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

Alright, Reid thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

The original plan was to just stay for 3 months in 2021, but after falling in love with the city and its vibrant music scene, I decided to give New York a real shot. The energy here, combined with the opportunities to grow both personally and professionally, made it clear that staying longer was the right choice. It’s been an amazing journey so far, and I’ve really embraced the challenges and rewards that come with being in such a wild city.

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’m Zappa, and I’m a music creator, DJ, and producer based in New York City. My journey into the music industry started in Miami, where I first picked up the drums in high school. I quickly became passionate about percussion, especially through the drumline, and that experience sparked a lifelong love of rhythm and sound. Later on , I expanded my skills to include music production and beatmaking, and that led me to DJing—where I found a new way to connect with people through music. I now dj and produce for a bunch of different artist in NYC

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

For me, the most rewarding part of being an artist is the ability to connect with others through something as universal as music. Whether it’s seeing people move to a track I’ve created or helping someone bring to life a vision they have, there’s a magic in knowing that something I’ve crafted has resonated with someone else. Music has a unique power to bring people together, to make them feel something deeply, and to create a shared experience—whether it’s joy, nostalgia, or even catharsis.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Honestly, I haven’t really focused much on building an audience. I just post content that feel true to what Im doing, whether its music, random thoughts, or just what Im into at the moment.

As for advice? Just be consistent and don’t overthink it. If you’re doing something you genuinely care about, it’ll resonate with the right people. And, yeah, try not to stress too much about the numbers. Just focus on creating and sharing things that you enjoy, and the rest will follow.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zappa.sound/
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/djzappasound