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

STRLING, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you wish you had started sooner?

Both Jake and I are glad that we studied music at the collegiate level, but definitely wish we took more entrepreneurial leaps earlier on. Pursuing artistic careers definitely requires skill and musical knowledge helps, but it’s mostly about the gull and the willingness to repeatedly fail.

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.

STRLING (pronounced “ster-ling”) was formed in 2019. Jake and myself, Alex (singer of the duo) met in 2017 when I was performing at a venue in Chicago called the Elbo Room (now closed) and he happened to be in the audience because his mom’s friend’s boyfriend was taking voice lessons with me at the time. Jake was finishing his senior year at Berklee and I was just stepping out as a solo performer post college myself. He and I spoke briefly afterwards and connected for a writing session that was a good vibe, but Jake still had to go back to school and finish his final semester so we drifted apart for 5-6 months until he needed help with a final production assignment at school. I lent some vocals for his project. This lead to him contacting me a few months later asking for vocals on tracks that he was pitching as jingles to a few Chicagoland area businesses. We landed one of those songs as voicemail for a local bank and made 2k. That money linked us together and we began to explore more writing together. That writing lead to a friendship that now seems more like a brotherhood. We released an EP that we wiped from the internet, but it did offer us opportunities to open up for touring pop acts that came through Chicago. We quickly began to book opportunities as a pop local opener and started to really take ourselves seriously. Unfortunately, covid came along and locked us in a bedroom together for about 6 months and we spent the majority of that time obsessing over writing and producing and overall finding a sound. Fast-forward about 2 years later and we now are located in Los Angeles. We stay heavily involved and inspired by our writing collaborators and expanding network of music friends.

We are most proud of our devotion to each other as a band. That seems to be less celebrated in the modern music industry and we feel that our connection can be felt during our live performances. Our music is usually dynamic, lively and sprinkled with hints of classic rock. Thanks for reading :)

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin

This book really enlightened my philosohpy regarding creativity and how I should view myself as I navigate my day to day. I often get into a dark headspace and there is something so inspiring about Rubin’s language. It really takes the capitalistic pressures away from creativity and relates it more to our innate desire to create as humans. It can be really helpful to lean into this mindset when the artistic journey gets tough. (Alex)

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Music has been a comfort for me in my life and I want to provide that for other people. (Jake)

Contact Info:

• Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/strlingmusic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@strling590

Image Credits
Creative Direction: Courtney Batio Fashion Design: Courtney Batio Photographers: Kelly Anderson, Sammy Sutter