We recently connected with Ryan King and have shared our conversation below.

Ryan, 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?

I’ve been able to make a living from music now for the past few years and I’ve been having the best time doing so. I started playing guitar when I was 11 years old and fell in love with it instantly. I have so many memories of just sitting around the house and playing guitar non stop for hours on end, which I’m sure was a real treat for the rest of my family living there haha. I always knew that it was something I was extremely passionate about and wanted to continue doing for the rest of my life. Fast forward a few years and I started taking vocal lessons as well and incorporated that into my love for music.

Though I was in many bands throughout the years, at the time it was not something that I thought was financially stable(or so I thought). As a result, I worked in the culinary industry for most of my life as well. I would pick up the odd gigs here and there which were all amazing but would always treat them more as a hobby.

Fast forward to now and I am consistently playing gigs all over the city and my “work” doesn’t feel like work. I am teaching guitar and songwriting and am inspiring those who have the same passion for music as I do.

Looking back, I wish I would have pursued this long before just so I could have those few extra years of happiness. It is such a rewarding feeling and I am so lucky to be able to make a living off of music.

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.

As a guitarist/vocalist, I got into the industry as one does: by joining a band with some friends and putting ourselves out there! Over my musical career, I have been in many different bands across many different genres and still am to this day. If there’s one thing I love to teach, it’s not to limit yourself when it comes to your creative outlet. In my case, it’s music, so I will not limit myself to one style or genre haha. I currently play in two heavy metal bands called Ghost of a King and Nature Pleads Revenge, I play in a folk band with my good friend Dan Kelly, I play in a cover band by the name of Groove Knight and I also write original music under my name Ryan King which falls under an acoustic alternative style. I also play cover songs weekly in local restaurants and bars! I have a few more projects on the go and am always looking to take on more when it comes to music. All can be found under my Instagram handle at @ryankingchords.

The experiences I’ve had and the stories I’ve got from playing music are something I am most grateful for. Whether it’s to a crowd of 15,000 people in a stadium or to 15 people at a local bar, I will always make sure to give it my all and make sure that the audience is having as much fun as I am. Music is its own language that everyone can speak. It is a way that connects us to people who we might not otherwise feel connected with. One of my favourite things to do is play a song that people wouldn’t expect from me. I often get classified as a person who would only listen to heavy metal or hard rock just by my image but then play songs by Frank Sinatra or Rihanna haha. I am always looking for new songs and new artists to learn to be able to speak to everyone who attends a show I am performing at. Again, music is such a rewarding feeling and I am so very lucky to be able to do as much of it as I am able to.

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

In this day and age, one of the best things society can do to support artists is follow their social media presence. That’s where artists will be able to showcase their creativity, post about what they have coming up whether it’s an event or an opportunity of theirs, and just the best way to keep up to date with everything they have going on. It is also important because this is where people will go to see what type of following they have. I know as a musician, when applying to festivals or bigger bill shows, one thing promoters will look for is to make sure they have a following. It almost does not matter how good the artist is, but what type of crowd they’d be able to bring out. This is where having people who genuinely like what you to do hit that follow button. It goes such a long way for artists who are trying to prove themselves. I personally have to be better at sharing videos of myself performing/singing but when I perform live if I see that I’ve gained a few followers because strangers like what they saw, it is a very gratifying feeling and again, goes such a long way!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

Nowadays, the most rewarding aspect of being a musician is teaching guitar to my students. They range from ages 6-65 and there’s no better feeling than having them get excited about music and wanting to learn as much as they can. Seeing the progression of my students and just how far they’ve come is truly incredible and will always put a smile on my face.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryankingchords?igsh=OXNwOXNtY3hzcGJl&utm_source=qr
• Other: My TikTok account:

  https://www.tiktok.com/@ryankingchords?_r=1&_t=ZS-94PhbExlYkn

Image Credits

Main photo – Nicole Beaune

Additional photos

1 – Jessy Dwyer
2 + 3 – Darren Koculyn
4 – Rachel Powers
5 – Aloysious Butler