We were lucky to catch up with Levi Wharton recently and have shared our conversation below.
Levi, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?
Being an artist and a creative person, I feel truly fulfilled in what I do. It’s hard for me to really imagine having a “regular” job because of the experiences the creative life has brought me. I think any creative person will agree that it’s a wild ride with the highest of highs and lowest of lows, but always beats the “normal” route. I’ve never regretted choosing a creative path, even with the sometimes brutal challenges.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am Levi Wharton, also known as Levi Double U. I am a musician, producer, DJ, graphic designer, visual artist, and dog dad. My mantra is Do It Yourself.
I feel that in making art that truly expresses my vision and aligns closely with what my imagination originally dreamed up, I like to have control over every aspect of it, which is where the ‘Do It Yourself’ part comes in. In music, that vision encompasses visuals, branding, cover art, videos, and so many other pieces of creative content – beyond just the music itself – that come together to form a cohesive project. And while I enjoy collaborating with others who are better at these creative crafts than me, I find it important to understand each one to a certain level. I love learning new creative fields. Stepping out of my comfort zone to try new things helps me approach the things I’m already “good” at in a completely different way.
I think the biggest takeaway I’ve had as a creative is that pretty much everything is figureoutable. I’m certainly borrowing this concept from a Marie Forleo podcast, but it really resonates with me, as I feel I’ve lived by it my whole life. If you don’t know how to do something, the best thing to do is just try it. Just do it (sorry Nike). It’s important to remember that anyone who has mastered a skill originally sucked at it, and tried over and over until they “figured it out.” I hope this idea inspires someone to try something they’ve been too scared/nervous/timid to try.
Okay, other than all that, I love making music. I play drums and produce for the amazingly talented Neoma, an Ecuadorian singer, songwriter, and extraordinary producer in her own right. Everyone in the band is so good at songwriting and producing (and their instruments, jeez), and I love working and playing with them. I make my own music and DJ under the name Levi Double U. I pride myself on handling all the creative aspects of this project: visuals, cover art, website, merch, branding – you name it. I feel it is a true representation of who I am. And lastly, I love spending time with my partner, Steph, and my two dogs, Obie and Noodle.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
For me, I love bringing out the best in people. I believe we all share a deep connection to creativity, and I value my ability to harness authentic self-expression from others. Seeing a finished product in art is always fulfilling, but making sure the truest version of the artist is baked into that piece is the most important and rewarding part.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I have always wanted to be involved in music from a young age. I began playing drums at the age of 11, started producing in high school, and went to school for music business and recording arts.
In college, I led the marketing team for our student-run record label. One of the tasks was sourcing artwork for our artist’s upcoming release show. It was my job to either hire a graphic designer with our minimal budget or have someone on the team create it. I thought to myself “I have a cracked version of Illustrator on my computer. How hard could it be to make a poster?” I spent that whole week watching tutorials on YouTube and looking up poster inspiration, and after several days of trial and error, I came up with probably the worst design I’ve ever made (we ended up hiring a professional designer). BUT this experience propelled me into a whole new chapter of learning. I turned a skill that I used to help other bands, my own projects, and small businesses into what I now do professionally for a creative agency.
Of course, music remains a huge part of my life, but acquiring this skill in graphic design on a whim was an unexpected and valuable turn that I am genuinely grateful for.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://levidoubleu.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/levidoubleu
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/levidoubleu
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/levidoubleu
- Other: Find music and more: https://solo.to/levidoubleu
Image Credits
01 – Photo by Chris Gio 02 – Photo by Juli Williams 04 – Photo by Chris Gio