Meet Julian Ho

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Julian Ho. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Julian, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

As a person of mixed ancestry, I learned to adapt to others early on. I grew up in the fairly homonegous town of Santa Clarita. I didn’t know anyone who had a Chinese and White background. I didn’t have any mentors at that age to help me understand that side of myself. When it came to identity, I was on my own.

I used to hate the fact that I was different. My Chinese name, Chao Chou Ho, was a weapon used against me. An insult, a quick joke, a fun rhyme at best. Every time my name was called in class for attendance, a smattering of snickering crept across the classroom, sometimes even from the teacher calling my name.

Looking back, I think those experiences helped me develop a deeper appreciation of community. I know what it feels likes to be othered, which is why I love creating music that brings people together. In my opinion, the best way to be successful is to be of service to others. Whether that means being a team player in a band or writing music that gives an artist a platform to shine, I want to bring dedication and passion to whatever project I’m working on. My new single “Way Up” brings together my favorite musicians and people from all the different backgrounds with the purpose of making great music.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m a session drummer, producer and faculty member at Musicians Institute. Some of the projects and artists I’ve worked for as a session drummer include Star Wars Outlaws, Artur Menezes, Seth Rosenbloom, Kirk Fletcher, Pedro Cordeiro, Ruby Ibarra, Sierra Sellers, Aga, Justin Lo, Angela Hui, Vincy Chan, Della Ding, Shirley Kwan, Myolie Wu, Selena Lee, Nancy Wu, Jade Kwan, Elaine Liu, Jinny Ng Pickup Music, TrueFire and many more.

My most recent project is my first single entitled “Way Up” featuring Sierra Sellers. The song is the first single from my EP “Reflections”will be available on all platforms starting October 12th”. I’m especially excited for this because it’s my first time releasing music under my own name and I was able to assemble a killer group of musicians for the song. I played drums, keys and programmed, Sierra Sellers on vocals, Glen Turner II on sax, Taku Tsubaki on bass and Ilyeob Cho on guitar. Guillaume Delormeau and Philippe Mark from The Overlook Studio engineered and mixed the project. Last but not least Grammy award winner Reuben Cohen from Lurssen Mastering master the project.

I’m also happy to announce that the Star Wars Outlaws project I played drums on is up for Grammy Consideration. Shout out to Cody Johnson and all the wonderful team at Emperia Sound and Music.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Persistence, patience and gratitude. Good art takes a lot of time and energy to develop. Constantly growing and honing your craft is essential. There is always something to learn or perfect whether it is on a technical, artistic or soul level. Growth takes patience and persistence. The thing that sustains my persistence and patience is gratitude. Being a musician has massive ups and tremendous lows but I’m grateful for this life and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?

This may be a bit surprising but I keep a book of Mr. Rogers quotes on my nightstand. The way he speaks and writes is very reassuring and centering. One of my favorite quotes from the book is “Some of my richest experiences have come out of the most painful times… those that were the hardest to believe would ever turn into anything positive.” I try to let every failure be an opportunity to grow.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Ethan Ngo: https://www.instagram.com/ego.tang/
Zachary Zelinsky: https://www.instagram.com/zachary.zelinsky/
Mikayala Ragovin: https://www.instagram.com/mikaylainthepit/

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