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

Alright, Kyle thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

The first time I knew I wanted to pursue the artistic path professionally was during my third year of high school. I grew up playing multiple instruments on and off, but the one that stuck with me to this day is the drums. I’ve been at it the longest since I was about five years old and was the drummer in my middle school band. I always tap around on different objects with my hands, so I think it was my parents’ way of subsiding my anxiety and theirs by putting me in our garage with a drum set! I took piano and singing classes as a kid while my dad also taught me how to play the guitar, but nothing quite felt the same as percussion. When I was about twelve, one of my friends introduced me to electronic dance music though artists like deadmau5 and Skrillex during a music class that focused on extremely basic production in Garage Band – from that point on, I knew this would be my obsession for at least a really, really long time. Since then, I’ve spent nearly every day creating music until it was time to think about what colleges I wanted to apply to, which then was followed by the questions: what do I want to pursue for a job, and where do I fit in life? I thought of my multiple interests growing up, like being a soccer player or an architect, but quickly realized how much of my time that would take up compared to how much I really enjoyed them. I thought of the typical 9AM-5PM job in a cubicle at an office in a big city, then even more quickly shut that idea down given my need for creative output. I actually struggled with this dilemma for longer than expected, especially with pressure coming from my very traditional family background. This sent me into a really depressing mindset for many months, and other than spending time with friends, my savior was creating music. The answer was hiding in plain sight all along – I am destined to be a musician that releases original music with hopes of helping people the way my heroes’ music helped me with the challenges I faced growing up and specifically at that time. To this day, I’ve applied myself in this career field through many different angles to find a successful platform as a music producer, like working as an A&R at a dance record label and even starting my own electronic music event company to showcase my music and DJ skills alongside my friends and other aspiring musicians.

Kyle, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I take charge of the musical world as Cerulo by means of my diversely inspired focus on production. Determined to advance the electronic music world, I channel the post-genre era through timeless influences into a sound characterized by both exploration and homage. The journey of articulating my craft began when a simple middle school band project flourished into an unwavering love for creating music. My fascination honed in on musical technology studies, equipping me with tools crucial for expressing my own unique vision. Catapulting from early training in the drums, I expanded my abilities through formal instrumentation and engineering practice at high-level education courses in Los Angeles. My performances have been making noise in the local scene, landing me on stages with reputable artists like Channel Tres, Curbi, and SNBRN. Evolving from my retro-indie style in collaborative project “the dreams i’ve had” released in 2021 and debut single “Soulkeeper” in 2022, to pioneering a distinctive UK electronic sound, I construct a realm where new musical flavors are destined to leave a resonating impact in the culture.

You can find me regularly on the road performing at events, namely Same Same But Different Festival 2024 in Perris, California and at frequent shows in Los Angeles where my event collective Coastal Hook is based or while playing support for reputable artists in the city. Stay tuned for my monthly original releases, collaborations, and remixes.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect in the creative path honestly isn’t getting amazing feedback or seeing big success in return, like money or popularity. The best part about it all is creating something you really care about, along with the entire process starting from the initial idea into its conception, finalization, then release into the world. By far, the journey is the most exciting and fulfilling aspect in the creative field – something about capturing ideas from the universe, materializing them until completion, then letting them go back out into space and time is just simply what it’s all about. It may sound corny, but success truly is a byproduct and also is subjective to each and every creative.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Community is something that’s really taken for granted during the early stages of the creative path. Having a group of fellow creatives, big or small, that you respect and share a similar goal with of growth in the pursuit of creativity is far more impactful that many people usually realize, including young self. Trust in colleagues and collaborators that you can bounce honest ideas off of and get meaningful, constructive feedback and support from is one of the strongest shoulders I’ve leaned on throughout my journey that’s gotten me to where I am and that keeps me going. Sometimes a creative outside of your particular field or even a non-creative can provide some of the most life changing advice you’ll get!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://fanlink.tv/cerulo
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cerulomusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecerulo
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-hagerman-a41363198
• Twitter: https://x.com/cerulomusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@cerulomusic
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/cerulo

Image Credits

Maggie Flynn
Daniela Coe McNamara