We recently connected with Stefan Heuer and have shared our conversation below.

Stefan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?

When I was 10 years old, I was diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome. TS is a neurological disorder that presents itself in the form of involuntary vocal and motor tics. I first realized that something was different about me in the 4th grade when my tics got severe. I had to have special seating in classrooms and assigned testing rooms because of my outbursts. Other students called me “twitch” and “retard”. It caused me to slip into a season of deep depression and self loathing. I even attempted suicide at one point. It destroyed any confidence that I thought I had. I was prescribed all sorts of medications and met with multiple psychiatrists and therapists, but nothing worked.

When I was around 12 years old, I picked up my dad’s old acoustic guitar and just started strumming. Even though I had no idea what I was doing, the sound brought me immediate joy and peace. I realized that my tics were barely present because I was so focused on the sound coming from this guitar. It felt liberating to be free from the disorder, even if just for a few minutes. A couple weeks later, my parents took me to a local music school and I began taking guitar lessons. I quickly found a sense of belonging in a world that made me feel outcasted. I started playing professional, paid shows toward the end of high school. I was playing 3-4 shows a week by the time I reached college. Being on stage brought me a kind of confidence and genuine happiness that I had never known.

Fast forward to today, I am now a full-time musician and recording artist living in Nashville. I perform all over the U.S. and produce my own music. While I still live with the effects of TS everyday, I have learned to (somewhat) harness my tics and control them more than before. It still affects my work flow and conflicts with my day to day life, but I am just thankful to be here. My close friends tell me that my tics virtually disappear while performing. I truly believe that music saved my life. My desire is that my experience might bring hope to those that suffer from mental disorders, low self-esteem, depression and anxiety, and anything that makes you feel like you aren’t good enough. I resisted to speak out about my history with Tourette’s Syndrome for most of my life out of fear of judgement, but I now realize the importance of advocating for it.

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 grew up in a musical home – every person in my immediate family is a musician. In high school, I started taking guitar lessons and vocal lessons from a non-profit organization called Network for Young Artists in San Antonio, TX. The eduction I received from this organization propelled me further than I ever thought I could go. From there, I went on to performing in bands that toured all over the world. My musical taste has vastly changed since I first started playing music. I perform many different genres of music, but my heart lies in R&B, hip hop, and soul. I travel all over the U.S. performing at shows under my own name. Please visit www.stefanheuermusic.com for booking inquiries and more.

While I am first a performer, I am also an engineer and producer at a recording studio and production company called Mpire Studios, located in Nashville, TN. We are a one-stop-shop for services such as: recording, mixing and mastering, and photography/videography.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

The biggest piece of advice I can give to musicians and artists that are just starting off in their journey is to learn EVERYTHING. Absorb it all. The reason labels are becoming less and less relevant is because we have so much at our disposal. Learning crafts like social media marketing, sound engineering, video editing, and booking/promotion are all paramount in your path to being self-sustainable in this career. By doing this, you make yourself more marketable and valuable. Ask as many questions as you can to the people that are in positions that you strive to be in.

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

My mission as an artist has changed a lot as I’ve progressed. When I first made the leap into music as a full-time career, my goal was to simply make a livable income from playing bar gigs and teaching. I was in survival mode.

Now that I’ve surpassed my initial goals and aspirations, my goals are much higher. First and foremost, my aim is to perform internationally and impact people all over the world with my songs. I want my music to really resonate with people. Growing a world-wide following is no easy task as an independent musician, but it’s becoming more and more tangible with the decline of majors.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.stefanheuermusic.com
• Instagram: @stefan_heuer_music
• Facebook: Facebook.com/stefanheuermusic
• Youtube: Stefan Heuer

Image Credits
David Lebow Collin Dunn