We recently connected with Vincent Orsolini and have shared our conversation below.

Vincent, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

Being a full time musician and entrepreneur comes with a variety of unknowns. It truly isn’t a straight path or really definable in any way. As an artist you kinda navigate these mysterious waters in an ever changing music industry, working with different personalities, taking chances and grabbing each opportunity that is either thrown at you last minute at your previous gig or something you have been wanting to do for the longest time.

The same goes for being an entrepreneur/business owner, you may have an idea or an ideal business plan, structure and goals. However all that can change in an instant without notice and is nerve racking at times.

I took the risk of becoming a full time musician without an ounce of hesitation because that was something I felt deep in my heart and soul and basically realized that was the only thing I ever wanted to do for the rest of my life.

That being said, it was certainly not all perfect as I imagined it. There is always a sense of insecurity or questioning that comes with a highly competitive field like music and can sometimes “make” you or truly “break” you.
I experienced some great and not so great moments in my life, however by holding on to those inspiring times you keep climbing what seems to be this infinite ladder I call life.

At first, as a full time musician you are kind of the black sheep of your family, pursuing a path that seems to be destined to fail at some point, but is something you work on letting go in order to advance in your career. Eventually, family catches on…

16 years later, I can proudly say I am grateful to have taken that leap of faith and be able to do what I love with the support of my family, friends and industry peers that are all in the same boat as me.

Along the way, by continuously pushing, redefining yourself, growing and adapting, you end up meeting and surrounding yourself with the people that share the same goals and ambitions as you and create things together you would of never imagined possible.

Taking risks, also means being vulnerable and opening yourself to others in a way you did not think was possible. By being honest with yourself, asking questions, you realize where you can improve on certain areas of your life and has this incredible cascade effect that just pushes you to the next level.

As an entrepreneur and extremely creative person, I found myself being fearful of oversharing or giving away “million dollar” ideas whether musically or business wise.
But it was only after taking risks and simply trusting the people I shared thoughts with was when things started clicking.

Not everyone will have direct impact on your career but they will certain help guide you and provide you with the people that will actively contribute to your success and that was life changing for me.

By taking risks is when you truly discover who you are as a person too, the challenges you face build your character and set the tone for the rest of your life.

I don’t believe in “failure” in a traditional sense, more so in the way that when something doesn’t go quite the way you imagined, you learn, adapt and succeed the next time around.

Vincent, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

A little about me,

I was born in San Francisco but grew up in Marseille, the south of France before moving back to the United States in 2018.
Being surrounded by creative parents and a multicultural family, music has always been an integral part of my life since birth.
There is no meal I can remember that did not involve a guitar or loud singing for hours on end!
For me, music is a way of communicating my thoughts, my emotions and basically sharing the most intimate parts of myself to the world. Something beyond human words can explain.

Funny story, my first instrument was actually trombone. I started taking lessons on my dad’s old pawn shop trombone he brought back from SF at my French conservatory.
But really, the piano in the practice room was mainly where I found myself every time the teacher would step out to print charts and I eventually made my way into classical piano.

But that did not really stick either, being a hardcore fan of The Beatles, Billy Joel and Elton John, Beethoven wasn’t really the key to my heart at that time. (Far different feelings about that now).

So I was moved to Jazz, and there began an epic journey, this explosion of musical colors and sounds in a way I had never heard before.
11 years later, I cannot begin to express how grateful I am for my mentor Yves Laplane.
His wise words and outstanding patience with my young rebellious self gave me the foundational aspects of music I carry with me to this day.
I was exposed to a world of music I had not yet tapped into and initiated this infinite quest for knowledge and growth.

After the conservatory, I became involved in multiple band projects and started working on composing and arranging.
I also wanted to learn about the production and recording side of the music industry, which lead me to study the art of Sound Engineering and after graduating I began working with local french studio’s on voice over projects for documentaries such as Nat Geo, History, Arte and RMC Découverte.

In 2018 I moved to Kansas City, drawn by the unknown of the Midwest, I fell in love with the city, the people, the rich culture and jazz history. Once the great Vegas of the plains, KC hosts an incredible array of talented artists from all artistic disciplines and so I set up shop in this wonderful city.

Now a full time resident for the last 5 years, I have been actively working with the community and the city on a variety of projects ranging from live performances, fundraisers and education amongst many more endeavors.

My primary work revolves around Composing and Producing Music, either Scoring for Film or TV, as well as working with independent brands on developing their “Sonic Landscape”.

I also Produce and Collaborate with independent artists on their original music and help guide and identify objectives and goals for their career.
I regularly open my studio up to aspiring creators and friends which I consider to be a safe and inclusive environment for “ideation” and “creation”, which I feel is lacking at times in our industry today… lots to talk about there.

And so this leads me to our agency.
After meeting my business partner Nick, we knew something was missing in the music industry, there are too many labels with lengthy contracts that take many of musicians right to vote, change or retain ownership of their music.
We wanted to create the ideal environment for thriving artists. FMK Music was born.
The mission behind the agency is to represent artists and creators in a non predatory and completely transparent way.
We facilitate access to multiple studio’s where musicians can create their art fully without restraint and we help wherever we are needed.
We are thrilled to be able to call ourselves your “Music Bestie” because we believe that no one should have to walk alone on their creative journey.

I wholeheartedly believe in collaboration and uniting towards common goals and success.
My philosophy is that our world is far too divided and the power of music and every artistic discipline can join forces in an attempt to make a statement in our ever changing society.

My core values and Mediterranean culture are also very present in my day to day life and reflect heavily in my work.
I simply love sharing meals, coffee and just hang out with my friends, colleagues and family.
Being present and active with the people you love is also a primary focus in my life and professional career and I couldn’t function without it.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I believe as a society we need to reinforce the idea that music has an immense importance and deep impact on our daily life and our history.

As an integral part of each of our lives, music an sound is everywhere and when something is in abundance we may take it at times for granted…
Streaming services nowadays have made music so accessible that I feel take away so much of the magic behind buying Vinyl’s and Cd’s or even waiting for your favorite artist’s single to it to hit the radio stations.

I don’t think we need to necessarily “reminisce” about the past because our world needs to keep moving forward and grow with the vast technological advances of each generation, but we shouldn’t forget the history behind the music we love so much and cherish to this day.
We should educate more on what it took to make each record we love, the artists behind each instrument and their own culture and life story.

For me, what makes music so special, is the ability to share the deepest parts of ourselves and be vulnerable to listeners all across the globe. The unfortunate byproduct of streaming platforms and over saturated market can sometimes push us past many important aspects and values that revolve around the artistry of music.

At its root music connects us, it is this universal language that breaks all chains and all boundaries and as an essential part of our society I believe we should put an emphasis on creating livable wage opportunities for full time musicians and artists, have more support from the government on project development and create affordable healthcare for creatives who don’t have a stable income.

Recognizing that being an artist is an actual full time job should be a relevant and continuous conversation as well as a source of inspiration for the next generations to come.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

There is something magical and almost otherworldly when you are performing a show in front of an audience.

It really is a discussion with notes and sounds, you play and the audience claps, reacts and goes on this journey with you.

It is almost like all the strangers that walk in that night are in your living room and you’re having intimate and precious conversations with every one of them.

I have had multiple instances where members of the audience walk up to me and say my music touched them in an inspiring and healing way and that is what I believe to be the most rewarding experiences of my life.

I feel that deep human connection that music establishes and am simply compelled to be a part of such a universe of peace, love and unity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.vincentorsolini.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vincento_g
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRealVinceO
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincent-orsolini-505727200/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/vincentorsolini
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@VincentOrsolini
• Other: My music agency https://fmkmusic.com/