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

Shotty, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I have this thought a lot, sometimes the process of making this a career is a tough thing. It’s weird, the path to greatness is different for everyone, there is no formal to this shit, so we all gotta make it work our own ways. Lots of hustling right after a long day of work, tryna figure out the tiktok algorithm. Nowadays anybody can make this work, so it’s hard to stick out from the pack. But the key to that, as cliché as it is, being you will bring the distance.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Nashat, my stage name is ShottytheBeam. I started making music in quarantine as just something to do to pass the time. But I ended up loving it. Every waking moment was dedicated to getting better at singing, making cooler and more complex beats, figuring out how to mix and master my stuff so it sounded as good as the next person, music became my life. This is a still a surprise to me, because as a kid I did not care for music much, but as I grew the more I cared.

Honestly, I am sick and tired of music that just sounds all the same. There is no fun in copying popular artists just to get some clout. You can be influenced, but add your own swag to everything you do or you are wasting your time.

I do this shit for the kids that struggle to accept themselves, but want to be themselves…unapologetically. Life is too short to be anyone else. You have to fight the feelings of conformity and just be who you are. Live in your truth!

I also want to put on my city, Fargo North Dakota. This place I have called home for almost half my life and I wouldn’t want it to be anywhere else. Everyone that lives here wants to leave so bad, but I really think there is so much potential here.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

It is definitely the fan interactions, when you hear that you have an a genuine effect on people through your music, ah man there is nothing that beats that feeling. Especially when you make music that is personal, it is hard to make honest art and when you are appreciated for it, there is nothing that beats that.

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

Expression, that’s all we can do as an artist is express. I just want to do it in my own way, relatable art is the best type of art. You just gotta be willing to be honest, and people will see it. Random (kinda), but I think the most boxed way of thinking is through genres, for example, when you say “I make rock music” or “I love comedy movies” we have a predetermined idea on those mediums, but to me its about the feeling that music/movie gives you.
There is so much freedom when you just create to express a feeling rather than a genre.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shottythebeam.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shottythebeam/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnkEgrXqO-RbB2tamxnHxPQ

Image Credits
tylar frame photography