Daily Inspiration: Meet Stefan PVDS

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stefan PVDS.

Hi Stefan, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Growing up in my family felt like being part of a small, chaotic orchestra. We each played multiple instruments, and my dad’s Valentine’s gifts to my mom were oftentimes piano numbers that he’d composed for her – it wasn’t until I was older that I realized this was not normal. I began playing classical guitar when I was four and over the years I learned piano, drums, bass, and trumpet. I was always passionate about music but identified more as an athlete than a musician growing up. It wasn’t until my senior year of college at Washington University in St. Louis that I met a songwriter who inspired me to explore singing and writing songs. I was instantly obsessed. I graduated and got a job working at a Fortune 50 company in New York City, and every night I would go home and stay up outrageously late writing songs – I felt I needed that creative outlet to survive. Eventually, I was up for promotion and asked to be moved anywhere even remotely close to LA so I could be near the music industry. Turns out moving to Claremont did not magically fix all my problems, and what ensued was a pretty rough time. I’d show up for work everyday when all I wanted was to be making music. I’d write lyrics and melodies in my notes and voice memo apps and then revisit them the moment I got home. I worked from 5am until about 6/7pm and would go straight home and write for hours – needless to say sleeping was not a priority at the time.

Eventually, I found I just couldn’t split my time anymore and decided to quit and pursue music full-time. The financial security just wasn’t enough to justify how pulled I felt to music. I’ve been in sessions and on stages ever since, building an amazing base of friends and collaborators, and have never looked back. This base grew tremendously during my 2021-2022 attendance of LAAMP in Santa Monica, where I worked with a group of my peers under legendary producer duo Stargate. Not only did this opportunity connect me with so many talented friends, it also allowed me to hone my writing and production abilities tremendously. In 2022 I released 8 songs for my own project under my name (Stefan PVDS) and have many more releases planned for this year. I’ve also had the honor of being part of some incredibly talented artists’ releases that I’m so excited about – “EVERYBODY’S GONNA DIE” by Zia Victoria, “Sunday Toasted” and “Tunnel Vision” by Zinn, and several others that will be coming out in 2023. This past year I had songs placed on many editorial playlists like New Music Friday, New Music Friday Norway, New Music Friday Finland, Fresh Finds, and more. In the five years since I’ve been making music full-time my life has become infinitely better. I’m so grateful for all the experiences, growth, and for the opportunity to make music every day. I can’t wait for whatever comes next 🙂

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I mean I think like anything it’s had its ups and downs, but I can definitely say I’m super grateful to be able to work on something day-to-day that I truly love. When I had a corporate job, I was very financially comfortable but I was also miserable. There are times working in music where I’ve been financially miserable (which certainly isn’t awesome) but I always feel like I have a purpose and am working towards a goal I’m incredibly passionate about. Of course, I encounter obstacles, as everyone does, but because I’m doing what I love, I always feel motivated to overcome them and never feel like they’re insurmountable. There’s so much in life that we can’t control, and that’s why I think capitalizing on what we can control is such a key ingredient to happiness! One of the biggest struggles I’ve encountered was finding the courage to take the plunge to quit my cushy job and commit myself fully to being an artist. There were certainly growing pains that came with feeling like I’d made a total identity shift, a symptom of which included growing my hair out really long (not the right vibe for me). It was a journey to realize I was still me, just a happier and more authentic version of myself. Other struggles include having to take odd jobs to pay rent, sacrificing personal time and time with friends, foregoing trips and vacations with loved ones because I couldn’t afford them, and even having friendships become strained because not everyone understood my choice to leave the traditional path and follow my passion. I do however know I’m on the right path because I’ve never questioned if any of these sacrifices are worth it – I’d make the choice to live this way a million times over, and overcoming many of these obstacles has made me stronger and more resilient.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a producer, songwriter, and artist and I’m influenced by tons of different genres like singer-songwriter, hip-hop, rnb, pop, and pop-punk to name a few. I began my music career primarily as an artist and performer, but in the past few years, especially due to the pandemic, I’ve become a lot more of a studio rat. I love to produce and write for other artists, there’s something so satisfying about helping another artist sculpt their sound and share their stories. I wrote and produced on some really special records this year like Zia Victoria’s first single “Everybody’s Gonna Die!”, which debuted on New Music Friday, “Sunday Toasted” by Zinn, and several of my own records including my latest “If I Fall”, which debuted on New Music Friday Norway and New Music Friday Finland. I’m really excited about the productions I’ve been working on for both myself and others because I finally feel like I can create the sonic landscape that represents specific feelings songs evoke. It’s taken a while to develop that ability to take intuition and actually bring it to life (and I still have so much to learn) but it’s so fun and fulfilling to see how I’ve grown over the past few years.

How do you think about happiness?
I’m a pretty simple guy. Some good friends, good music, a few beers (and/or whiskey) and any game/sport that I take way too seriously is the perfect occasion for me. I love spending time with the people I love, and I think that’s why songwriting is my ultimate passion. Gathering in a room with a couple of my favorite people, sharing about our lives and feelings and then creating art that is real, tangible, and impactful? I think that’s the closest I’ll ever get to believing in magic.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sadsongstefan.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Sadsongstefan/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sadsongstefan/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@stefanpvds6941
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/stefpvdsmusic

Image Credits
Boy Bennett for photo 1, and Brooke Olsen for photos 2-4