Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Stephen Warwick. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Stephen thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

I’m happy and absolutely grateful to be a creative and that I’m able to express myself through music, but there are definitely times when composer work isn’t coming in, and in all transparency I haven’t had any paid music work for 4 months. I have a few side hustles like making cut & paste collages for band album covers, and I work at a small clothing boutique 2 days a week. I do think about getting a “regular” job constantly, however I value my happiness and making music and art is my passion and what drives me to push through the tough times.

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’m a singer, songwriter, musician, composer, and producer, from Charlotte, North Carolina. I have composed music for major brands such as Google, Tropicana, and Dove; tv shows like Shameless (Showtime) and Monarch (Fox); and films like Red Right Hand (2024) and Fight or Flight (2025.) I’ve written songs ever since I was a kid, and took guitar lessons for a few years as well. It wasn’t until around 2015 when my friend Brian McKinney, who I had known in the local Charlotte music scene, reached out about the sync licensing company Brashtracks he was starting and wanted to know if I be interested in working with him. For everyone who doesn’t know what sync licensing is, it’s is the process of granting permission to use music with visual media like films, TV shows, commercials, and video games. Up until that point I hadn’t really thought about having my songs in tv or in movies. My dream had always been to play music and be in a band, but this seemed like a good opportunity for my music to reach a bigger audience without having to spend weeks on the road.
When someone reaches out to me about composing a song it’s usually in the form of a brief, which includes the terms of usage for the song, references of songs the company likes the vibes of, and what the job pays. It may also include the commercial or movie scene they’re wanting song for. Recently and probably my favorite project so far, was writing a song for a music installation for Dropbox’s design summit in New Orleans. My job was to write a song that represented the vibe of New Orleans, hire 6 Nola musicians to play the song individually in video, record the audio and do a bit of music directing. I brought my friend, co-music collaborator, and Louisiana native, AJ Haynes, on the project to help flesh out some lyrics, and to find the musicians to make this project come to life. The installation was up for a week at the Hotel Saint Vincent in April 2025. It was my favorite project because for one, it got me out of the studio and working in a new space, I got also to work with super talented individuals and seeing all our efforts come together was a beautiful thing.
Along with my solo music work, I also have a band called Ancient Cities that has released 3 studio albums, and my newest music project is called Teleportation. It’s a collaboration between me and AJ who I mentioned previously. All my music can be found on streaming platforms.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I feel like every day illustrates my resilience working in the music industry. The work hasn’t been very consistent, so it can be financially frustrating. Also there are definitely more jobs I get passed on that I actually land. So when I do land a good gig I feel very validating.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is hearing what’s trapped in my head come to life in the music I create.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lord_warwick/
• Youtube: https://youtu.be/WjvpnD6MBL4?si=DS2_mHYfe_ZwLi6y
• Other: https://www.linktr.ee/stephenwarwick

Image Credits

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