Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Fco. Chandia. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Fco., so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?
There have been many times when I’ve felt like an outsider or a misfit. I’m very passionate and tend to hyper-fixate on different topics that interest me. I navigate through life with this intense passion, never letting anybody take control of what I like and love. For example, when I was in high school, I prioritized band rehearsal over any party or hang-out session. This made me seem like a weirdo to my peers, who were mostly focused on social activities, which is understandable, considering we were 16-17 years old.
Similarly, in college, I struggled to fit the “ideal” student mold. I wasn’t a virtuoso in my instrument, a jazz nerd, or a theoretical practice monk who practiced 8 hours a day. I was simply an 18-year-old who wanted to create my own world of music and creations. While I respected the different groups around the school such as the jazz fanatics, the metalheads, the R&B girls, the K-poppers, and the technological enthusiasts, I never felt like I truly belonged to any of them. Not even in the Latino community, where I expected to feel included.
I didn’t want to change or embellish my true self to be accepted; I wanted to build my world being my true self.
The only thing that kept me going was being loyal to my vision and passion, although I admit it did require some stubbornness. I always trusted my vision and knew that if I stayed focused and learned as much as I could, I would be fine once I graduated from high school. It has always been crucial for me to balance my stubbornness with being open to new ideas. While this can be difficult at times, I’m always open to listening to new perspectives. Nothing is absolute for me.
As I’m writing this, I am sitting in a Grammy-winning studio where I got hired, signed by a co-publishing company, and had the opportunity to work with some of the biggest artists in the world. Even though I’m still in the grind and far from “making it” yet, at the same time, I’ve never been closer to achieving my goals.
What does this tell me? That following my passion and vision wasn’t such a crazy idea after all.
I always encourage people to trust their instincts and follow their vision. Our intuition and aspirations are not randomly placed there in our beautiful (or twisted) minds; they are gifts from a higher power, whether it’s a divine force or something else you believe in.
So, why not pay attention to them and embrace their guidance?
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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?
When one gives their life to music, it takes complete control of their destiny, opening doors to experiences and people that they would never have encountered if they hadn’t decided to pick up a guitar and write a song. For me, that is the greatest power of music and being a musician. Anyone you ask who makes music will tell you the same thing.
In simple words, I am a songwriter, composer, producer, recording, and sound engineer. That is what I graduated in, and it is what I have practiced the most throughout my life. But in my own words, I consider myself a creator of musical worlds.
A musical world for me is the total expression of a period in your life or an idea you want to convey. Examples of this could be the album The Wall by Pink Floyd. That album is a collection of songs, a movie, a live show, a book of conceptual art—it’s a musical world. A world that contains characters, stories, experiences, and concepts that can be brought from the sounds of the speakers into the real world, something you can see, touch, and live, having an experience with that musical universe. Artists like Tyler The Creator also do this magnificently, materializing and humanizing musical ideas into products, festivals, fashion runways, and even ice cream.
When people ask me what I do, I always tend to think that I create musical universes. And I believe this has a lot to do with my love for theme parks because in these parks, one can immerse themselves in an immersive world, which for me is equivalent to putting on headphones and listening to an album that is a musical universe.
You can check out my latest album LA CARITA DEL DIABLO, which was completely produced by me, releasing on July 12th.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three most important qualities for me have been my musicality, my curiosity, and my dedication to what I am passionate about.
Someone’s musicality has to do with how they internalize music, how they understand rhythms, chords, harmony, and even textures in music. It’s about being able to make music from the core of oneself, whether with the mouth, fingers, or even with anything else. Musicality is something that is trained and varies among individuals. Some people have more talent, while others need more practice to reach that level. But it is something that comes from our ancestors millions of years ago, so we all have it.
Curiosity is essential to not get bored with the world and to stay open to interesting perspectives and ideas. Only by being curious can one discover new things. If, after a while, you only see the world through the same eyes all your life, you will miss out.
Dedication to what you are passionate about will always give back to you. At least with music and in my experience, it has always been this way. Every time I give love, respect, and adoration to music, it gives me experiences, people, and opportunities that match my love for it.
I recommend to anyone who is starting their journey in any discipline or interest that these three things are the most important. In the case of music, it is musicality, but if it is sports, it could be your athletic ability; if it is art, it could be your painting technique or your understanding of the different artistic movements. Curiosity will always help you in anything, even opening personal doors with people. If you remain indifferent to people or what is happening around you, you will only be living the life that is in your head. Dedication to what you do will always give back the love you give it.
How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?
Oh yes,
One of the biggest challenges I am facing today is dealing with the music industry and its laws, or rather, its codes.
When you get to know music at an early age, like nine years old, it becomes your passion and what motivates you. It’s your only obsession and it comes from a very, very innocent place, where money doesn’t exist, ego doesn’t exist, and an industry doesn’t exist; only that passion exists.
Today, I find myself in Miami, a place where the Latin music industry is very tough and competitive. It has a very high level of production, not only in capabilities but also in the productivity that composers, artists, and producers have when executing an idea. In one day they can come up with a hit, in two days they can create three hits, in a week they can make an album if that’s the case.
So, I would say that my challenge is to find a balance between my love for music and the intentions of that child who decided to follow it, with the speed and harshness that a music industry can have. Music outside the industry and within the industry are very different things, or at least that’s how I’m seeing it. I am working to make it all one thing, which is not easy when there are rules for making songs, when the most important thing for some people is the numbers a song makes or simply following the global trend.
I’m not complaining; this can be a good challenge. It’s not something that torments me too much, but it is something that conflicts a lot with my initial purpose of making music. Even so, I feel that each day I understand more how this side of the music industry works, and little by little I feel that I am becoming more a part of it.
The only way to move forward with this challenge is to keep loving music. Only then can it give me the freedom I have always desired to have.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fcochandia.com
- Instagram: @fco.chandia
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franciscochandia/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/fcochandia/
- Other: THE MOST IMPORTANT IS MY WEBSITE, THAT HAS EVERYTHING! HEHE THANKS.
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