Meet Derek James

 

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Derek James. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Derek below.

Hi Derek, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?

I’d say my work ethic definitely comes from my parents. They’re the hardest working people I know, and growing up I watched them build successful careers while still being super present as parents. That really taught me that when you commit to something, you follow through. On top of that, music has just always been something I’m naturally motivated by. There’s a lot of truth to that saying, “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” Of course, there are parts of the job that are frustrating or not as fun, but the process of making music never gets old for me – it’s my whole life now, so working hard at it feels easy. And every successful artist I’ve ever read about or listened to always says the same thing: hard work beats talent. Talent helps, sure, but it’s the people who just keep showing up and putting in the work that make it. That’s the mindset I try to keep.

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 grew up in Modesto, California and got into music pretty young – started on saxophone in elementary school, then drums, and eventually found my home with the guitar. I played music all through middle school, but stepped away in high school to focus on school and sports. It wasn’t until college at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo that I really came back to it. I met a buddy in the dorms who also loved country music, and we started writing songs and playing little gigs around town. We ended up forming a duo, recording original music, and playing shows all over the Central Coast. After a couple trips to Nashville during college, I knew this was where I needed to be, so I made the move after graduation.

I’ve been in Nashville about three and a half years now, focusing on writing songs both for myself and for other artists. Some of my favorite milestones so far have been landing a solid handful of indie cuts rising artists, being featured in American Songwriter, opening for Dustin Lynch, earning placements on major Spotify editorial playlists like All New Country and Fresh Finds Country, and crossing over half a million career streams. I’ve been releasing music consistently for about five years, just building brick by brick.

My artist project is what I call “coastal country” – it blends my California roots with country storytelling in a way I think feels fresh and approachable to listeners from all kinds of backgrounds. Lately I feel like I’m really knocking on the door of a publishing deal and continuing to write and release music I’m proud of.

I’m especially excited to share that my next EP, Speed Of Summer, is dropping this August. It’s a five song project I’ve poured my heart into – honestly some of the best songs I’ve written since moving to Music City. I love writing for other artists, but these are songs I just couldn’t imagine anyone else singing but me. I can’t wait for people to hear them.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. People skills. One of the biggest things I’ve learned is how much relationships matter. In this business, people don’t always remember exactly what you said, but they remember how you made them feel. I’ve also noticed how far a little positivity can go. People are drawn to good energy – it’s contagious. I just try to walk into every room with a smile and a good attitude. Being kind, easy to work with, and fun to be around can open more doors than you’d think.

2. Knowing your role. Everyone in the writing room has a role – some are track guys, some are melody people, some are killer lyricists. You have to figure out what your superpower is and lean into it. That’s what makes you unique. And you can’t do it all, so find people who complement your strengths and fill in your gaps. Nashville is all about finding your tribe and rising together.

3. Trusting your gut. Whether it’s which song to release, who to work with, or what lane to take, you’ve got to trust yourself. Everyone in this business has an opinion, and not everyone’s going to get what you’re doing – and that’s fine. At the end of the day, you have to stay true to your vision. The right people and audience will find you when you’re authentic.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

I think the biggest challenge right now is just finding a way to really be heard. There are so many insanely talented and driven people in Nashville, and amazing songs are being written every single day. I’ve always heard that having a champion in the industry, someone who believes in you and your songs, can really help open doors. So that’s what I’m working toward. All I can do is keep getting better, keep writing the best songs I can, and keep meeting people who are willing to really listen. At the end of the day, it just takes a couple people willing to take a chance.

Another challenge has been figuring out how to break through in the social media world we live in now. Everything is so data driven, and it can seem like publishers and labels don’t have the bandwidth to take risks on someone who isn’t already pulling big numbers online. I’ve always been more private and tend to post more polished, finished stuff, so that’s been a tough adjustment. Lately though, I’ve been trying to take the pressure off and just have fun with it again – posting what feels good to me, even if it’s not perfect. At the end of the day, nobody’s paying as much attention as you think they are, so you might as well just keep sharing and creating what you love.

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Image Credits

Leia Barreiro, Randy Shaffer, Savannah Grimm

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