We caught up with the brilliant and insightful ERIK-G a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi ERIK-G, thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re very focused on here – improving our ability to make decisions. Everyday, we’re faced with decisions that can impact the future of our careers, businesses, relationships and more and so one of the most impactful areas for personal development, in our view, is decision-making. Can you talk to us about how you developed or improved your decision-making skills?
I think I developed these skills through high-pressure moments, under tight deadlines, under high stakes, and having no time to hesitate. These are the conditions that teach you to think three moves ahead. You have to see the finish line before anyone else does. Then it’s about reverse-engineering the outcome you want.
For example, I did a job once as assistant music director for the Hollywood Music in Media Awards—a star-studded event with people like “Weird Al” Yankovic, Hans Zimmer, and Danny Elfman. The kind of night where I couldn’t afford anything to go wrong.
But mid-show, the audio playback crashed for one of the video montages. The dialogue in the video rolled on, but the underscore was dead silent. I could hear in my earpiece that every department was panicking, but I knew the fix wouldn’t come from the control room—it had to come from the bandstand.
Because I was closest in proximity to the string quartet, the lead MD gave me a nod, and I had no choice but compose a new underscore ON THE SPOT. I gave each string player a starting note in C, used one hand to conduct, and the other to flash chord changes. Of course, they followed perfectly—they were the ultimate pro’s! Then the rhythm section filled in gradually, and together we all rebuilt the score live.
The audience never knew. To them, it was seamless. But behind the scenes, it was instinct, trust, and split-second decision-making that kept the show alive.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Right now, I’m on tour as the keyboardist for Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. Yes! The REAL Frankie Valli. It’s such an honor sharing the stage with one of music’s true legends. There’s just something so electric about seeing an audience go wild, even still, decades into his career—it’s a reminder of why live music matters and why every note counts. Being part of that energy is a thrill I haven’t experienced anywhere else.
Offstage, I wear a few hats: music director, studio producer, and content creator. What excites me most is the mix of leadership and creation—guiding a band through a live show one moment, recording a song in the studio the next. It’s about shaping an experience that resonates, whether the audience is in a theater, watching a show on TV, or scrolling past something I’ve posted online.
Lately, I’ve been exploring new ways to share music—short-form content, collaborations, and projects that bring audiences closer to the process. I think of moments like the first note of a big arena show, when the lights hit, the fans cheer, and everyone on stage locks in together. That split second—where everything clicks—is exactly why I do this. That connection is what I keep coming back for.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back, the things that shaped me most weren’t taught in a classroom—they were earned on the bandstand, in the studio, and on the road. Adaptability has always been key. I learned to move across genres, roles, and situations—jazz one night, salsa the next, teaching, producing, directing—each challenge made me more versatile and prepared for opportunities I couldn’t have predicted.
Follow-through mattered just as much. Vision is useless if it dies on the page. I’ve found that finishing what you start—whether it’s a track, an arrangement, or a social media project—is what builds credibility, opens doors, and earns trust in this business.
And perhaps most important is clarity under pressure. Being able to communicate your ideas, make decisions quickly, and guide a team can transform a train wreck into a beautiful symphony. The only way to get there is to step into situations that demand it.
For anyone starting out, the best way to develop these skills is through practice in real-world conditions. Seek opportunities that push you—gig in unfamiliar genres, take on roles that make you uncomfortable, and commit to completing projects fully. Study how others communicate and lead, but don’t wait for permission to step up. Adaptability, persistence, and clarity are cultivated through experience—they grow when you actually step up and do the work.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
I get overwhelmed—more often than I’d like to admit. Not just on high-pressure gigs, but in life and relationships, and in my constant race against the clock. There have been moments when everything feels like it’s spinning at once, and panic is the only thing that seems to keep pace.
What helps me is SLOWING DOWN. I pause, take some deep breaths, maybe step into the sun, change my environment, feel my feet on the ground. It’s small, but it really resets my system and lets me think clearly. For anyone starting out: <u>do not underestimate</u> the power of the pause. Even a brief moment to breathe and ground yourself can turn panic into focus, and keep you performing—not just reacting.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://direct.me/erikgmusik
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erikgmusik/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@erikgmusik
