Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Killian Hough. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Killian, so happy you were able to devote some time to sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our community. So, we’ve always admired how you have seemingly never let nay-sayers or haters keep you down. Can you talk to us about how to persist despite the negative energy that so often is thrown at folks trying to do something special with their lives?
Well… I feel that when you love something you’re doing, you shouldn’t have to justify it to the least supportive people in your life. They don’t really seem to want you to be happy with yourself. I even have family who have tried to make sure I know my successes are very small and not earned. I was given an honorable mention for my acting performance in a short film recently. When I posted about that news, a family member sent me a dm with a reel implying that it’s not that I was good, it’s that the people around me on the project just made me look good. All that really communicated was that they think I’m not actually good enough to have received that mention. I’m just lucky, apparently. They didn’t congratulate me on the achievement at all, so I don’t know how else they could have expected me to interpret that. Joke’s on them though, because I also worked behind the scenes, and I am very aware it’s a team effort to make these projects. I always thank everyone who was involved because of course I wouldn’t necessarily look good without their help, however that doesn’t mean I don’t deserve any acknowledgement for my contributions and abilities I have worked very hard on. I am already my worst critic, so I have been working a lot on allowing myself to receive the idea that I could achieve something. Why should I listen to someone trying to keep me in a self discouraging place? Why I am bringing this story up is just to use a light example of how haters can be anywhere in your life and why you don’t need to listen to them, especially when they’re providing nothing to you beyond discouragement.
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 feel like my story really begins when I met my now wife and us moving to California back in 2018, because most things prior to that were packed full of trauma and I don’t really want to air out all the specifics at the moment. When listening to my music etc, you can probably put some of those pieces together, because I definitely put personal experiences into some of my songwriting.
I released my debut album, Spiked Arnold Palmers, back in 2020, which is available on all major streaming platforms, so if you’re interested, you can find it on there. It’s a St. Louis Missouri meets Southern California inspired alternative pop album. It has some 60s 70s flair fused with the sounds of today. The move from my hometown in the St. Louis area to California was obviously a pretty heavy influence.
I am a bit all over the place in my artistic goals. I’m a music artist, actor, and filmmaker, so I juggle a lot between those things. I just love those creative spaces. My main focuses in those spaces recently have been expanding a short film a group of friends and I made for the 48 hour film project, getting my second album ready for release, and creating visuals to go along with some of the songs on that album.
One of those visuals, Crimson Sky, has been having a pretty decent film festival run this year. I didn’t really expect it, but it’s pretty exciting. That song and visual mean so much to me. There is a long history behind it. It played at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Blvd for the Silicon Beach Film Festival in September, it will be playing at the Regal LA Live for the Culver City Film Festival this December, and I just got news the other day that it’s an official selection for the San Diego Movie Awards. I mean our whole team is so stunned and honored that our little music video short film is receiving these acknowledgments. At the end of the day everything I do is a passion project and this one is getting a lot more attention than we ever thought it would. We are so honored and grateful.
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?
For some reason I’m finding it difficult to answer this question. Maybe I don’t understand the question. I mean sometimes it feels like I’ve just been trudging through life and dreaming big this whole time. I struggle with PTSD, depression, and anxiety, so therapy is a big part of my journey for sure, however of course it’s not just that. I bring it up because I highly recommend it for everyone. I think we all need it, especially in these uncertain times we are currently living in. Being a father and husband has had the most positive impact in my life’s journey for sure and that of course impacts my professional journey.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Hey, I mean I am always looking to team up with others and create art. If you’re someone who has time for passion projects, let’s get together and talk about what we are working on and how we can come together and get some of it done. You can reach out to me on Instagram @killianhough
Contact Info:
- Website: killianhough.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/killianhough
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@killianhough
- Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/killianhough.bsky.social
Image Credits
AJ Pisano
