Today we’d like to introduce you to C Minor
Hi C, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m originally from the Philadelphia area, where I was born into a musical family. Music has been a central part of my life from a young age. When I was around 8 years old, I began playing the violin, saxophone, clarinet, and piano. By age 12, I chose to focus solely on the piano. At 15, I was honored to be accepted as the youngest private student of Maria Del Pico Taylor, a world-renowned pianist and professor at Temple University. Alongside my musical pursuits, I was also deeply involved in dance. I studied Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Hip Hop, and Bboying (Breaking), and spent my days practicing piano, attending dance classes, or training with my bboy crew.
At 17, I enrolled at Full Sail University in Florida to study Audio Engineering. After completing my studies, I returned to Philadelphia for a couple of years before making the move to Los Angeles at 21. It’s been an incredible journey, and I haven’t looked back since!
In 2012, I began interning as an in-house engineer for the Grammy Award-winning songwriting duo ‘The Jackie Boyz.’ After just two weeks, I produced a track they wanted to include in their upcoming project. That track, ‘Norma Jean,’ was released as a single on YouTube. Working with Los and Steven Battey (The Jackie Boyz) was a pivotal moment in my career, launching me into the professional music industry. This opportunity led to my first major label song placements and many significant relationships within the industry.
In 2014, I secured my first three major label placements with American Idol winner Candice Glover. A year later, I landed my first K-Pop placement with GOT7’s ‘Just Right,’ which reached #3 on the World Billboard Charts. In 2023, Rolling Stone Magazine recognized it as one of the Top 100 Greatest Korean Pop Songs.
Over the years, I’ve been writing, producing, and engineering for other artists behind the scenes. Since 2018/2019, I’ve been focused on transitioning to the spotlight, releasing my own projects as an artist. The journey has taken longer than I initially expected, but I’m here now, and great things are on the horizon!
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?
The journey has been far from smooth—definitely filled with its fair share of struggles! For most artists, including myself, the two biggest challenges are financial stability and building a genuine team. Even with all the technology at our fingertips, it’s still expensive and difficult to do everything at a high level on your own. As an artist, the last thing you want is a regular 9-5, but without one, it’s tough to maintain consistent income while focusing on your craft. This is why many artists turn to gig work. I’ve been fortunate to find gigs that allowed me to avoid a traditional job, including dancing, DJing, and driving for Uber, Lyft, and Instacart.
Finding the right team is another significant challenge. The people you want on your team are often highly skilled, creative, and likely pursuing their own artistic paths. Getting them to commit to your vision for the long haul can be difficult because they’re also focused on their own goals.
Another aspect of the artist’s journey is the tendency to become a workaholic without even realizing it. While being deeply immersed in your craft can be fulfilling, it can also lead to stress. I’ve found it’s essential to have a hobby or interest outside of your main creative work. For me, that’s been slacklining and highlining over the past few years. It’s one of the most mentally and physically challenging activities I’ve ever done. It requires deep focus, allowing me to be fully present and let go of everything else. Plus, there’s a huge adrenaline rush, especially on the highline!
One more common struggle among artists, including myself, is the difficulty in fully showcasing your authentic self. After years of working behind the scenes and helping other artists with their careers, I realized I hadn’t had the chance to truly express my own voice. This is a big part of why I decided to step into the spotlight as an artist. I know there’s a lot of work ahead in finding my unique sound, but I’m finally starting that journey, armed with the experiences and knowledge I’ve gained from the talented people I’ve worked with.
When people talk about “the struggle,” they aren’t exaggerating. Couch surfing, living in the studio, showering at the gym or a friend’s place, and not having enough space for personal belongings can take a serious toll mentally and physically.
One of my favorite quotes is by Napoleon Hill: “Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.”
The fact that I’m still here proves to me that I’m built to last. It’s been an incredible adventure so far, and I’m confident the best is yet to come.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I like to think of myself as a “Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one.” Most people don’t realize that’s the full saying, but it perfectly describes my approach to music. I do everything from producing, songwriting, recording, mixing, vocal production and arranging, to DJing and creating remixes.
Some of my biggest accolades include co-producing the song “Playtime” for Justin Bieber and co-writing and engineering “Give It To Me Twice” for Party Favor, Rich The Kid, and Sean Kingston. I’ve also co-written tracks like “Pado” for NCT, “Got Me In Chains” for Monsta X, and co-produced “Just Right” for GOT7. I also co-wrote and produced the song “你好吗我很好谢谢你呢” (nǐ hǎo ma wǒ hěn hǎo xiè xiè nǐ ne) for Chinese superstar Chris Lee. This particular project was especially exciting because my friend Vali Porter and I wrote some of the chorus lyrics in Mandarin. The title/chorus translates to “How are you? I’m fine, thank you, and you?”—making us the first non-native songwriters to do this with a major artist in China. Typically, when writing for international artists, your lyrics are translated into their language, with some original English lyrics occasionally retained.
My first three official major label placements happened all at once on Candice Glover’s debut album “Music Speaks.” The songs were “Forever That Man,” “Love Song,” and the acoustic version of “I Am Beautiful.” Candice was the 12th season winner of American Idol, so this was a huge moment for me. Not only was I a big fan of the show, but I also had the rare opportunity to write, produce, record, and mix the songs I worked on—a major achievement for someone new to the industry with no prior credits.
In addition to my work in the recording studio, I’ve made a significant impact in the dance community by creating custom remixes for dancers, choreographers, and dance teams. This all started when my friend JR Taylor, a choreographer for artists like JLo, Beyoncé, and Chris Brown, asked me to help with a mix for one of JLo’s concerts. Then in 2018, he connected me with Dexter Carr, a dancer and choreographer, who wanted exclusive mixes to make his classes stand out. After our first collaboration, word started spreading, and soon I was working with other top choreographers and dancers like Robin Antin (creator of The Pussycat Dolls and The Playground Dance Studio), Nicole Kirkland, Dana Alexa, Chris Wilks, and even the 49ers Gold Rush Cheerleaders. These mixes have reached millions of viewers, and the demand keeps growing!
Something I’ve always wanted to do, but never had the chance to fully explore, was performing as a keyboard player at live shows. In 2022, an artist I had just started working with, Akinola Pedro, asked me to play keys for him at a show. Since then, we’ve become close friends and even formed a band called “The Genre That Never Was.” We’ve played at venues like Sofar Sounds, The Mint, and Hotel Cafe, and the experience has taught me so much.
What sets me apart is my resilience. I’m constantly raising the bar for myself and those around me. I’m a perfectionist who genuinely cares about maintaining a high standard in my art and helping others bring out their best. This adaptability has led some people to describe me as a chameleon.
Lastly, I’m deeply passionate about helping other creatives succeed. In addition to my production and songwriting services, I offer music production and engineering lessons, as well as consulting. The best way to connect with me is through the contact page on my website.
How do you think about luck?
I believe that everything happens when it’s supposed to happen and luck is when preparation meets opportunity!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cminoristhekey.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/cminoristhekey
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/cminoristhekey
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/cminoristhekey
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/cminoristhekey
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/cminoristhekey
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5JbtZi6bsjm28fd7lJyyMR?si=8c19e8881b4446ac
Image Credits
JLC Imagery, Edward Peregrina, Taya Khanom,
