We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nery Kim a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Nery thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?

In college, I studied Performance and Jazz Composition. Performance came easily to me, but Jazz Composition was a serious struggle—I had no idea I’d have to write and arrange for vocals, or small and large ensembles using software that took hours on end to learn. Eventually, I failed multiple classes and got kicked out of the major. Somewhere during that stressful time, I came across a job posting for a cruise ship musician. Since I’ve always had a passion for traveling, I decided to audition. They required a headshot, but I wasn’t prepared, so I just printed my Facebook profile photo and submitted it. Luckily, the live audition went great, and I landed a six-month contract to perform on a Caribbean cruise ship. It felt like a dream job—getting paid to play music while traveling the world. They covered my flights, food, and accommodations, and I performed in the orchestra and jazz band for production shows. But unfortunately, the happiness didn’t last long. I broke too many rules during my probation period and got fired after three months. They sent me home with a brutal 36-hour flight and no warning—I even had to spend my birthday on the plane.
That was my first professional performance job, but my first time actually selling my music was when I released my debut jazz album, PURPLE REFLECTION, in 2021. Even though people don’t listen to CDs as much anymore, I wanted to make physical copies—it felt like my business card as an artist. I put the album on my website, and my very first customer was from Japan. When I got the order, I personally shipped the CD with a handwritten thank-you card. It was such an amazing feeling, knowing that someone overseas was not only listening to my music but actually wanted to own it. That moment was truly special.

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

I started playing the piano at the age of 6, and I’ve always loved it, but it wasn’t until high school that my musical journey took a new turn. I joined my school band and played electric bass just for fun. It was through the band that I was introduced to jazz, and it felt like a whole new world to me. I instantly fell in love with jazz, and that passion led me to the United States to study jazz music.
Of course, the journey wasn’t without challenges. I had to overcome language barriers, cultural differences, racism, and, most significantly, health issues. I had to take medical leave for ear surgeries and treatments, and as a result, my hearing in my right ear is under 50%, my left ear is under 80%, and I experience constant tinnitus. But none of this has stopped me from playing music.
I’ve had the opportunity to perform around the world, including in places like Indonesia, South Korea, China, Turkey, Central America, and the United States. My career began in the LA jazz scene, where I went around looking for jam sessions to join. Thankfully, I met some incredible friends, mentors, and fellow musicians whose support and experiences helped me grow significantly. Over the years, I’ve worked with many talented musicians as a composer, arranger, pianist, and keyboardist on various albums.
Then, like so many others, I faced the challenges brought on by COVID-19. Everything shut down, and people couldn’t go out. At the same time, my visa was about to expire, so I made a difficult decision to move back to South Korea. For about a year, I couldn’t do much, but eventually, I was fortunate enough to get opportunities to teach at universities and even perform with a K-pop artist.
In 2021, I released my first album, PURPLE REFLECTION, which features all original compositions recorded in New York. It was a huge milestone for me, and I was so grateful to share my music with the world. My music is like a color, and the underlying harmonic sensibility tells my stories. It became my goal to release at least one album per year. So far, I’ve released five albums, with my latest, WHITE RABBIT, recorded in LA. This single was inspired by the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland and features a fast tempo, a dance-like swing rhythm, a funky vibe, and an Afro-Cuban groove. The addition of elegant trombone and piano improvisations enhances the dynamic shifts, creating a delightful interplay of styles performed by four horns and a piano trio.
Currently, I perform with the group L4 and collaborate with other musicians, including the amazing trombonist Wycliffe Gordon. I’m excited for what’s to come and look forward to creating even more music to share with the world!

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

Looking back, there are definitely resources I wish I had known about earlier in my creative journey. One thing I wish I had discovered sooner is the power of networking and connecting with other musicians and industry professionals. In the beginning, I was so focused on perfecting my craft that I didn’t realize how much collaboration and building relationships would help my growth. Connecting with other musicians, producers, and mentors could have opened up many more opportunities and helped me learn faster.
Also, I wish I had understood the value of business knowledge early on—things like marketing, branding, and financial management. As a creative, it’s easy to get lost in the artistic side and overlook the practical aspects of running a career. Having a strong understanding of how to manage and promote my work would have been incredibly helpful in navigating the industry.
Looking back, I now realize how valuable online resources like YouTube and online courses could have been. YouTube wasn’t as big back then, but today it’s an incredible platform for learning, whether it’s for technique, inspiration, or even industry insights. If I had known about it earlier, it could have saved me so much time by providing access to tutorials, performances, and expert advice. Additionally, online courses, especially for students in other countries, offer incredible flexibility. The ability to learn from industry professionals and access global education from the comfort of home would have been a huge advantage in accelerating my growth, both as a musician and in understanding the business side of the industry.

Have you ever had to pivot?

A couple of years ago, when I relocated to Augusta, Georgia, I was really worried. I didn’t know anyone, and I wasn’t sure about the music scene in such a small town. I worked hard to find other jazz musicians, but it wasn’t easy. One day, my husband and I went to Costco, and there weren’t enough seats at the food court, so we shared a table with a couple. We started talking about the town, and they told me about the “Arts in the Heart of Augusta Festival.” I looked it up and discovered there was a jazz jam session included in the program. I decided to attend, and that was the first time I played publicly since moving here.
That same week, Hurricane Helene hit and caused a power outage that lasted for five days. I realized that people in town were using Facebook – something I hadn’t used in years – to stay connected. I wrote a post about wanting to connect with local musicians, and to my surprise, I received a lot of messages. Since then, I’ve been playing all around town, and I’ve learned how vital networking really is in this industry.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nerykim.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/extraordi_nery
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nery.kim/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nerykim/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@extraordi_nery
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3mP01gXSZGuCxIyX9nF9cf
  https://nerykim.bandcamp.com/dashboard