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

Alright, Pàppa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

This question would bring artists nightmares most of the nights, but it’s all worth it in the end. There’s all sorts of people out there making art, for all sorts of reasons. Others do it cause it’s healing, others for fun, others cause it makes them happy, and others do it cause they can’t do anything else. For me it was very easy, cause i never wanted to do anything else. I simply have to do it. I found myself having the need to make music, dance, and create in all ways, and i could not imagine my life without it.

First we have to define what’s a regular job looking like for someone like me. The answer is one that i am not happy doing, a logical practical job, that doesn’t necessarily involve any creative outlets, all the odd jobs i did to survive when i moved to America, etc, etc. Being an artist is harder in the sense that there’s no map for it, no plan, no specific formula you have to follow. It’s fluid, and spontaneous, with no set and definite goal, and a lot of artists are getting lost in that idea. It has to be treated in one way or another as a job, with consistency and perseverance, so it can bring in results. You don’t write whenever you feel like it. It’s more of a hobby that way, and that’s totally okay, but it’s just not the case for me.

Pàppa , 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?

Being a musician and an artist is one of the greatest gifts that i have been blessed in my life. It’s the only thing i want to do, and what i ever dreamt of doing. Growing up in Greece, starting my career there, and moving to America five years ago, is a journey, which i am very grateful for. Was it easy? No, not at all, but i wouldn’t change a single thing. Being a singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, i found the thing to set me apart was the musicianship, the understanding and feeling of the music and the craft in a deeper level. To be able to connect musically and express myself in many instruments, styles, genres, and languages, different media and outlets, is definitely one skill that elevated my career quite a lot, when i moved out here in Los Angeles. Session work, working with other artists, playing for others and with others, co-writes, scoring for films, and interactive art gallerias, are just a few of the things that i have been involved with in the last 2 years. I can quite most certainly say that my biggest and most distinct trait is my songs. The original music, the lyrics, the arrangements and piano playing while singing, is the thing that paved new ways and audiences for me. I really start finding myself, my sound, and my musical identity, and i love every bit of that process.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

The mission for me is discovery. The journey is long, but so fulfilling. It’s a constant quest and the end, is “THE END”. During all these times in between, the mission is to keep writing, keep creating, keep exploring and staying curious.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

To be able to be in a room full of people, creating a safe space for them to be vulnerable, allowing myself to be vulnerable, and provide a memorable experience is one of the most rewarding parts about being an artist. To know that you write something, share it with the world, and understand that it is no longer yours, is a powerful realization, one that every artist should keep in mind, It bears liberty, unleashes creativity and releases you from the ties of holding on to your music. It is meant to be shared, to be experienced, and to be received, in any way the audience intends to. It’s quite the thrill to have somebody approach you after a show and tell you that your song changed their lives, made them cry, reminded them of home, or brought a smile on their face. Completely unmatched. The reward is in the every single person, and i would rather touch the hearts of 100 people, where we can deeply connect and experience that, than a huge non-engaged audience that’s on their phones the whole time of the show. So, yes, to connect and to share is definitely one of the most rewarding aspects of being a musician.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.pappadmusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pappadmusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pappadmusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@pappadmusic
• Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/artist/4d86XPzaUsFxHHbvKhXl9F?si=4hsTkYhNT66iuyWRi67pmQ
• Apple Music : https://music.apple.com/us/artist/dimitrio-pappa/1544118845
• Bandcamp : https://pappad.bandcamp.com/
• TikTok : https://www.tiktok.com/@pappadmusic?_t=8gdHHHl3pvS&_r=1
• Poetry | Words | Lyrics : https://allpoetry.com/P%C3%A0ppa_D.

Image Credits
Taylor Rose Holland