Life & Work with Jakov Naumoski

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jakov Naumoski.

Hi Jakov, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today. 
My first real interaction with music was through learning classical guitar when I was 8. But the defining moment where I knew I had to become a musician was the first big live show I went to when I was 10. My parents took me to see my favorite band, Foo Fighters, in Paris, a long way from home, and I was forever changed. I knew what I saw on that stage was what I am meant to do. Realizing how powerful music can be, I knew it would be the most beautiful world to immerse myself in and dedicate myself to, and I still go back to that moment even today. It’s what made me want to start a band and make an album before I was 18, what drove me to apply to Berklee, and what gave me the will to make the move to LA. 

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?
It can be a struggle because music is something that often asks of you to dedicate all of your time and energy towards it. Which means that it easily gets in the way of life and that life gets in the way of music. Performing and writing are often incredibly emotional acts, and if you aren’t in the right headspace, they can take their toll on you. But for me, any time I have struggled, the best way out was always through music. In moments of crisis where it seemed like nothing or no one could be of help, music has been there for me. The road has never felt easy, but it always feels like it was worth it. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I like having multiple outlets for my work as a way to express myself in a variety of ways. Besides composing for short films and video games, over the last year, I’ve made three albums with three different bands I’m a part of – Lincoln Letter, Voodoo Baby Aliens, and Ali Tahir’s Thicc Orchestra. Working with so many wonderful and diverse musicians has really allowed me to stretch my wings. The creative process for me is always based on what excites me in art, and my love for movies seeped into my songwriting even before I considered becoming a film composer. Before I started studying film scoring, I had already made a Western short film with my rock band Lincoln Letter in the form of a music video, and the entire project was an amalgamation of all the things I love in music and art. By now, we’re on album two, and we have sonically explored two very distinct film genres – western and pirate movies, all while making music videos that would fit within those cinematic worlds. Studying at Berklee only further amplified my desire to incorporate the art that inspires me into the things I create, and between two majors and a minor, it provided the skills for me to do it all on my own. 

What do you think about happiness?
Performing live with my friends and writing songs is probably me at my happiest – because it takes me right back to those moments of pure joy when I was first discovering music. On the other hand, I can be over the moon about seeing an artist I admire live or an amazing movie at the theater since I am a fan first and foremost. Often, what makes these experiences so special to me is that I get to share them with my friends, and the art we experience together becomes a part of who we are as people. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://play.reelcrafter.com/o51k9EfpTiG3q0EN7H1qmA
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naumoskijakov/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LincolnLetter