We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Maestro Robinson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Maestro, thank you so much for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re really interested in hearing about from you – being the only one in the room. So many of us find ourselves as the only woman in the room, the only immigrant or the only artist in the room, etc. Can you talk to us about how you have learned to be effective and successful in situations where you are the only one in the room like you?
I’ve learned to truly embrace the “real” me, and appreciate being one-of-a-kind; but it took practice. In my formative years, and even in the early days of my career, blending in to the environment was somehow a fad. Looking back, selling ourselves short for the sake of blending in makes absolutely NO sense. I had very little success with this mindset. Real success begins with true happiness within yourself. When you embrace yourself, your happiness now becomes the first priority. How can we expect others to vibe with us if we’re not giving ourselves that simple courtesy first? Even if a career opportunity is given to another individual (for reasons mostly out of our control), we can rest assured that we presented our true self. Regardless of the outcome, I find peace with that. All of my significant success started there. I love when I’m the only one in the room that looks like me, because now I have a competitive edge-without even opening my mouth or displaying my talents.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Hello, you beautiful readers, you! My name is Maestro Robinson, and I’m honored that you’ve taken the time to read a bit about me, along with my past, present and future. I am a professional drummer, actor and content creator based in the Los Angeles area.
Some of you may know of me from social media like TikTok and Instagram, where a few of my videos have gone viral-while some others may know me from the entertainers I’ve worked with over the years-like Selena Gomez, Lil Nas X, Liam Payne, FLO, and others. A few of you may have even purchased a pair of my Ahead artist series drumsticks from your favorite music store, for which I’m very grateful! Outside of my career, I’m a husband to a God-send of a woman, and father of three beautiful kids. (A teen-aged girl, tween boy, and an elementary-aged boy) Life is a juggling act to say the least!
My career as a drummer has taken me all over the world. Not only did it expose me to all kinds of people and experiences, but it introduced me to other talents I had inside of me that I now use actively. I learned that I’m more outgoing than the average musician, and a bit more nerdy in regards to cinematic arts. BOOM. Maestro the actor, personality and content creator was born, and is thriving! After relocating to Nashville and living there for six years, (2016-2020) my family and I moved back to SoCal to be closer to family, and the entertainment business as a whole.
Interestingly enough, at the time of this interview, SAG-AFTRA and the WGA are striking against the AMPTP, (Execs of your favorite networks and streamers like Netflix, NBC Universal, Hulu, Disney Plus, MAX, etc.) so a few of my most exciting projects are hanging in limbo until we can all play nicely together on the giant playground we call “the industry”. But mindset is EVERYTHING. Thanks to the popularity of social media, I’m still able to do what I love and provide for my family. Collaborating with several brands has been some of my favorite work to do lately. I’ve put my drumming, songwriting, acting, and social media skills to great use with Clif Bar, Mapex drums, Hercules stands and accessories, Zildjian and even my own original content. Keep those notifications turned on, because you never know what’s next in the world of Maestro!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Three skills that were most impactful, and continue to be, are effective communication, patience, and love. They sound like a recipe for a great love life because they most definitely are. ha ha But they’ll never steer you wrong in whichever situation you apply them to. (Relationships, career, family, school, etc.)The best way to to improve these qualities is to live life. We’ll all have plenty opportunities to put these qualities to the test as we put one foot in front of the other.
Effective communication does NOT involve mind reading, or assuming. SPEAK, but have it be rooted in a place of respect. Be patient with others AND YOURSELF. You must understand that we’re all in a different place in life. Everyday is a battle with something or someone. Love is a choice (not a feeling) that occasionally has “perks” of that mushy-gushy feeling we get inside. But practicing love means to make a conscious choice everyday to operate with as much of a pure heart as possible. No ones perfect, and we’ll make mistakes-but when mistakes are made, choose love to help correct them.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I am absolutely looking for like-minded creatives to collaborate with! If I’ve learned anything in my time creating, it’s the power that lives in combining talents and knowledge to create things the world has never seen. I’m specifically interested in folks who may be musicians, but have a desire for creating content as actors, writers, directors, and producers. Filmmaking has had me in a chokehold for sometime, and I want to explore every nook and cranny of that world.
Outside of creating, I am also looking to connect with good people for the sake of building community. I’ve been so career-focused, I’ve put community on the back-burner, and it’s time for a change. Real community, and friendship are bonds that are not easily broken.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/yomaestro
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maestrorobinson/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjlXzJKVIzCOGhOk00et4WQ
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@gomaestro?lang=en
