We were lucky to catch up with YawnyBlew recently and have shared our conversation below.

YawnyBlew, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

My entire career has been a series of risk taking. I started as a 16 years old frequenting some of the most legendary studios in New York, eventually dropping out of college to pursue music at 20. I quit a job at 24 when I realized I was getting sidetracked, and moved to Los Angeles at 25 to go full force with my career. These days, I am taking even bigger risks. I have been betting on myself as an artist and thought leader and working to develop my brand in a way that gives me autonomy over my art and output. It has been hard especially since I invested the last 5 years solely on songwriting. Unfortunately, the songwriting game is tough and a lot of times I was taking risks just showing up and having no idea if i’d get paid or even place the song. Betting on myself has been equally difficult but more rewarding.

I encourage everyone to take more risks. I just watched Interstellar and they discussed Newton’s third law which states, “the only way humans have ever figured out getting somewhere, is to leave something behind.” I believe this heavily. Every time i’ve shed a version of myself I gain so much more in return. No risks, no reward.

YawnyBlew, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is YawnyBlew, I am an artist originally from The Bronx, NY. I have always been passionate about music and got my start when I was 16 years old recording songs around the city. I would eventually try my hand at engineering, journalism, show promoting and artist management before moving to Los Angeles to pursue songwriting full time. I quickly realized that while I loved writing songs, I struggled with the business of songwriting and was more passionate about the overall process of making a project; from inception to release. In the last year, I have pivoted into releasing music as an artist as a way to showcase my skills as a project manager, creative director and marketing aficionado. I have run several successful campaigns for my collaborations with Brooklyn based creative Tarik “amir.” Carroll and am excited to partner with other artists to help develop their projects. In particular, I am passionate about helping create a platform for other queer artists of color. I am most proud of getting work featured in publications like THEM, Out Front Magazine, Instinct and Into. I am also really proud of the visuals i’ve produced for these releases. I am excited to connect with more people and help them realize their projects, collaborate and tell their unique stories. I am currently taking on clients for consultation and project management and look forward to helping others bring their ideas to fruition in the coming months.

I have also become a podcast host and public speaker in the last year. I enjoy sharing my experiences and talking with others about navigating the music industry and maintaining your identity in a world that is always telling us who to be. I have hosted a discussion for The Mechanical Licensing Collective, produced discussions for The Art of Letting Go (including a live podcast at the SoHo Warehouse) and launched my own podcast BIIGGER Than Our Dreams in collaboration with The Everyman Project. I am currently developing a pod series about my upcoming project and prepping for more discussions around identity, creativity and intention.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of creating is being able to connect with people through my art. I have worked hard over the last decade to find my footing in the music industry and it is really fulfilling to share that experience with other creators and learn from them as well.

It is also easy to forget that my work is also a tool for healing and connection, so when I am in tune with that I feel like I am getting the most out of what I do. Songwriting helps me check in with how I am feeling and is a great way to help others open up too.

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

These days, my creativity is driven by my desire to live a more fulfilling life. I used to think if I worked hard enough, i’d eventually reach a place where it all made sense and paid off. In real life, all we have is now. Suffering for a future that is not guaranteed was not a sustainable way for me. So I pivoted towards work that is more immediately gratifying and feeds me on a spiritual level. A lot of the songs I released in the last year were solely focused on having fun and spreading joy, while my next few releases will be more focused on healing and the tools i’ve developed over the last year through self discovery and therapy. The goal is happiness in short. I also understand that my experiences, both good and bad, are my own doing. Taking accountability and control of my career has also become the goal.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.yawnyblew.com
• Instagram: @yawnyblew
• Facebook: @yawnyblew
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johngonzalez411/
• Twitter: @yawnyblew

Image Credits
Ryan C. Hamilton Western Studio Graham D Breitenstein