We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Leo Manzari a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Leo thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
I’ve been a professional artist since I was a 14 years old. I’ve always been guided by my artistry and doors have opened for me along the way due to my passion and consistency in the craft. As a song writer and producer, I create the musical landscapes I dance to. It’s one of my favorite things to do. I see my creative process as creating the world I’d like to live in, so as many parts of the genetic makeup I can make to the art, I enjoy doing. I also love being a facilitator of experiences for both the people I collaborate with as well as the people listening and viewing the art. There’s power in numbers and good intentions, so I try to be the facilitator of both.
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.
Music and dance have always been a driving force for me. I began dancing at the age of 2 then began making music in 7th grade. I met Maurice Hines at the age of 14 and co-starred in his production of Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies. He gave me the real start to my professional tap dancing career.
I toured for years sharing the bill with him in various shows both in theaters and on television. That gave me the platform to expand into writing/ performing my own music, and headlining various shows as a song and dance man. I write and produce all Hip-Hop/Soul music that can be found on all music streaming platforms.
I’m proud to be the generational bridge between modern music and traditional tap dance. I’m fortunate enough to headline shows across traditional tap venues (ie orchestras & television), and also focus on merging tap dance into my original hip hop/ R&B music. The main thing I’d like for people who follow me to do is follow the journey of my music releases and the shows I put on. Every project is a musical time capsule that consolidates some of my most sensitive thoughts/ feelings/ and perspective of the world. I want my fans to grow with me as we discover the ins and outs of life together.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
The measurement of success for an artist is not always monetary. I think reaching monetary gain as an artist is an incredible success, but a true artist can find fulfillment in their art during the creation of it, not just the response to it. The response to it is a secondary pleasure. Both are valuable.
That said, I am in a stage in my life right now where I am building my career and financial sustainability. I’m learning the business side of the industry because I know that is what’s required for me to gather the resources to continue to create. Sometimes that can be a distraction to my artistic process, but I have/am always learning how to work through that.
I think the best thing that non-creatives can do for creatives is offer whatever resources you have to creatives to conceptualize and actualize their work. Whether those are financial resources, venue connections, or permitting them to tap into your network, all of those things can be very useful to an artist.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I’d say one of the biggest pivots I’ve made in my career was deciding I wanted to create the musical landscapes I danced to. I remember I was taking a dance class when I was younger, and the dance teacher had to yell at me for not paying attention because I was more immersed in the music we were dancing to than the choreography she was trying to teach. It was at that moment where I realized I was no longer fulfilled with merely moving my body, but I wanted to create the music I danced to as well. And then the further I developed in my career, I realized that my niche and the thing that was going to make me standout from everyone else in the music industry was doing both. And that’s when I really set my goals on pioneering the cultural bridge between traditional tap dance and modern music.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.leomanzari.com
- Instagram: @leomanzari
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leomanzari/
- Twitter: @LeoManzari
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/leomanzari
- Other: Tik Tok: @leomanzzz
Image Credits
first two photos: Diego Rosende Instagram: @diegofelipefilms black and white photo: Jahnae Hatter Instagram: @jahnizzle333