We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Justin Ruff. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Justin below.
Justin, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
Practice, practice, and more practice! It’s important that we all take time to really develop and maintain our skills. As a singer, practice has been a game-changer for me. It keeps me focused, helps me improve daily, and keeps me honest with myself. It’s also opened my mind to other creative avenues I can use to promote my music. This year, I released an EP titled “Sessions Vol. 1” and ventured into the world of aromatherapy by creating my own hand poured candle line — Justin Ruff Candle Co. When I first started making candles, I didn’t realize the amount of testing and time that went into it. I’ve been able to lean on my dedication to practice and create quality products that bridge the gap between scent and sound.
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?
My name is Justin Ruff and I’m an Atlanta-based R&B singer. I recently released an EP called “Sessions Vol. 1” and I curated my own candle line to accompany the tunes.
You can think of my style as R&B with a concentration in Jazz and a minor in Hip Hop. My musical influences range from Ella Fitzgerald to Jhene Aiko, Maxwell, and Kendrick Lamar. Flipping fully produced classics to intimate acoustic bops has always been my thing so I figured I’d explore that side of my own sound with this project.
I’m a big scent guy! I love cologne, candles, wax melts…etc. I usually light candles when I’m recording or writing, so there’s a real connection between the two for me. My goal was to bring everyone into my world and create an immersive listening experience. Whether you’re looking to unwind after a long day or create a soothing atmosphere for self-care, my music and scent blends are sure to set the perfect mood.
To hear the new EP, purchase candles, or simply get to know more about me, visit justinruffmusic.com
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I’ve been able to lean into quite a few, but the three that come to mind are Practice, Persistence, and Patience. I would say those have been the most important for me as a singer and candle maker. It’s not easy being a creative. People don’t always “get it” and that can be discouraging at times. I’m still early in my journey – but I’ve practiced giving myself more grace and staying true to who I am. That keeps me going on days when I may not feel like it.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
My aunt gave me a lot of “life nuggets” growing up – and still does! One thing she used to always say was, “Hope for the best, plan for the worst”. I have carried that with me through the years and it is a big part of who I am. There’s nothing wrong with having a plan B and maybe even a plan C. The ability to quickly pivot when things don’t go as planned, is so necessary. More importantly, spending energy on life’s curveballs don’t serve you. They will be thrown. All you can control is your response and how you bounce back.
Contact Info:
- Website: For Music https://www.justinruffmusic.com – For Candles: https://justinruffcandles.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/justinruffmusic
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justinruffcandleco
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinruffmusic/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/JustinRuffMusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@justinruffmusic/
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/justinruffmusic
Image Credits
All Photos Taken By – Joshua Taylor
