Today we’d like to introduce you to Trent Park.
Trent please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started with music in the church playing piano and grew to start writing my own songs. After winning a talent show, I realized there could be a money element to my passion so I started pursuing the creative more actively. I got a gig in college as a recording studio intern that gave me the tech-savvy to engineer/produce. The years to follow involved a lot of souls searching within the artist I wanted to be leading me to live in three different countries, get a master’s degree and start working professionally within the music industry. I had some amazing experiences that led to me finally wanting to pursue myself as an artist. I cultivated records that sat perfectly within my brand and became knowledgeable about how to produce/direct my own music videos from my past phase as an entertainment company general manager. This led me to creative direct not only my sound but my visuals perfectly to how I wanted them.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Life has been smooth at times, rough at times, nonexistent mostly. Growing up in a small-minded town there was no physical example of the person I wanted to be professionally I never saw anyone with my skin tone, doing the profession I wanted, living the lifestyle I desired. This was a blessing and a curse because I was able to explore the identity that I gravitated too naturally and uninfluenced Being a mixed kid (black and Mexican) I always found a timid struggle to know if I had to pick a side, especially since I talked “White”. In a middle school of visual separation of ethnicities, I didn’t know what one to choose let alone what one I should be accepted it. How I found my first core friends was through music. I joined music clubs and that allowed me a common voice. I think even being a grown-up that tends to happen just in a different way. Finding your voice within a room that has different experiences, bank accounts, or agendas in Hollywood is common. I’m more resilient than ever to be nothing other than myself and that choice has been a relief; a relief because I can take my mask off and just be me.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
Music is my passion and has resulted in becoming my business. I entered the music professional world first by writing words & lyrics for other artists. This allowed me to dive deep into the mind of another artist kinda like a chameleon and absorb their energy in order to create something they are proud of. Being a writer for an artist is so fun cause you could put on different personas that I would never usually gravitate to being. After working with so many producers on other artist sessions, I realized I could do that too; create the beats, hire out session players, etc. So I downloaded the software needed and locked myself in my apartment and learned. I pitched my production to artists I’ve worked with in the past or new ones that always needed a producer.
My first release song as a producer with an amazing Swedish artist named Alex Alexander for his project called “After Party” and its already at over 300k+ streams on Spotify which is cool. Once I got the skills as music producer/writer I wanted to step up my whole creative. I ended up producing music videos for a director named Embryo. He really taught me so much about every process of making a visual from treatment to shoot to post-production. I utilized those tools and started creating my own ideas and now I’m directing my own music videos.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I think all luck is good it just matters the timing. “Good luck” is immediate while “bad luck turns” into good over time as it always gives you a valuable lesson. One example of that very analogy is work relationships that I had over the years. As an artist your personal life IS your professional life. We are taught not to mix the 2, but it’s impossible as a creative. You put your story out there • you spend your own money • you may have a mini team but your failure/wins wear only your name. I really felt some work relationships were “family” as we became so close, but when it came down to it the respect for me as both an artist and professional was compromised. I felt hurt but also stronger; I will open my arms for relationships but I will make sure to still protect my art.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.trentparkmusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trentpark/
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp6DQYMyx4w4kSCRQVP6A-Q?view_as=subscriber
Image Credit:
Robert R. Lopez
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