough time learning how to make money from this.  I wish someone told me how challenging it would be to make a living and have sustainability.  During my teens and early 20’s, I thought I would be signed to a major label and get the big bucks.  I had to take matters in my own hands and learn how to book and throw my own shows,  sell & market cds, network etc.  It’s a whole other job learning the business side to music.  I spent a lot of time barely making it, check by check and barely able to pay bills sometimes because I wasn’t business and financially savvy.  I would have invested in a financial advisor, attended finance seminars, and also gotten my youtube channel started during college when it first came out.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect is being able to help people transform their lives for the better. Doing so, sends ripples of impact into the world because those individuals are now able to positively impact others and so forth.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kiyoshimusic.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/kiyoshimusic
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiyoshishelton/
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/officialkiyoshi
• Youtube: Youtube.com/kiyoshimusic