Check Out Alfred Nomad’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alfred Nomad.

Hi Alfred, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve been an artist for as long as I can remember. I first started with drawing, then dabbling in playing instruments, and then fell in love with writing. The first form of writing I took seriously was poetry, and then this matriculated into lyrics to music.

Once I got to college, I became a full-blown performing emcee doing every showcase and opportunity that I could. However, I noticed that a lot of the “industry” opportunities for artists didn’t operate for the benefit of the artist. So I began curating my own live events and experiences and created a collective called the “LxVE Collective” to grow, highlight and garden an ecosystem of creatives to build with and inspire one another.

I notice now that I’ve also naturally been an organizer within my creativity. I not only appreciated creating art for the sake of it, but I also loved the community that can be built through it, and the power art can have on shifting mindsets and cultures.

My gifts made room for me and have allowed me to not only participate in but lead multiple creative spaces. I’m now creating music, collaborative art, and am a Program Coordinator for a non-profit organization called Painted Brain that provides service in mental health through arts advocacy and enterprise. As of today, I gratefully get to wake up every day, make things, and help others be their best and creative self too. I’m making what I want and making a difference.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Heck no, it hasn’t been a smooth road. When is it ever really? Early on I committed to myself that I wouldn’t sacrifice my values or truth in my creations and that ownership of what I make is important to me. This takes me out of a lot of easily popular or viral hot takes and commodities. So I’ve been on my own beaten path as an artist and person. I’ve been able to do some wonderful things with very little resources, but it’s a daily marathon.

I know that the quality of the work I produce doesn’t match the amount of streams, views or sales that it absolutely could have. But I know that is due to doing this independently. I’m also not an attention seeker. I let my work speak for me, along with intentional dialogue. It’s a big world, and I have a whole lot more of it to explore and collaborate with. Just like the mantra of my last project I do believe “Everything Will Be Alright.”

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I create ways to use art to materialize impact. It typically starts from music. I love making musical bodies of work, and then world-building around it. There’s always some sort of truth, moral, or mission attached to the projects I create, so I tap into that and figure out ways my projects can help others. Collaboration is also important to me, so I typically will find partners or like-minded collaborators that care for the same mission to work alongside.

My last project Everything Will Be Alright focused on mental health, wellness and the importance of community. I created an initiative to raise funds to provide therapy for black creatives. I was also able to create virtual and physical spaces to provide mental health resources, create an art exhibition, a documentary film, and a music video that has been selected to feature in the Awareness Film Festival. I’m extremely proud of this project. It showed me the possibilities I can do with quality art and a clear mission. I will only elevate from here on my next project on the way.

I’m at a point in life where I’m not really setting out to set myself apart from others. I believe if we all stay as true to ourselves as possible, we will stand out in our own way. But I also realize the absolute importance and power of us as people coming together. I’m much more focused on bringing people together, than standing out as an individual.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I’m always down to collaborate on music. Any producers, musicians or artists that could see a collaboration between us, please contact me. Visual artists are also more than welcome to get in touch. Any promoters, organizations, entities, organizers, and initiatives can also contact me on ways to collaborate.

You can of course, support me financially by purchasing my music and physical items around it, as well as purchasing tickets to a show or event. Please bring a friend or loved one with you if you do. You won’t regret it. You can also support by sharing the work with others who care about what you care about. Let them know why it matters to you. Lastly, another way to support is by staying in the loop with me. You can join my mailing list, or share your contact and join my superphone so that I can stay in touch, and keep you in the know on what I have going on. Social media isn’t enough. It’s all about being able to stay connected.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://alfrednomad.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alfrednomad/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alfrednomad
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/alfrednomad
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/iamlyricalaj/featured
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/axjforever
• Other: https://linktr.ee/alfrednomad

Image Credits
Erin Soorenko, Ryan Forsythe, Meredith Adelaide, Traklife