We recently connected with Sam Ferrara and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Sam, so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?
Taking a risk is something that is for most people very difficult to take, Taking a risk means taking a chance, the possibility of failing. But how do you develop that ability?
For me- I’m someone who loves to take a risk and I developed this ability by just believe in myself. If you don’t believe in yourself, it is harder to take a risk. Sometimes we fail, sometimes things don’t work and IT’S OKAY!!!! The chance of failure gives you an opportunity to turn around, fix your mistakes and go after it again. I took a risk of moving to Nashville to pursue my career in music and it was the best thing I could of done for myself- but I believed in myself and knew it was right even though I had established a life back in New York. It was worth the risk considering all the accomplishments I have made in the last 6 years.
You have to have confidence in yourself to accomplish the things you want- if you don’t then you’re not actually living. So if you’re thinking about taking a risk–do it! It won’t hurt and you never know where it will lead you to!
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?
I am a Singer/Songwriter, where I am writing original songs and performing them. I am also a multi instrumentalist, playing instruments such as clarinet, saxophone and many more. I also was recently a music teacher for the last 10 years and left that job to pursue music full time.
What is so exciting about music for me is that I can be put into a different universe when writing and creating music and then live out the emotion and stories when performing. Creating and performing music gives me life and for me is something that I am blessed and thankful to do everyday. My whole life growing up revolved around performing and playing music and I will say, I do not see myself doing anything different with my life- it’s all music all the time! From playing sax with the band Point Taken to my own original music to singing covers that I relate to- music has always been a part of me and has been an incredibly special part of my life that makes me feel like I have belonging and purpose to what I do in life.
I am fortunate enough to have just released my debut album ‘Piece of Me’ on July 28th and that was a project I worked on for the last 8 years (started writing before I moved to Nashville and then came together while living in Nashville). This album really represents the pieces and stories of my life and how I got to where I am at today and these stories inspired me to share them with the world. It showcases some of the styles of music I am inspired by, songs are written about people who have made an impact/special part of my life and has inspirational messages behind them. My goal with this album was to show the world who I am and make an impact with the songs I create. Putting this music out has been incredibly special to me and has really helped me grow as a musician and creative.
As an artist, the clock never stops turning and there are always people and stories that inspire me to write and be better and music and helps me to share my feelings and stories behind them. That’s what’s incredibly special about being an artist.
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?
Three things I learned throughout my experience in this profession:
1. CONNECT! Go out and watch your friends, go to shows you don’t think you would go to- go out and makes connections with people. Connect with your audience when you are performing– you NEVER know who you are going to meet that will change your life for the better, help you write your next hit, get you the next career move. Everyone has a purpose, support your people, connect with others.
2. It is okay to fail. Not everything we do is going to be perfect and not everyday is going to be great. Work through the tough moments, pick-up and start again when something doesn’t go right. Don’t sit and dwell on the negative- it’s not going to help you move forward and find what could be your next success. Always stay positive when things get hard or you fail, you will find your spark when you least expect it.
3. Always ask for advice. We may not know EVERYTHING- people are willing to help, ask for help and don’t do things by yourself. It can be super difficult. So when you need a little help so you aren’t overwhelmed….ask for help!
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When I am overwhelmed I usually do one of two things I ask for help so I do not burn myself out or I will take some time out for self care.
I can’t even explain how important it is to take some self-care when you are overwhelmed. Taking that time will help clear the mind and even give a little space for you to think clearly on the decisions that need to be made. I am someone who needs to take time away for a bit to get some clarity after being overwhelmed with so many things on my plate.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.samferraramusic.com
- Instagram: http://Instagram.com/SamFerraraMusic
- Facebook: http://Facebook.com/samferraramusic
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/samferraramusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClS1Erm2XOlWdmVrtp92n7A
- Other: https://linktr.ee/samferraramusic
Image Credits
Patrick Crean Ayla Cress Chelsea Erica Smith
