We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Terrence Crum. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Terrence below.
Terrence, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
My debut EP “A Lens Through My Life” was a very pivotal moment for me as a person, not just an artist. It taught me to embrace imperfection and uncertainty, while always holding myself to a high standard and pursuing what I love. I finalized the project during a trip to California, was struggling with overall direction and finances, but knew I wanted to make something that put my best foot forward as an artist, and something that could introduce me to the world. It followed me through some key moments and realizations I have made throughout my life that made me who I am today. Overall, I am proud to have been able to make a project that has reached and spoken to many different people in all walks of life, and am looking to expand on my artistry with my upcoming EP “Comfort of Change”
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I started as an artist at around 8 years old. I freestyled on my uncles karaoke machine and it sparked my love for music. I wrote and was an avid fan of music of all genres for years, but did not release music seriously for quite sometime. I went to college for Computer Science my freshman year, but knew my heart was not in it. Due to many reasons I came back to Memphis and pursued a major in Music Business. With the knowledge gained, I was able to hone my craft, formulate my brand and embark on the journey that made me who I am today.
What sets me apart within music is my strive for authenticity and curation of sound and topics. I like to employ real struggles and complex themes within my music that everyday people can relate to, while also providing enjoyable & carefree songs as well. I also enjoy samples and love to incorporate them within my songs, paying homage to great songs from varying genres while also giving them my own unique artistic inspiration
My main goal is to make music that empowers people to be themselves and embrace the struggles that come with that growth. I want to create music that captures the complexity of the human condition in all of its light, and ultimately connect with others.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to learn that perfection doesn’t exist. Nothing that is great is ever perfect. And that in order to do anything worthwhile, you have to deal with flaws. The backstory of this deals with my debut EP. I kept delaying it and taking it back to the drawing board, cutting songs and adding them, filling myself with uncertainty. But eventually something dawned on me, that I could either deliberate on this unattainable idea of perfection, perfect time, perfect recordings, etc. or I could create something I will be proud of and will capture where I am at, and will give me a platform to expand on. I am glad I did and it was received way better than I could have ever imagined, and the lesson couldn’t have waited any longer.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect to me is the fact that something so intimate and in a way cathartic for me as an individual can resonate with those who love music. Seeing my fans and my peers being able to relate to things I’ve touched on and enjoy things that I have created is worth more than any dollar I have made on my journey.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dero_901?igsh=YzU3YTEwcW81Y2xz&utm_source=qr
- Twitter: https://x.com/dero_901?s=21
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@dero_901?si=BaZKio3xkLpIH9NN
- Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dero_901?_r=1&_d=e7l86iffble5hj&sec_uid=MS4wLjABAAAAZjBlfTL9dWwUSYMrr7NfSGwZ2F0NTZoJKU7btNF4NQcEdXhkbsnfab8Za-B7Zlb3&share_author_id=6859847716312679430&sharer_language=en&source=h5_m&u_code=de0dhe2b8l78a6&ug_btm=b8727,b0&social_share_type=4&utm_source=copy&sec_user_id=MS4wLjABAAAAZjBlfTL9dWwUSYMrr7NfSGwZ2F0NTZoJKU7btNF4NQcEdXhkbsnfab8Za-B7Zlb3&tt_from=copy&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=client_share&enable_checksum=1&user_id=6859847716312679430&share_link_id=C23235E6-4A5F-42AB-8116-9EFE64B62717&share_app_id=1233
Image Credits
Mohammed Abdo Jahvon Key