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

Nick , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. 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?

From 2017 until 2019, I was able to earn a full-time living from being a live music performer. It started with a weekly residency at a hotel which then expanded into me playing cover songs in bars and restaurants 3 to 5 times a week. From then on, I started stacking dates up around those gigs and started earning more and more income. I signed with a college booking agency and started doing APCA conferences in 2016. Performing at Colleges pay really well. There’s a lot you can learn from those gigs. I would say the hardest part about all of it was figuring out my taxes. If I could go back, I would keep better track of expenses and mileage, etc. The one thing I would tell someone that is just starting and looking to potentially do what they love full-time is to save up some money before quitting your day job. Every organization I book a gig with has a different pay structure and timeline. You might get paid day of at one place, but not until the end of the month at another. It was also admittedly easier for me at 24 or 25 years-old living at home still and not having to worry about the bills. Eventually I was able to get my own apartment, but that’s when the grind got even harder. Especially in the winter months when venues aren’t booking as much. I would also say don’t come into things with an ego. What I mean by this is that I was very weary of people knowing I did anything other than music. For instance, I worked part-time in retail while trying to support my dream of doing music full-time. Initially I wanted to present this image that to other people that I was only doing music and that was a “cool” thing. We’re all human. As long as you are your number one fan and what you do doesn’t feel like work, I say go for it. No one will work harder for career than you will.

Nick , 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?

The main service I provide to people for income is live entertainment. To be able make a difference on someone’s eveing with the music I perform, no matter what struggles they are going through that day, is an honor. So that is a service that I provide. But my career has been two-fold. Writing and producing original music has always been, and is what continues to inspire me.

I’ve been writing songs for about 15 years now. I am constantly evolving in my craft. There are seasons in my life where it is really hard to write. There are other times where I can write two songs per day. Sometimes I don’t have the desire to write. I think where I’m at in my life right now I am trying my best to write for me. At the root of my passion for music, music is therapy. This year I am trying to finish up some songs I’ve been working on over the past two years. My last full-length album was released in 2022, ‘Silence All The Noise’. It took me about a year-and-a-half to write and produce that album. These days if I’m not saying something meaningful with my work, then I don’t want to say it at all. So I think that’s why there has been a little bit of a lull with my writing. I’ve also just been experiencing life more. My daughter was born in January, and being a first-time Dad is teaching me a lot about life. I just want people to listen to my music. I want them to enjoy the art I create. I’m most proud that I can create something from a vulnerable place that people might one day resonate with.

How did you build your audience on social media?

I think being consistent is key. Lately I haven’t been the most consistent, but in my experience that’s what’s worked. However social media has changed so much since when I first started doing music. I used to post cover songs to YouTube that were 3 to 4 minutes long. Now I’m lucky if someone watches my video on Tik Tok for 30 seconds. Be consistent with posting, but also consistent with your image. Think about pages or people that you like. What do they do successfully? You can also start messaging your music to fans of other artists that sound similar to you. I still think the best way is building connections with REAL people at live shows, documenting that experiencing, tagging them in it. Making each interaction feel like a one-of-a-kind experience. I think we need to stop trying to focus on the numbers and start focusing on those interactions. I’ve done shows where my music didn’t necessarily fit the other acts on the bill, but their fans appreciated me and latched on to what I do. Forming relationships with and communicating with your fans or audience is the best way for true, sustained connection.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Society needs to understand that artists don’t make money from recordings like they used to. Streaming services have allowed smaller artists to have a global platform and reach for their art, however, we are now battling AI musicians and bands without any true gatekeeping. Most people have a music studio in their laptop or phone nowadays. Good music takes time to write, record, and release. The best way to get to know an artist is by listening to their full-length album. I hope the world of singles that we are living in fades away. I think a revolution is happening due to the lack of attention spans we all have now. If we could just sit down with a CD again without the threat of notifications on our phone, we might start to appreciate music once again. Go to concerts. Buy your favorite band’s merch. You might think touring artist or tv acts have money and fame and don’t need your support. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I have multiple friends who have been on TV and tour the country playing music who have jobs at normal places that you go to everyday. Touring is one of my favorite past-times, but I could never live on it for a full-time income without burning out. There are a small percentage of people who have the ability and stamina to do that for a living. Support and appreciate artists in any way that feels right to you. If you don’t have money, give them the time and recognition they deserve.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @NickBarillaLive
• Facebook: @NickBarillaLive
• Twitter: @NickBarillaLive

Image Credits

None.