We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kyle Joshua Trask a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kyle Joshua, appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

When I first decided to make the shift from the Pop Punk world I was in to chase after my Folk Rock roots, I knew I’d lose some people along the way and that I would have to start from scratch. Used to playing to rooms filled with 200-1000, I didn’t know what to expect when I decided to show my true identity and shift to the music I grew up with.

I’ve been used to starting over countless times; misplacing my judgment in past bands whether it would mean aligning my loyalty to the wrong people or letting my depression get in the way. However, this new journey to fully embrace who I am, has proven to be the hardest, but most rewarding of times. After my hospitalization in 2017 for chronic depression, non-epileptic seizures induced by panic attacks, and suicidal tendencies, I knew I had to make a change and find the person who fell in love with writing music again. Having to push aside my desire to give people what they want has allowed me to refocus on my happiness. Each day is a challenge, but I don’t want to know who I’d be if I didn’t take the steps to find joy in the art I make. I’ve come to love myself and grow within my music further than I could have if I allowed myself to stay in the Pop Punk world.

Moving to Nashville in 2019 has solidified that I’m where I should be. The new families I’ve come to grown into have proven to be the purest of relationships that are truly unconditional. Although I may not be touring or being placed on festivals like I used to, it is refreshing to be able to wake up each morning as myself, surrounded by folks that have nothing but love to give. I’m okay with the new slower pace.

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

I was born in Maine and moved to Delaware when I was a little kid after my parents divorced and my mother remarried. I’ve always loved singing and writing songs at a young age so my mother bought me my first acoustic guitar when I was 12. Immediately, I began writing and recording songs in my home, eventually touring with bands by the age of 16. Music has always been my major way of communicating how I feel as I find that I struggle in basic conversation to get my points and feelings across. My music helps me connect with others who also may have a hard time expressing how they truly feel, who they are as a person, or even struggling to navigate their emotions.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

If you’re in a position where you can afford to and you want your favorite artists and creatives to keep making art for your consumption, you should pay for it. Streaming services while from a consumer standpoint might seem beneficial, are actively hurting artists from receiving new album sales. I haven’t had more than 10 purchases of my new release on any digital platform, but I have over 20,000 streams ($0.003 per listen) on one of my songs on Spotify. Those 20,000 streams only brings in around $60. However, if I had 25 people purchase my EP at $4.99, I’d have $124.75 – more than double the profits of those streams.

If you’re not in a position to monetarily support artists, there are many free ways to support! Tell your friends, play their songs in group settings, follow them on social media, share their music in your stories, join their email subscriptions, call your radio stations and suggest their songs, or even reach out to the artist and let them know you appreciate what they’re doing! All of this is just as (if not more) important as monetarily supporting the creatives you love.

How did you build your audience on social media?

My audience isn’t the largest, but it’s the most engaged. I’ve been able to connect with new people just by commenting on and sharing their posts. Being authentic to others, supporting other artists, and creating a community that’s genuine is crucial to any social media success. I always make sure to check up with people who respond the most first as they typically are the ones you want to surround yourself with.

Contact Info:

• Website: kylejoshuatrask.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/kylejoshuatrask
• Twitter: twitter.com/kylejoshuatrask
• Other: linktr.ee/kylejoshuatrask

Image Credits
Libby Danforth, Adam Naples, Rachael Trask