We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Clark May. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Clark below.
Clark, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I write music for gay & queer people, but I didn’t always know that it’d be my purpose. In fact, I thought I’d never come out. I started releasing music in high school, but the lyrics were mostly fictional stories. I was terrified to write authentically – to confirm what I was avoiding. When I began using songwriting as an outlet to truly express myself, everything changed. My music helped me process my emotions, and it inspired me to help others in the closet. I’m also a person of faith, and reconciling that with my sexuality hasn’t been easy. Now that I’ve come out, I want to make an album that shows LGBTQ+ people they’re not alone. I feel like my life has prepared me uniquely for that purpose, and I’m excited to see it through to the future.
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 Clark May! I’m a recording artist in Atlanta, and I love pop & R&B music! I produce many of my own songs, but recently I’ve loved getting to collaborate with talented artists. Some are local (like Deborah Ayanna on “With You”), and some are even across the ocean (like Mario Simanovsky on “Frame by Frame”)! I have an upcoming live performance: May 8th (8-11p) at Buteco EAV in Southern Feedstore.
Coming April 19th, I’m releasing a cover of Steven Universe’s “Love Like You” with Anji Kaizen and J’Mar. Follow me on Spotify for many more original songs coming this year!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
First, I think marketing on social media has been instrumental for me. I love talking about cartoons with other fans on TikTok, so I combined that with my music and started doing covers. I sang a love song from Steven Universe “I’d Rather Be Me (With You)”, and it started going viral. Fans of the show, who otherwise wouldn’t have heard my songs, started to follow me on Spotify and other platforms. Know what your audience likes and figure out how to incorporate it into your content.
Second, in the music industry, everything is about connecting with people! There’s a relationship to cultivate between artist and audience (and it shouldn’t be one-sided). Also between collaborators, there’s a relationship to cultivate. There have been so many opportunities presented to me that I wouldn’t have known about without my friends. No one can do everything by themselves. Go find your people! Make genuine friendships, not just business partnerships.
Finally, knowing how to use music production tools has been a major asset. It’s helped me work with artists who want to release music but don’t produce themselves. I’ve been able to have higher quality sound on social media. It’s also fun to learn how your favorite producers made their hit songs. If you’re looking at a career in music, I definitely suggest learning any DAW (digital audio workstation).
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I am always looking for LGBTQ+ musicians to collaborate with! I’m in the process of recording an album about my experiences from being closeted, and I’d love to work with people who understand the message of the project. I’m looking for vocalists to feature on the songs. I’m also trying to form a band to tour and play live (especially in Atlanta), so guitarists, drummers, bassists, pianists – reach out! Send me an email: [email protected]
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clark.music
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLgIiU33BTgtqqWvZ-whrpA
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@clark.may
Other music links: https://linktr.ee/clarkmusic
Image Credits
Nikolas Dunavant Chris Hart Katie Hart
