Meet Jared Chance Taylor

We were lucky to catch up with Jared Chance Taylor recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jared, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

Over time, I’ve realized that to create something beautiful or meaningful truly requires my whole self. And that is true no matter the circumstance, alone or not.

In my twenties there were countless times I walked into different writing rooms or studios full of people and adapted myself to whoever I was with, thinking that was what I had to do in order to be a good collaborator. Being adaptable totally has its place, but–if I’m not consistently myself in every room I walk into, whether it’s empty or crowded, I am fragmented and that makes for fragmented work. Those situations always left me feeling dissatisfied, like the music is incomplete.

In light of those experiences, I am learning to trust how God has wired me and let the whole context of my life breathe on my creative process. If I’m really doing that, I don’t need to conjure up motivation or inspiration, because inspiration is already right here for me, even if it’s in the form of feeling frustrated or exhausted. Nothing about what I am experiencing has to be a waste. My life is not compartmentalized.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I write music for TV & Film and absolutely love doing it. Using music to convey story has long been a deep passion of mine and it feels like a dream that I get to do it for a living. I’ve recently been on a big sports kick, making music for NASCAR on the CW and NFL coverage for ESPN. I also just had a track used for a SpaceX Starship flight recap which felt pretty epic. It is always fun to make music for such different projects. I’m never bored of it!

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?

Patience, openness, and consistently bringing your whole self into the work.

No one arrives where they want to be overnight and it’s often frustrating when things take longer to pan out than expected. Staying the course and not giving up can feel exhausting, futile, and even irresponsible at times. Trust the process. Patience pays off.

Openness is important because creativity is not rigid. Being open-handed with expectations and welcoming surprises has always been a great source of inspiration for me. Jesus once said, “the eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light.” When I choose to look at the world with openness, I am full of wonder.

Bringing your whole self into the work because, like I said, it makes for the best inspiration and most fulfilling work.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

Always! I’m always looking for topliners, string & brass players, and songwriters. Feel free to email me at [email protected] with your work and what you have in mind!

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Photos by Kelsey Page & David Hutchinson

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