Conversations with Peri Martins

Today we’d like to introduce you to Peri Martins.

Hi Peri , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started singing as early as I can remember, but when I was 5, Hannah Montana came out and I was in awe and knew that music is what I wanted to do. Since then I have been performing and writing songs. As I graduated high school, I knew there was only one school I wanted to go to. That was Berklee College of Music. I only applied to Berklee and got in early acceptance. My time there was short, as I was dealing with many mental health issues. Although I left, I met many meaningful people there and created relationships. After leaving Berklee, I wasn’t sure what that meant for me and my music, but I knew I still had the passion. In 2020 when covid hit, I knew I needed to still get my voice heard but there were no shows during covid. I started posting on Tik Tok. One day, I was talking to a friend about singing video ideas when they suggested I do my impression of younger Justin Bieber singing his old songs such as One Time, Baby, etc. (I have not done this in years!) I took my phone, did not put any makeup on or get ready, and I filmed my first ever Justin Bieber impression. I logged off after posting. A few hours later, I was getting texts and calls from friends telling me to go to check the video. Little did I know that first video would reach 14.8 million views with 3.5 million likes. I was shocked. From then on, I started doing more Justin Bieber impressions, reaching a total of over 100 million views and over 22 million likes total. I even was asked to meet Justin Bieber via zoom by iHeart Radio. During the interview, I was able to ask a question to him. I asked for his advice for up and coming artists. He gave me such an amazing answer. He told me that regardless of the size of a crowd you have, give it your all because the audience feels the energy off of you! He even finished by shouting out my song, YGTG, at the end of our discussion. I have been able to reach an audience of over 400,000 people and continue to post today. As for now, I still write my own music, but my genre has changed. I used to make R&B and HipHop music, but now I started to experiment with singer-songwriter music. Like indiefolk and indie rock. I plan on releasing new music within the next year that has truly changed my life. These songs are near and dear to me, as they all are about different situations within my life that matter to me.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasnt always been a smooth road. Growing up, I was severely bullied for my weight. It got to the point where I became obsessed with how I looked and hid myself most of the time, but when it came to music, everyone knew that I was “the” singer. I only felt confident and comfortable when I was singing. As I got to high school, it only got worse. I was bullied by boys and even threatened. I grew to be a very anxious person because of this. When I went to Berklee, i thought that it would be a great new start, as there was such a diverse group of people and we all loved music. Sadly, I had some professors who told me that my anxiety would stop me from becoming an artist. I grew angry and sad. I believed that my professors were correct, leading me to a deep depression. When I left Berklee, I made a promise to myself that I would move on from these comments and continue with my music. With Tik Tok, it is scary to post as you dont know what the feedback will be. I have had some pretty mean comments flung at me and they do test your confidence. I also have tried out for some singing shows,and have been given a “no” pretty much everytime, but that does not stop me from pursuing my dream.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a singer-songwriter from New Jersey. I am known for my Justin Bieber impressions on social media. I think I am most proud of getting an interview with Justin Bieber, as he has had such an impact on my career. I think what sets me apart from others is that I am unapologetically me. I am not afraid anymore to show the real me and have people connect with my music. I think majority of what I write is relatable and that is all I’ve ever wanted with my music. I want to be part of someones soundtrack to their life. I love finding the beauty in everything as well. I think doing so, life gets a lot more beautiful and happy.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I think its important to take risks, especially as an artist. Whether that be through your music or your persona. Taking risks is essential for personal and artistic growth because it pushes you outside of your comfort zone. You then discover new things about yourself and new things to write about. I think putting out music is a risk in itself. It comes with judgement and criticism but it also creates opportunities for people to connect with your music, which I think is way more important than the criticism and outweighs it by a lot. The biggest risk I have taken is allowing myself to be fully me and become the artist I want to be, rather than what the mass wants. I think of people who are themselves as magnets. They always pull me in because of their authenticity. I admire it and try everyday to be a little bit more like that. Without taking risks, you never know what is possible.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/perimartins?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=6f25d087-5b62-4fd4-add6-18e83127e328
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peri_martins?rpxt=MWJhaWc2MnJ2cGN0Nw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@perimartins4?_r=1&_t=ZT-9AwO6f5Wt25

Image Credits
Briana Sista