Meet PHEN

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful PHEN. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with PHEN below.

Hi PHEN, so excited to have you with us today and we are really interested in hearing your thoughts about how folks can develop their empathy? In our experience, most folks want to be empathic towards others, but in a world where we are often only surrounded by people who are very similar to us, it can sometimes be a challenge to develop empathy for others who might not be as similar to us. Any thoughts or advice?

You know, this is a very interesting question for me to answer. Growing up in a southern baptist church in rural New York, I definitely viewed the world in one very specific way throughout my early years and into my teens. My late teens into my twenties was almost like a crash course in experiences that challenged every assumption and bias my early religious upbringing had created for me. There were some hard realizations to have, some hard experiences to go through, but at the end of the day I am so grateful for every moment, because I feel like it expanded my lens on the world and allowed me to learn how to truly see people. I feel that my music and everything attached to it has benefited from those experiences. Empathy is key for human connection, art and expression.

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?

I am an indie pop artist based in New York. I’ve been pursuing music for the last 7 years and this past year I decided to take up the stage name PHEN. My sound centers in the pop genre, but I have influences from all over, including funk, rock, folk, and gospel. I try to put words to experiences I believe we all have but maybe don’t quite have the words to describe, from love and heartbreak, to identity, to grief, to faith. People who enjoy Jon Bellion, LANY, or the 1975 would really enjoy what I am doing.

After working a year to build up the brand of PHEN, I have officially released my first major project, my debut album titled “KID”. I wrote the album about one of the most challenging years of my life, and I hope people who listen are reminded that at the end of the day, we are all just kids trying to figure out this thing we call life. On November 13th, I put on an album release show at The Song & Dance in Syracuse, NY, that was the best show I have ever played in front of the biggest audience I have ever headlined for.

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?

Trying to thrive in the world of music, I can say that learning music production, stage production and videography have been crucial.

I’ve seen plenty of artists who write great music, but lack the knowledge of how to palpably bring that vision to life. I’ve been truly privileged to find myself in opportunities where I needed to know how to create high quality video, how all elements of stage performance work together to create the experience for the audience, how to take a song from an simple idea to something that can be mastered and released, and I feel that having a strong base in all these tangential skillsets not only gives me a leg up in this industry, but also opens the doors to so many other opportunities that exist alongside my pursuit of artistry.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

When I was 17, I almost went to college in Virginia, but had no idea what I was even going to master in. I would tell people, “I’m going to major in music”, whatever that means.

My dad actually sat me down and told me not to go, that I should stay in Syracuse and pursue my dream of music while I’m young. I’ll never forget him saying, “If you try and it doesn’t work out, at least you’ll grow old knowing that you tried.”

That conversation, one that I know is so rare in our world, single handedly put me on the trajectory to where I am today.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.songsbyphen.com
• Instagram: @songsbyphen
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@songsbyphen

Image Credits

Julian Simmons
Dennis Fernando