We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Santi Castro. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Santi below.

Santi, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

it happened largely through daily immersion, and absorption into Music

Listening to records, Composing each day, Transcribing, and Releasing a lot of finished songs

Through constant experimentation came gradual but steady improvements; and my own Style began to bloom spontaneously

In my experience – Earnestness is important, Striving, in a balanced way is important. Effort is needed. Extensive listening is needed.

You may need to Study it a lot with your mind. I studied it with my mind to understand what my Heart already knew

On Learning, part of it is realizing certain Learning cannot be “sped up”

Certain Music cannot be learned by sitting at the Piano, only by being lived

In fact, when I tried to learn things, I didn’t learn much

But, when I explored Music in a soft & gentle way, Learning happened in an Exuberant way

In my experience – its not about how much Music you have listened to, or how many songs you have memorized. its about how deeply you have listened

Memorizing is important, But, I regard the real marks of Mastery to be: Fluidity, Spontaneity, Ease, Charm & Delight

On Obstacles, Yes, There are Obstacles.

But, If all your Energies point in one direction, then you will be able to overcome the Obstacles.

And, If you take care of your System each day, then your thoughts and emotions will harmonize & help you on your Journey

On my Path, the way to becoming one pointed & taking care of my System was through daily Meditation & Yoga.

Once i took care of this, it was possible to move through Life smoothly, with little friction. Even in unpleasant moments

I had a lot of help – two very Gifted Meditation Teachers to guide me. It would have not been possible to make progress without them, and I would like to emphasize that i did not “do it alone”

I’m still working with them to progress deeper, and for those who feel a resonance, my Teachers are Sat Mindo & Lyonne Premananda.

Santi, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a Singer/Artist, with songs from R&B, Soul, Funk, Indie, Pop.

it was a gradual process becoming connected with Music. It Started out as just Producing Music, creating Beats, Engineering Sound

Then naturally progressing to using a microphone, adding my Voice, and writing songs to these Beats

I joined the school’s Jazz Band playing electric guitar. There was a classmate of mine who mentored me, and I also started studying the Music Theory aspects

i decided i would pursue Music with full force

There were many years of working in the Studio, developing the sound & style, and Releasing finished Songs.

In order to develop further, It became clear that it was necessary to shift the focus from Studio Work to Live Performance

So, I began playing a lot of Music Clubs, Bars, Restaurants, Cafes

Just as i studied Studio Work, I began studying Great Live Music Shows. The Great Artists we admire have not only great songs but a great Live Show

and the one’s i admired most, had the most “Showmanship”

My Intention is to continue refining the Live Show each day, and continue developing as a Performer

For now, i perform mostly solo, using Live Looping to achieve a “full band sound”

Looking to the future, it is time to begin recruiting the Live Backing Band. This of course will be a gradual process, of adjusting & attuning the current Live Show to celebrate the additional players

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

What drives this Journey is Interest in Music, and the Enjoyment that arises from exploring it

My Goal is to remain Open, Unbounded & Receptive. To allow ideas & realizations to flow freely, and find me easily

There is a definite Vision in Mind

However, in order to get there, I feel it is necessary to complete all that Life is bringing now

I feel – If one does all things well, and more than fills their place, then they will Merit more, and more will come

Of course i want to build the Career and advance, but that will happen when it is Merited

if i take care of Now, what comes after will also be better

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

for me, being an Artist is the great reward!

if it suits you, it can be a wonderful expression, and draw you closer to Life and its Wonders

when i study Music i learn about Life, and when i study Life i learn about Music

in my experience they are the same. i feel that a Musician doesn’t play a song. the song is the vessel, but what they play is Pure Life.

what they play is Flowers Blooming, and the Sunshine, and Babies being born, and Hawks flying, and Mountains and Highways, and Spring and Winter.

they play all of it.

all of that exists in just one note, so, that is why it takes some time to learn

Contact Info:

• Website: https://santicastro.bandzoogle.com/santi-castro-epk
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madebysanti_/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madebysanti/
• Twitter: https://x.com/madebysanti_
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@madebysanti?si=3_sWJoSUJqtxl9yA
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/santicastro

Image Credits

Myles Katherine