We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kj Fraser. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kj below.

Hi Kj , thanks for joining us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your business and how did you resolve those issues?

A challenge that I faced early on was learning how to separate business from personal relationships. I’ve always loved bringing people into my plans, however I learned it’s not always the best move. I have come to realize not everyone deserves access to what I hold dearly to my heart. That’s still something I work on improving everyday, which goes beyond the art and into my daily life. For me, the only solution is breaking ties and moving on. I used to walk with a big crowd when I was in school — now I only keep up with a few. It’s tough considering some of these people have been my friends since primary school. In the event they are reading this, I’d like to say theirs always love for you and wish you all the best as we enter our mid 20’s.

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.

My name is K.J. and I’m an artist who was raised by my Mother and Grandmother. I’m originally from Montgomery Village, Maryland — a suburb of Washington DC. I moved around frequently in my childhood, which I believe led to my desire to create art. As a youth, I would write stories, make music, draw characters, design clothes and take pictures. Ultimately, each of these activities made me happy and served as constructive coping mechanisms.

Now fast forward about thirteen years later, I’ve created what I consider to be a juggernaut of a brand. I provide services such as designing apparel, videography, photography and of course, creating music. It’s only been about four years since I first showcased my talents to the world. The results have been nothing but rewarding.
My clothing brand “Kool Volume Apparel” website was launched in January 2023. We’ve already sold around one hundred hoodies with just one design being released publicly.

Regarding my music, I’ve been invited to perform live multiple times. It’s worth mentioning, one of my songs was tagged on a Tik-Tok posted by the famous electronic artist “Marshmello”. I’m currently working on my fourth solo mixtape, which I believe will create some more noise.
My work behind the camera has also provided me with many lucrative opportunities. I’ve shot and recorded a wedding, made multiple music videos for local artists and have been booked for multiple graduation shoots. It’s been a very interesting journey thus far. Considering this is my fourth official interview, something must be working!

What I want people to know about me and my brand is that it was built to bring back originality through my imagination. This is cultivated through my own personal experiences, which may have similar plot points to other stories but will always be my original story. Whether it be the clothes I make or music I create, a big piece of me is embedded in it all.

A lot of people say they want to be “the next big whatever”. I just want to be the real, authentic me — and that’s what I’ll forever stand on!!

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

My business partner was actually the first friend I made when I moved down to Georgia in 6th Grade. He goes by the name “OctoBlot”. He’s an animator and clothing designer. We met in orchestra class together and I remember asking him if he had a spare musical sheet because I lost mine. That was the beginning of a great friendship which later blossomed into a wonderful business partnership.

He was known in school for being great at doodling and being pretty quiet around other people. However, he was always open and expressive around me and I was able to witness him gradually get into animating his drawings and putting them on apparel.
The first time he helped me out was when I would post photography projects on my Instagram when I was still in college. The plan was to take pictures of my friends and he would draw them into a character selection box similar to that of the “Mortal Kombat” games. It did so well and earned many compliments — this marked the beginning of our artistic partnership. Eventually, we sat down and decided with our combined talents we could really shake the world. We have some big projects that we look forward to releasing later this year. When the time comes, I believe that the world will really appreciate the greatness of our work.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

“Love makes us do crazy things”. Albeit corny, cliche — it does hold true in reality or at least in my life. It applies to me in many different ways such as the the love of women, the love of attention and the love of being loved. These are standard human desires and needs but it can become toxic to the mind if not monitored. I was brought up in a single parent household by my mother for the majority of my life. There was a phase in my life where I didn’t hear much from my Dad. Fortunately, now that I’m older our relationship is in a better place. He is somebody I can lean on for support. This experience granted me a clearer understanding on how to forgive and submit to love.
I still face my share of challenges when it comes to romantic relationships. When things go wrong, I tend to be extremely self- critical. There is this feeling of inadequacy which I believe stems from my childhood. As a result, this has caused many problems in my relationships with past partners and even my family at times.
I’ve now come to realize perfection isn’t real and striving for it will simply result in agony. I’m willing to forgive myself for past mistakes and I understand there is a purpose for everything that happens — good or bad. I appreciate everyone who has been there for me. You’ll never be forgotten and will always hold a meaningful place in my life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://koolvolume.com/
• Instagram: kj__fraser
• Linkedin: https://linktr.ee/KJFraser?fbclid=PAAaayq3j7-wqp0oKQ0b-6Tc1wqJEmEdqsqI9l9ZA0WpdXV5WOsI1f6PJZz30
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@ineedvolume258