We were lucky to catch up with Margaux Vranken recently and have shared our conversation below.
Margaux, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
When I was teenager, I was part of the Youth Choir of La Monnaie Royal Opera House in Brussels. It was a very demanding musical environment to be in, but I really liked every aspect of it: the rehearsals, the late nights, the shows, the feeling of being part of an artistic family… This experience made me want to pursue a professional music career!
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.
I am a pianist/composer/arranger from Brussels, Belgium but I recently relocated to Los Angeles, California. I first moved to the US in 2017 to pursue a Masters Degree in Contemporary Performance at the Berklee Global Jazz Institute (part of Berklee College of Music in Boston). This US experience was really positive and I really liked the music scene (especially the jazz music scene) over there. I ended up staying one more year in Boston! After that, I moved back to Belgium to wait for my O1 visa (temporary work visa for non-US citizens) and a few weeks later after having received my visa, the world pandemic had started. I was able to do a lot of musical projects in Belgium at that time and I am grateful for that! I released three albums between 2020 and 2022: “Purpose”, “Purpose: live at Gaume Jazz Festival” and “Songbook”. All the albums were released on the Belgian independent record label Igloo Records. I moved to LA in the fall of 2021 and I have been here for almost two years! A new album is on the way, so stay tuned!
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
To be able to bring joy and new experiences to the audience!
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
I really liked the book ”How to Make It in the New Music Business, Practical Tips on Building a Loyal Following and Making a Living as a Musician” by Ari Herstand. There is a new updated version (post-pandemic) available now!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.margauxvranken.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/mgxvranken
- Facebook: facebook.com/margauxvrankenmusic
- Youtube: youtube.com/margauxvrankenmusic
Image Credits
First photo: Zi Owl Other photos: Nordin Bansaccal, Meg Aghamyan, Madeline Amacher, Philippe Lambert