Meet Az One

We were lucky to catch up with Az One recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Az One , appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

Our resilience comes from a deep passion for what we do—music, creation, and performance. It’s something that’s naturally within us. When you truly enjoy what you’re doing, it becomes easier to persevere and keep pushing forward, no matter the challenges. Singing, writing, performing, and creating aren’t just activities for us—they are sources of joy and purpose.

Growing up, resilience was also shaped by the values instilled in us by our parents. We were taught that quitting was never an option. While we had the freedom to choose which activities we wanted to pursue, once we committed to something, we were expected to give it our all. Whether it was athletics, school, or extracurriculars, we learned the importance of completing tasks and achieving our goals. This mindset became a core part of who we are over time, embedding resilience in every aspect of our lives.

In the end, resilience isn’t just something we rely on in tough moments—it’s woven into the fabric of who we’ve become, and it’s what drives us to continue striving towards our dreams.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

We’re Az One, a sister duo that has been singing, writing, and creating music for over 20 years. Our journey started in Springfield, IL, but it wasn’t until we moved to St. Louis, MO, that we really found our place in the music scene. That’s where we began performing and establishing ourselves in the St. Louis market—and it’s been an amazing ride ever since.

We’ve always prided ourselves on our harmonies and stage presence, and we’ve built our music career with a focus on giving the best vocals and performances we possibly can. Today, we’re proud to share our music with you on all streaming platforms, including our R&B album The Jump Off, our festive Christmas with Az One album, and singles like Eyez on Me and the international hit Even If It Ends. We’ve also had the privilege of performing all over the United States, and each show is an opportunity for us to connect with our fans and give them an unforgettable experience.

Reflecting on how we got here, it’s wild to think about the days before social media. When we first started, we didn’t have the digital platforms we do now. We grinded the old school way—doing free shows, traveling, auditioning, singing on the streets, and yes, selling CDs out of the trunk of our cars. It was tough, expensive, and many late nights, but that hustle built character and laid the foundation for everything we’re doing today.

Now, with social media, the game has changed. It’s so exciting to have a direct line to our audience and connect with fans worldwide. We’ve been posting duets of popular cover songs, and the feedback has been incredible. While it’s been an adjustment to live in two different states—Missouri and California—we’re making it work with the power of technology. We can still collaborate and sing together, no matter the distance.

Looking ahead, we’re excited to hit the stage again. We’ve got a few upcoming shows, and there’s nothing like the energy of live performances. We’re also staying busy working on custom songs, jingles, and voiceovers for companies. We just finished a jingle for a company in Pennsylvania, and we’re working on another fun jingle for a business in Detroit. We love helping our clients bring their ideas to life, and jingles are a great way for businesses to promote their brand with a catchy, memorable tune.

And last but certainly not least, we’re in the process of creating new music for an upcoming R&B album! It’s a lot of work, but we’re excited to get back into the studio and create another body of work that we can’t wait to share with you all.

Thanks for being part of this journey with us. The road has been long, but it’s just the beginning. Stay tuned for new music, performances, and collaborations—there’s so much more to come!

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 Qualities That Were Most Impactful to Our Career:

Commitment:
Staying committed to our goals, even during challenging times, has been fundamental. Dedication to what we do and sticking to our purpose has helped us stay focused, even when obstacles arose.

Communication Skills:
Effective communication has been key in building strong relationships with colleagues, clients, and partners. The ability to clearly convey ideas, listen actively, and adapt our communication style to the needs of others has been critical in making meaningful connections.

Persistence:
Success rarely comes overnight. The ability to persist, keep pushing through setbacks, and maintain a steady pace towards our goals has been one of the most valuable skills in our career. We learned that resilience is essential, as progress happens little by little.

Advice for Those Starting Their Journey:

Don’t Compare Yourself to Others:
Everyone’s journey is different, and it’s easy to get caught up in comparing yourself to someone else’s success. Focus on your unique path and growth. Remember, success doesn’t look the same for everyone, and it’s okay to progress at your own pace.

Trust Your Gut:
Listen to your intuition. It’s easy to second-guess yourself, but often your instincts will guide you to the right decisions. Trusting yourself can help you stay true to your values and navigate uncertainty with confidence.

Be Clear About Your Direction:
Set clear goals for what you want to accomplish. Having a vision of where you want to go makes the journey easier to navigate. Even if your path shifts along the way, knowing your end goal will help keep you focused.

Work with Supportive People:
Surround yourself with people who believe in you and share your vision. Collaboration with individuals who understand and support your goals can significantly impact your progress. Make sure the people you work with are invested in the project’s success.

Stay Organized:
Create lists, set tasks, and work consistently on them. Success is often about taking small, consistent steps rather than big leaps. Over time, all the little tasks will add up to significant progress. Don’t be discouraged by the slow pace—just keep moving forward.

Give Yourself Grace:
It’s important to be kind to yourself and acknowledge that mistakes will happen along the way. Be patient and allow room for growth. Giving yourself grace helps reduce stress and keeps you motivated even during tough times.

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?

We want to work with music supervisors who work on the placement of songs in visual media (TV, films, ads). We want to collaborate with songwriters and producers to create songs for our album. Partner with production companies and directors who need licensed music for their projects. Partnering with booking agents who specialize in setting up tours for artists. Collaborating with artists who have a similar fan base or style for co-headlining tours or as opening acts for established artists.

Contact Info:

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