Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Adam James. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Adam, so happy you were able to devote some time to sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our community. So, we’ve always admired how you have seemingly never let nay-sayers or haters keep you down. Can you talk to us about how to persist despite the negative energy that so often is thrown at folks trying to do something special with their lives?
I persist because I have to. Creating is a lifeline to me. I’ve struggled with people pleasing and being afraid to let others down for as long as I can remember. Writing songs is as personal as it gets but when you’re a songwriter that releases their music publicly you end up facing a lot of resistance and rejection over something that is yours. It shouldn’t matter what people think about what you’re expressing or how you express it but that’s not quite how that works. I’ve come across plenty of people that want to point me in another direction or think they know what I can or cannot do. Worst part is that it’s very easy to take that to heart and lose faith in yourself. I really think we are given gifts, desires, and dreams that are ours to pursue if we have the fortunate privilege to. I think it’s too much of a cruel joke to feel so deeply connected to something just to have to let it go. At the end of the day, music is everything to me and I can’t imagine living without it. I’ve overcome this struggle by accepting the challenge. I complete my goals despite whether anybody thinks I can or should be doing it or not. One little challenge at a time and you’ll get there eventually.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m a singer-songwriter who has spent the majority of my life in New York and ended up in California. Didn’t plan on it but it’s stuck so far. My Dad and his family grew up in New York as well. Huntington, Long Island to be exact. My Mom spent most of her life in California before they met out there and made the journey back to NY. What’s really nice is that after all these years, they’ve made their way back to CA. Full Circle. I’ve been writing songs since I was 14 after being introduced to The Beatles. I’ve been in a number of bands, pursued music in college for a while, and have written more songs than I could ever release, and have released way more than I would have ever dreamed to. I’m only getting warmed up. On January 31st, I released my second full length solo album called “Another Side of Paradise”. It’s littered with musical easter eggs from some of my favorite artists, namely The Beach Boys. The title comes from a song I wrote when I drove out to Paradise Cove, CA to draw some inspiration. I sat where they shot their first album cover, “Surfin Safari”, and let the music come to me. I walked past and looked back in the other direction from where they shot their cover and realized I was gazing at “Another Side of Paradise”. The album is a collection of songs that I wrote while navigating a break-up and some tumultuous times in L.A. So the theme is basically that things can be beautiful and sad.
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?
What’s helped me the most after so many years of making music is by being my own fan, you gotta learn to love what you create. In relationships, love is something that develops over time with a person as you build trust and confidence in them. The same goes for your craft, you have to invest and immerse yourself completely into it, and in time you will love it all in a richer way. Take chances on yourself, cuz everyone else has their own personal stuff to deal with. You are always worth the risk when you bet on yourself. Another thing that was a big help, especially starting out, was to learn as much as I could about what I was doing, whether it’s learning other instruments, working with other likeminded people, or developing other skill sets that relate to your goals, With music that could mean engineering or producing your music or others, booking shows, marketing your own stuff etc. Cut out the middle person if you can. Lastly, you gotta learn how to take your licks. You’re going to face disappointment. Band members quit, opportunities fall through, you might lose a job or two or go broke. Shrug it off. Get some sleep or get grounded. You must keep getting back up again. Don’t lose sight of the gift that is inside of you. Keep going cause you’re always closer than you’ve ever been. So love what you do, learn what you can, and accept the losses.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
Community has been the most helpful in helping me grow as an artist and as a fellow human. Sure, family and friends are a wonderful asset and support system, but it’s in the DIY music scene that I learned to tools I needed for my own trajectory. Playing shows in basements and art spaces with bands that share similar ethos was an integral part of my musical experience. As a solo artist it can feel completely draining and hopeless, but when you connect with other artists in your scene and learn how to offer help just as freely as you ask for it, you come to find you really aren’t in this alone. It doesn’t have to be you vs the world. There are amazingly talented people out there who are struggling or have struggled the way you have. It’s amazing what we can do when we have each other’s backs. As far as success goes, while I don’t feel that I’ve reached any kind of real acclaim, I do think my success can be measured by many times I’ve said yes when I was afraid to or felt like some kind of imposter, and each time I have failed or felt close to giving up and chose to follow through and keep trying.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://xoadamjames.bandcamp.com/album/another-side-of-paradise
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xo_adamjames/?hl=en
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@xo_adamjames
Image Credits
Jess Vidana for the majority, Meg Dahlke for the Silverlake Lounge photo, and Mayra Ramirez for the polaroid.
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
