Today we’d like to introduce you to Tomas Costanza.
Hi Tomas, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
“I didn’t come from a music industry family or anything. My dad was an NYPD cop and my mom drove a school bus. I just fell in love with music at very early age, learned guitar, and chased it hard enough to get into the High School of Performing Arts and later Berklee. After that, I started a band in New York, eventually signed a major label record deal and suddenly I went from rehearsing in basements to touring, making records and hearing our songs on the radio and in major films. It was pretty crazy.
When the band eventually ran its course, I realized I was just as obsessed with creating music as I was with performing it. At that point, I signed a publishing deal with Disney, worked in A&R for Hollywood Records to really learn the business side, and then launched my own company so I could build music on my own terms.
That’s when I discovered this massive world of film, TV, video games, trailers, brands.. All of it. I started writing and producing specifically for that space, and it turned into hundreds of placements and tons of collaborations. Later on, I expanded into theatre and co-created DRAG: The Musical, which ended up going to New York and doing really well.
And that’s basically been my lane ever since or more accurately, not being stuck in just one lane. I started as a band kid, became a producer, learned the business side, built IP, and now I create across music, media, and theatre. The industry never stops evolving, so I don’t either.”
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
“People usually see the highlights. The record deal, the placements, the musical, all that. But they don’t see the years of ‘no,’ getting doors slammed in your face, or the stretches where you’re basically broke but still creating like your life depends on it.
One of the biggest challenges early on was that I had zero connections. No uncle in the industry, no family money, no mentor holding the door open. I had to just grind and figure it out, and there’s a lot of rejection baked into that. You have to get comfortable hearing ‘not good enough’ and turning that into fuel instead of a funeral.
Another challenge was identity. When my band ended, I kind of lost my footing for a while. When your whole dream is ‘I’m gonna be the guy onstage,’ and that disappears, you have to reinvent yourself. A lot of people don’t talk about that part: the ego hit, the confusion, the ‘now what?’ moment.
Starting my own company was another big leap. No roadmap, no safety net. You have to learn contracts, budgets, branding, licensing, all the boring stuff that determines whether you actually succeed or not. And there were years I could’ve quit. Years where it looked like I should’ve quit.
But I kept pivoting instead of stopping. That’s honestly the biggest difference between people who last in this business and people who don’t. Not talent, not luck, not going viral, just the ability to adapt without losing momentum.
Every new lane I’ve stepped into, sync, branding, theatre, started with me being wildly underprepared and figuring it out in real time. That’s the secret nobody tells you: you don’t ‘become ready,’ you start before you feel ready and you grow into it.”
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
“I wear a few hats, but the simplest way to put it is: I create music and IP that lives across multiple platforms. Not just records, but film, TV, trailers, theatre, and branded entertainment.
I started as a recording artist, but I built my career as a producer, songwriter, and music entrepreneur. I specialize in taking ideas from the spark-of-inspiration stage all the way to a finished product that actually goes somewhere in the world. Whether that’s a sync placement, a pop album, or a live musical.
I’m probably most known in the industry for sync and licensing — getting music into major shows, films, video games, and global brand campaigns because that’s where a lot of my catalog lives. That lane opened a ton of doors and allowed me to collaborate with a wide range of artists.
What I’m most proud of, though, is building something sustainable out of creativity, not just chasing hits, but creating IP. That’s what led to co-creating DRAG: The Musical, which started as an idea and ended up a full-scale stage show. That’s the long game, taking ownership of what you make.”
How do you think about happiness?
“What makes me happy now is a lot different from what I thought would make me happy when I was younger. Back then it was the big moments. The deal, the tour, hearing a song in a movie, and those are great, but they’re temporary highs.
What actually makes me happy is building things. Creating something that didn’t exist yesterday and watching it come to life in the world.
I’m also happiest when I’m collaborating with people who are all-in creatively, the kind of energy where everyone’s chasing the idea, not the credit.
And honestly, I get a lot of happiness out of helping other artists figure out their lane, especially the ones who feel like they don’t fit the traditional path. I relate to that. I didn’t fit the ‘industry blueprint’ either. I had to build my own.
Ultimately, these days I find joy in simple things: A Heavy Metal record spinning on vinyl, a stamped passport, reading a great historical biography, and an old “Three’s Company” rerun at the end of the day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.killingsworth.info/
- Instagram: @tomascostanza
Image Credits
Photo-Rainbow Shot-Piper Ferguson
Photo-Standing Playing Guitar Shot-Christina Fiorino
Photo-Black and White Band Shot-Christina Fiorino
Photo-DRAG Awards Shot-Darren Criss
Photo1-DRAG The Musical Shot-Jennifer Broski
Photo2-DRAG The Musical Shot-Jennifer Broski
