Meet KRollin’

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to KRollin’. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

KRollin’, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with. 
Growing up I struggled with confidence and self-esteem a lot. And when I say “a lot” , I really mean that It was one of my biggest struggles growing up. There were some high standards that I was held to, whether It was my grades or a fly-away sticking up on my head, I had to always present myself a certain way. That ended up being one of my greatest obstacles, and even to this day I have to continue to remind myself to break free from the results of my conditioning. I can’t say that I’ve completely broken free from my self-consciousness, but I definitely have earned to control It and use this mindset to my advantage. I gained a lot of skills during this time because I had a nagging level of expectations, and that led to me learning to do my hair, to do my makeup, and a lot of other self sufficient things. My biggest takeaway from developing confidence and self-esteem is being sure of the choices you make and developing a healthy improvement of your insecurities. I was insecure about my look, so I learned how to do my makeup by watching hours of tutorials, practicing, and ultimately reaching the level that I’m at now. I was insecure about my body, so I worked on that until I reached a point where I was satisfied with how my body looked in specific outfits. It’s all about your personal perspective and constant elevation to reach the best version of yourself, and once you accomplish those milestones, you start to gain a sense of confidence. Nobody can tell you anything because you’ve already developed the best version of you. And then you continue the healthy version of this cycle for every area you want to improve.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I Am KRollin’ (Kay-Role-In), and I’m a Singer/Songwriter from East Oakland, California, and my passion for music has stemmed from a mixture of instruments, church, and imagination. I remember my dad used to take me to his trumpet lessons as a toddler; I would recite the notes back to them during the breaks in the music, and at the age of 5 I started writing my own rhymes. I would sing about my friends and my crushes, but the most memorable song for me was my family members that were no longer with us. Music was always a form of expression and therapy for me, and It ended up really turning into a safe space for me when I started going through the adolescent phase. I would always watch some of my favorite bands on Youtube performing at Warped tour and I saw this one performance from Hayley Williams and Paramore, and I just knew that It was something that I wanted to experience in my life. My vision for my music was to bridge the gap between those who can’t quite express their feelings and those who have successfully made It through those same struggles. That picture has stuck with me for a long time, and though I take breaks to ground myself and figure out my direction, that will ALWAYS continue to be my motivator. Since then, I’ve released a number of songs on streaming and have done a handful of live performances around the Bay Area. I think the most special part of me and my music career is my journey and resilience. I think that everyone has a story, and there are some moments in our lives that are straight out of a movie, but it’s about how you overcome these unbelievable lows and create that plot for yourself.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I think so far the three most impactful pieces of knowledge that I’ve learned or received are:

1. Learn to play your role- this is one of the most important pieces of knowledge that I think has allowed me into the spaces that I’ve been in. The industry itself is a cut throat one, and there are so many people that are trying to get into spots that are “limited”, and people will do anything to get into those spots. Not to mention the amount of people who are in places of power, and want to exploit their position, who will try to use you or exploit you in the process. I’ve learned that you have to play your role and use these opportunities to further yourself just as they’re trying to, as long as it’s not something that goes against your morals, you can be content with using these opportunities as stepping stones. It doesn’t have to relate to just career moves either. Playing my role has allowed so many blessings, opportunities, and connections some of which are now some of my closest friends.

2. Take the time to plan our your moves- This is super important to be successful because you have your next moves planned out. Again this piece of knowledge can be very versatile across more than just career paths, It can be used for any move you plan to make in life. Every event, music video shoot, performance, etc. has a number of steps in the planning phase that makes sure that every detail is handled and allows a more comfortable experience in everything. For example a photoshoot has to have the hair, makeup, outfit, background, location, etc. planned in advanced so that the communication and vision is clear and explicit to everyone who is involved. Same with a music video or roll out, there needs to be clear expectations and days of planning involved to make sure that the goals are met number wise, production wise, or whatever It is. The planning stage is essential to success.

3. Document your journey- I think this is an important part of the journey and the growth of your brand to document the beginning stages. The nitty gritty of the journey is something that so many people love to see. When I watch documentaries about artists, I love seeing the recordings of the beginning shows with 15 or 20 people in the crowd. Just thinking about the present when they’re selling out arenas and selling out their collabs with brands who are known worldwide, is motivation that it’s possible to be successful if the work is put in to achieve It. I love seeing childhood videos too because you really get an idea of how sure they were about their career paths before It really came to fruition. Start Documenting NOW.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
I’m all for making sure your mental health a priority. When I feel overwhelmed I’m not afraid to vocalize that and take a step back until I feel comfortable with my position and am ready to tackle these challenges. I think there are different levels of stress and being overwhelmed and some of these levels are positive. There are times your life is moving a number of positive directions that require a level of dedication and discomfort, but if you receive a residual or reach a goal in the end it’s worth staying down for the come up. I think that that kind of overwhelming feeling is the type that ends, and if there’s a certain lifestyle you’re wanting to reach, you have to be okay with that. When It comes to unnecessary anxiety and panic about the future and producing a product with a expectations that haven’t been established, I think that’s definitely a time when it’s okay to unplug from everything, meditate and regroup until you feel okay. Sometimes it’s days and sometimes it’s weeks, but sometimes you have to release those expectations you have on yourself and celebrate where you’ve come. You have to use that journey as motivation to keep going during those times. The first step I would take though is finding out your preference of self-care. Is It skincare, meditation, exercise, or making sure your space is stable. You have to figure out how to ground yourself in times of uncertainty and use It as a way to start to heal and take time to nurture yourself before you can keep going.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Jazzy Nights Bay Area Performance Shot by: @bcasamgmt Beauty Supply Store Shoot: @yangvibe Studio Smoke Session: @casey_manuel Bart Station Shoot: @kang_koopa Bathtub Shoot: @toska.media

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