Life & Work with Murphy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Murphy

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have been doing music pretty much for as long as I can remember. I started playing piano at the age of 5 and when I wanted to transition to learning guitar, I was told by a family member that I would never be able to do it as it would be too hard for me. What began as a mission to prove her wrong quickly turned into my greatest passion. I realized when I was eight years old that I could create original music of my own and have been putting my feelings and experiences into my music ever since. I’ve always known that music was my calling and it was that calling that drove me to pursue a serious career once I’d finished high school. I’ve been doing music as a career for about 5 years now with the last 2 years being fully independent and doing everything on my own. It was only when I started my journey as an independent artist that I started seeing success- and that’s where I am today!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
This has certainly not been an easy journey and there have been many bumps along the road. The biggest hurdle for me was the first few years of being a music artist after I signed a deal with someone who was not good for my career. Being a young and naive artist, I thought that what I needed to be successful was a manager, an agent, a record deal- and I felt like I needed those things to be a legitimate and serious music artist. But instead of helping me, those contracts I signed with shady people only ended up hindering me as I was soon surrounded by people who only wanted to control me and my music. I lost my passion for music and questioned if music was even the right path for me. All the creative drive that I once had was gone and it was only once those deals expired and I was free to do what I wanted that I found my passion again. I spent the first few years of my career constantly changing myself to fit everyone else’s standards- with very little success- and then once I finally chose to follow my own path and do what I loved, I started seeing the streaming numbers go up. I don’t regret those first few years though because I truly believe it all happens for a reason. Those past experiences have made me wiser and shown me what to look out for. I’m very intentional and particular now about who I choose to work with and I encourage all artists to also be picky about who they allow in their circle. Only work with and surround yourself with people who lift you up and help you to grow. Be true to yourself and success will follow.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m an independent singer/songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, but currently I’m mostly known for my toplining work. Toplining basically means that I collaborate with producers as a vocalist and songwriter. Typically the process starts with the producer sending me a track that needs vocals, I write the song, we edit and revise the song lyrics and melody if anything needs changed, and then I record my vocals. I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with some incredible producers and musicians all around the world. I’m very proud of the songs that I’ve had the privilege of making with these talented people. I try to create melodies and lyrics that are timeless, whether it’s an emotional song talking about my personal struggles or an upbeat track that just makes you want to dance. Currently, I’m working on my first debut album as a solo artist and it’s going to be a genre-bending journey about struggles I’ve gone through in my life.

What matters most to you?
I think that at this point in my career, the thing that matters most to me is being authentic and true to myself. I’ve learned the hard way that trying to chase trends and be someone else will get you nowhere in life. The music industry today is more oversaturated with talent than ever before and it can be hard to stick out, especially as an independent musician with no big label money backing you. The only thing that will make you stick out at the end of the day as an independent artist is being completely uniquely yourself. What’s the point in molding yourself to fit every trend when trends change every month? It’s so much better to curate a sound and an identity that you truly love and let your passion for your art draw fans in. In the beginning stages of my career, I was changing my image and sound every week to try and appease my management. Now, I’m living my truth and making music that sounds great to me- and seeing more success than ever by just being myself. So what matters most to me right now is digging even deeper into my own identity and really figuring out what sound and image I want to show the world. This debut album that I’m working on is going to be my first big step in really establishing myself as an artist and communicating what fans can expect from me going forward.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.murphyofficial.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyimmurphy
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/25nKGLt8u775jURsw1bIP0?si=9zERdabbTQe-ZgLEBreoBw

Image Credits
Tatiana Zagorac
Joey Senft
Anthony Fascione