We recently connected with Rodney Penny Jr. and have shared our conversation below.
Rodney, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. 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?
I’ve been working in music for 8 years. Although my first dollar was made some years ago I was never able to make a living from it until this year. 8 years of free shows. 8 years of nobody showing up. 8 years of just the most stressful situations you could think of regarding artistry and responsibility. Honestly I don’t think I would have sped up this process if given the chance but instead remind myself to be patient. It might sound cliche but I’ve been able to get everything I desired since first starting out to the point where I’ve had to come up with new goals. My process was moving from market to market to increase value and add to my resume. Then eventually you go to get booked and you realize you’ve performed all over the country, in multiple countries, and are getting more calls to get booked than making them.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
YoSoyDonRigo established himself early with the groovy 2022 West Coast Wave anthem “Ka$h” which became a citywide viral sensation in Tijuana, Baja California cementing his place in the live entertainment community. Since then his songs have achieved well over 125k streams across all platforms, been enjoyed in over 40 nations, and have been performed live in multiple countries.
• He started writing music while living in Acapulco, Mexico during the summer of 2018 and performed his first shows in Tijuana later that same year. His stage name came from Spanish speakers finding it difficult to pronounce his real name so Rodney became Rodrigo, which became Rigo with Don being added as a title of respect and “Yo Soy” directly translating to “I Am”. • Performing songwriter, Texas native and military veteran, “Don Rigo” as many have dubbed him, made his name in Mexico where he spent much of the last decade refining his musical skills and entertaining diverse crowds with his unique sound and lyricism in a time when many of us have forgotten how to simply enjoy ourselves.
•With published books under his name, a resume filled with shows and references from all over the globe, and a history in the high fashion modeling world along with many film credits and his own podcast, YoSoyDonRigo is a true American phenomenon taking the world by storm. He currently resides in South Padre Island, Texas where he lives and plays with his band, “Not So Black and White”.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I was presented with a choice. Be homeless but have plenty of time to create and distribute music OR have a roof over my head with zero time to dedicate to creating or distributing music. I do not regret the choice made.
How did you build your audience on social media?
A lot of people only think of the big names when they consider social media but in reality any platform that utilizes being social or reaching others is social media. Dating apps? Business websites? QR codes that link my YouTube channel placed in parks and public transportation? Be different, stand out, show genuine love. You’ll get what you’re looking for.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yosoydonrigo?igsh=MTFtNHc4NHo2NTVvbA==
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodneygpennyjr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@waypastwildpodcast?si=bbhxUqEcwhf2-rUt
