Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Midas Black. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Midas, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
My confidence and self-esteem came from being around myself more. I would meditate, go to the gym, be outside as much as I could, and from doing all of that, I could see the value in myself and the value I add when I’m in the room. That attracted people/artists who feel the same about themselves (whether they’re cognizant of it or not), and my confidence and self-esteem were strengthened because of it.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m an audio mixing and mastering engineer, entrepreneur, producer, and artist. Growing up in church, I was always around music, people playing instruments, and songwriting. Being around all of that sparked my interest in producing. I downloaded FL Studio on my mom’s laptop and would spend hours making beats and experimenting with sounds and effects. Soon after, I bought a USB microphone and got a pair of speakers and would spend all day in my room recording myself and making beats. I was always interested in making my songs sound “professional,” so I spent hours watching YouTube videos on mixing and mastering.
When I graduated high school, I moved to the University area of Charlotte and started recording music with some artists in the area. During that time, I was interning at local studios and picking up sessions here and there. I realized that I couldn’t completely enjoy the sessions in these big studios because it felt very “money-first-minded,” and I didn’t like that. I wanted to connect with every artist I worked with. So, I decided to create my own studio. I knew I wanted the space to be inviting and comfortable. I wanted a space where the artists could be themselves and feel artistically safe in trying new things and ideas. And so, Safe Zone Studio was born.
I’m most excited about working with more artists in the Charlotte area and in the surrounding areas. There’s a lot of amazing talent, both undiscovered and buzzing. I want to give artists who want to try new things and experiment with new sounds and ideas the space to do that.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three qualities/skills I found to be most impactful on my journey so far are:
Having Patience – having patience in learning/trying new things, and patience with the process/journey.
Work Ethic – not being afraid to work hard; having a “first one there and last one to leave” mentality; being consistent
Open-mindedness – being willing to work with genres you typically wouldn’t or listen to an idea that you initially thought wasn’t that great. It’s difficult working with people who aren’t open to collaborating–music started from communities, multiple people from different backgrounds collaborating and creating something artistically beautiful.
My advice to people starting out would be to create a routine that works for them. Create a routine where you can strengthen your work ethic, maybe that means waking up earlier so you have more time in the day to be creative or sacrificing going out with friends in order to sharpen your skills. Having a routine will keep you focused and help remind you why you’re doing what you’re doing.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin. If you know who Rick Rubin is then I highly recommend reading this book. If you don’t know how Rick Rubin is, then I recommend watching one of his interviews on YouTube (there’s plenty to choose from). In The Creative Act: A Way of Being, there are so many nuggets of wisdom in this book. My personal favorite is his ideas about listening. Rubin said “ Listening is suspending belief. Formulating an opinon is not listneing. Neither is preparing a response, or defending your own position or attacking another’s. To listen impatiently is to hear nothing at all.” All of this resonates with me because it can be applied, not only in music but in how we communicate with people every day. Another impactful excerpt I like says: “When we sit down to work, remember that the outcome is out of our control. If we…take each step into the unknown…carrying with us all of our collected knowledge, we will ultimately get to where we’re going. This isn’t a matter of blind belief in yourself. It’s a matter of experimental faith…We are required to believe in something that doesn’t exist in order to allow it to come into being”. I know it sounds mysterious and prophetic-like, but essentially, we have to believe in something that doesn’t exist for it to exist.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.safezonestudio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesafezonestudio/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@themidasblack
Image Credits
Jae Scott: @tapedbyjae
Kabriya Watlington: @kulturekamphotographym
Kevin Hewitt: @kevtooreal_18
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
