Conversations with Angel “Ace” Correa

Today we’d like to introduce you to Angel “Ace” Correa

Ace, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born and raised in Southern California and have bounced between parts of Los Angeles and the Antelope Valley my whole life. I got my first interest in music at around the age of 10 when I first heard Bohemian Rhapsody on the radio after school. From that moment forward, I knew I wanted to make art that could give some other kid that “aha!” moment to give them a sense of direction, purpose, and hope in their life. I began discovering more music through the video game series’ Guitar Hero and Rockband, before eventually discovering the power of the internet and pirating music. All throughout middle school to high school, I did a deep dive on all the classics of rock, metal, punk, hip hop and r&b. By the time I was 16, I started producing beats, and a year later picked up the electric guitar.

This led me to apply and ultimately be admitted into the University of Southern California, where I pursued a degree in music industry, as well as popular music songwriting. I devoted most of my time into playing music on my own and in bands, with friends, and collaborating with others to grow as much as possible. By the time of the pandemic, I had pushed myself and picked up other instruments to finally start making my own music under the name Animals Over People. Since 2021, I’ve self produced and released 4 albums, 4 EPs, various singles, and a myriad of odds and ends somewhere on the internet.

At the same time, I devoted lots of time to carving out a path for myself working in the music industry and have played a part in hundreds of live events, concerts, and festivals. My proudest moments have been having the opportunity to work on the Kanye West & Drake – Free Larry Hoover Concert at the LA Coliseum in 2021, Kendrick Lamar’s The Pop Out at The Forum, and Fred Again.. at LA Coliseum earlier this year. It’s been tough finding ways to balance life as an artist, industry professional, and making time for my personal life, but I’m constantly motivated by my family, friends, and that dream planted in me by the radio 14 years ago.

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?
This path that music leads me down has not been easy whatsoever. I’m constantly looking myself in the mirror or walking down the street wondering if it’s all really worth it. I wonder if there will ever be a moment where I feel satisfied, but at the same time I’m grateful for this lifestyle. It can be tough seeing others around me succeed and feel like I’m not doing enough, but I have to remind myself to look around and realize how much I actually have accomplished in a short amount of time. With the Internet and social media, it makes us compare ourselves to those around us and not appreciate the little steps and huge milestones we reach.

I say all that to say confidence is a huge struggle. Clear headed reflection is often hard to achieve, and constantly trying to feel as though I’m making an impact somehow. there’s also the struggle of finding time to stay true to my dreams of being a great musician, because once you leave college you realize just how small you are in the grand scheme of things. There’s hundreds of thousands of musicians out there working towards the same goal, but that’s also the beauty in it. There’s a huge community out there who feels these same emotions, and it’s up to us to keep the culture moving forward and inspiring the next generation.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As an artist, I strive to create art that best captures a moment in my life. Art that serves as a snapshot of who I was, and reflects the hardships and victories. My newest album, CYBUR WORLD, touches on the heartaches I faced over the last two years of my life, and how I dealt with those emotions and pushed myself to move forward.

My whole career, people have made note of my guitar playing and how it speaks to them. How it has inspired them and moved them emotionally. On this newest record, I tried to move away from that and create an experience that showcased my abilities to paint pictures with my production choices, songwriting, and blending of genres. Earlier I talked about how I explored many different genres as a teen, and into adulthood my tastes have grown and matured. Now I’m a huge fan of jazz music and some electronic. I have to credit this mainly to my career working in live music which exposes me to so many different artists and communities. Those experiences bleed into my music, and this newest album in particular where I tried to make a project that showcases these tastes and has elements of all my favorite genres.

What sets me apart is that I’m not making albums or projects where I try to focus on one sound, but rather create a world and guide listeners through it. Sort of like one of those busses tourists will get on and see different sections of LA. It’s like hey look at this attraction, but then check this one out too! It looks different, but at its core they’re all parts of this city that truly make up Los Angeles. That’s what I strive for with my music, that same feeling of seeing / hearing things that are different, but all feel familiar in the sense that they’re parts of me. That’s my signature sound… but of course the electric guitar in my hand is what really helps blend all that together.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
These days, I don’t read many books, or listen to podcasts, but YouTube is a major resource in my life. I find myself mainly going to channels based around music / the culture with creators like Dead End Hip Hop, The Needle Drop, FD Signifier, Tim Henson and Digging The Greats, I find that these channels do a lot to not only serve as entertainment, but offer different perspectives on the way I think about my approach to art and the human experience in general.

As far as blogs… the closest I get to that is Reddit. Not in a weird corner of the internet way, but it’s cool that there’s a community for every interest. In these communities, there’s someone out there who is asking the same question, or feeling the same emotion as myself and then a whole group of people who are willing to offer support and advice!

Pricing:

• CYBUR WORLD – $15 for CD
• CYBUR WORLD – $10 for digital copy

Contact Info:

• Website: https://animalsoverpeople.bio
• Instagram: animalsoverpeople__
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@animalsoverpeople_
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/animalsoverpeople
• Other: https://songwhip.com/animalsoverpeople/cybur-world

Image Credits
1 (sparkle guitar with animal thing), 2 (laying down with sparkly guitar , 7 (chilling with a cigarette) – Maria Takigawa

3 (laid on back with orange guitar) ,4 (singing in blue came suit) – Javier Del Cid

5 (playing with the greatest saxophonist in LA) ,8 (singing with orange guitar) – Rachel Zahm

6 (cool pose with Animals Over People live band in 2021)- Jade Fink