Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nicholas Johnson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Nicholas , appreciate you joining us today. Are you 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?

I’m lucky to be able to make a living as a full time creative. It’s been a career path that’s meandered back and forth over the years. It’s taken some time, luck, and valuable learning experiences/mentors that taught how to create income out of my passion.

I think when we’re young and impressionable we’re maybe persuaded to pursue a structured path that has known outcome or a stable salary. I think that mindset caused me to “dip my toe” into pursuing my music career instead of dedicating myself full time. Music (like most creative endeavors) is a volatile market and after college when it was time to jump into “real life” my musical pursuits took a backseat to what was supposed to be back up plans. But the reality with creative endeavors is that you tend to get back exactly what you put into it. I’ve been lucky to have times in my life that have illustrated that point.

One such time (and a pivotal moment in my life and career) was when I had the opportunity to move abroad to Milan, Italy. Due to the language and cultural barriers my options for income were severely limited. I was forced to dedicate myself fully to booking and playing shows. I spent my days writing booking emails and my evenings either playing shows or going to venues and building relationships with other musicians and bookers/venue owners.

Through that process, I was able to be able to grow a fan base and build professional relationships that enabled me to record, tour, and be around other professionals who have made music their career. Their friendship and mentorship gave me so much confidence and really helped me to shape a blueprint for how to turn my passion into a career.

Nicholas , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a musician and record label owner from Cincinnati, Ohio. My journey in music began as a band nerd in middle school and high school playing drums in marching band and pep band. At Western Kentucky University, I switched to guitar and began writing songs. As soon as I started playing shows – I was hooked. I knew I really only wanted to do this as a living. Everything else would be a means to that end.

It was a long and winding road to be able to make a music career. An integral part of that journey was realizing that one of the greatest advantages we have as creatives is our community.

Ninja Jam Records was created as a label for my own releases – equal parts physical/digital distribution, publishing, promotion, and booking. However, as I learned the ropes it became evident that my relationships abroad and here in the states would be helpful to other artists: here and overseas. Through those relationships Ninja Jam evolved into a full service, boutique label that boasts an artist roster of national and international acts.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Though I’m content with my meandering journey, if I had to go back and give myself one piece of knowledge it’s that you aren’t alone. In music, I think their is a tendency to be hyper competitive and to put out a perception of success. That mentality severely discourages reaching out for advice/assistance or showing any vulnerability.

But the reality is that we are a small tribe and we are stronger together. Reaching out and building a community organically has been the most beneficial and one of the most rewarding parts of my career. Lifting up others is core tenet of Ninja Jam because its great to see artists achieve their potential and it also pays dividends into your own career.
Those relationships have led to some of the coolest moments and helped me achieve a lot of my own goals.

Believe it or not, the perceived gaps in success between ourselves and some of the bands and artists that we look up to aren’t as wide as we think. Support systems are the quickest way to close that gap.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think non-creatives (especially career-minded students) have the perception that their isn’t a place for them in the music industry. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Music touches so many different subjects: engineering/tech, management, legal, IT, event production, PR, promotion, etc. There are so many avenues to pursue outside of the performance/songwriting aspect of music. If there’s anyone out there whose passion lies in music but is hesitant because of their musical abilities – rest assured, there is a home for you here.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.nicholasjohnsonmusic.com
• Instagram: @nicholasjohnsonmusic
• Facebook: @nicholasjohnsonmusic
• Twitter: @drumsandaguitar
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UC49nx3PY17RE27ppQY0jZTQ
• Other: www.ninjajamrecords.com

Image Credits
Filippo De Diogini