We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Cedric Israel a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Cedric, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
This term is kind of funny to me because I don’t know that I had heard of it until maybe 5 years ago. It seems like a trending pop psychology term. One of my friends started talking about how he deals with imposter syndrome, and then I thought “Oh man, I know what he is talking about. I have felt that way.” I have had to come to grips with those feelings especially since making the move to Nashville where there are so many incredibly talented people working on incredible projects. I think the best thing is realizing that in this world of business and music, nobody really knows what they are doing. If anyone thinks they are an expert, they are probably already behind the curve because things change so fast in music these days. That helps me to realize that the self doubt I may feel is also shared by many, many other people. We are all out here trying to figure out this music thing and doing lots of different things to see what works for the time being. Another helpful perspective came from my mentor Jamie Tate. He told me “while you are wasting time and energy worrying about what other people think about you, someone with less skill and talent is getting things done and making a career for themselves!” So that mindset helps me not get stuck in overthinking and worrying, and pushes me to take another step forward!
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 am a songwriter and music producer here in Nashville. I work with a lot of country music artists and Christian music artists. I love the process of writing and crafting a song. It is an incredible way to meet many talented people and make new friends. I have written well over 300 songs since being in Nashville and produced dozens of those songs. In January a song that I helped to write and produce called “Congo Cowboy” with John Ntibonera and Hannah McDonald won the Bluebird Golden Pick contest!!! That was an incredible and unexpected honor.
I am also an instrumentalist, I primarily play the bass. In fact I am with some great artists and bands. In 2024 I got to tour with an amazing Christian artist named Brennley Brown. I also play regularly with an awesome RnB cover band called Deondra and 46 story. You can catch us on Saturday nights at the 12/30 club on Broadway. One major highlight from 2024 was being asked to play bass at the GMA Dove Awards show with Joseph Habedank. That was a special opportunity to play in front of an audience like that for a national broadcast.
I would say I bring a musicians perspective to my cowrites and productions. I am able to play many instruments and have developed relationships with some of Nashville’s best studio players. I bring a very professional sound and feel to the songs and am able to do it for a very reasonable rate. I also love vocals and treating vocals. I can help bring the best performance out of singer in a way that is encouraging and fun. I get compliments all the time from artists I record about how much they love the sound of their voices on the recordings. I credit that from working at the Rukkus Room studio under Jamie Tate for 2 years. I was able to sit in on sessions and watch how Jamie worked with artists and made radio hit worthy recordings on a daily basis. Now I can bring that approach into my own productions.
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?
The first quality is belief. Belief that I can learn to do this thing. If I ever stop believing that I can make a high quality and impactful song, then I really have no business trying to write and produce anymore. So having a mustard seed of faith and belief has kept me going forward.
The second quality is being a lifelong learner. I love to talk to people about how to make music that is impactful and incredible. I learn as much as I can about songwriting techniques, as well as production and mixing techniques. I read books, watch videos, and take courses constantly. I believe that education of the right information and lots of experience will lead to great outcomes. It’s funny looking back how this journey of songwriting has made me dive into so many fields that I never anticipated. Being a person who likes to learn has made the experience enjoyable.
Lastly I would say being someone who is enjoyable to be around has opened doors for me. I may not be the most talented or savvy person in the room, but I always try to treat people well and make them feel valued as best as I know. So much of this town is all about relationships. I feel like I have been getting known for someone who is professional, honest, kind, and helpful. In a town as talented as Nashville, no one can afford to be rude or flakey and expect to have much of a career.
I continue to grow in these areas and recommend that anyone else in a creative field also develop in these qualities.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Yes! One of my goals for 2025 is to build much more of a team. I am looking for players and studio musicians that can record well at home and send me files on projects. I am looking for mixers and mastering engineers to send tracks to. I really would like to build a team of people that create amazing song productions and get them turned around in a timely manner. People can look me up on instagram to send a message. My IG is “cedricryansongs”.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://cedricsongproductions.com
- Instagram: cedricryansongs
- Facebook: Cedric Israel
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