Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Ruiz AKA FERRER.
Jonathan, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I came to Miami two years ago, after a four year-round of life-changing events that happened while I was releasing my first album as an Artist in my country, Ecuador. While I was preparing everything for the big night for around six months or more, I got the news that I got accepted to Berklee College of Music for a Master’s Degree in Music Production Technology Innovation and that my country’s government will fund all by a scholarship. That changed my whole plans and my whole life. Of course, I couldn’t say no, and a week after my album release, I was traveling to pursue that master.
It was always my goal to hit the big industry, to be on the same place where everything is happening, so after the Master’s graduation, an Internship in Los Angeles and two years in my country back as a mandatory giveback for the scholarship, I moved to Miami since at that time everybody from the Latin Industry in LA was making that move. Miami is the hot place to post the “Despacito” Effect and I figure that’s where I want to be. I always imagine myself either in Miami, LA or Mexico working on Latin Music.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Its always a roller coaster. If not why taking the ride right? I got here with two Bags and no family around, the Airbnb was close to the airport and I shared that room with so many people who stayed for airport transfers, I last there almost two months in total, after escaping IRMA that hit a week after my arrival.
That period of time, I literally took the train until downtown, got into a Starbucks and googled “Recording Studios near me”, and I called and knocked on the door in many places available. I found opportunities to develop myself learning about the sound and the industry, there is no better college than the street, no better teacher than creating music every single day, and for that, you need two things, stability and time to do it. Therefore I worked part-time and from 4 pm to 2 am every day was about creating a song, when possible, going to network events to connect with more people from the industry.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
My business is to create songs, from songwriting sessions to whole music production, vocal recording, etc. I like to see the gem of each project, trying to keep its personality but at the same time thinking in what can work to be different but mainstream, I´m all about Pop and Latin Urban Music, that is the scene that drives me. I have collab in many projects that granted me a lot of experience and rewards, like an Emmy award plaque, cultural funds, scholarships, among others.
As an Artist, I have placed songs in Internationals Novelas and Series to promote them in Ecuador, won a couple of cultural funds and being a semifinalist at the international songwriting competition with 16000 applicants.
What were you like growing up?
When I was a kid I was all about soccer, I played in minor leagues of the most important teams in Ecuador, for some reason, that path, and high school crossed and it was hard to get to training, so I started staying at home and picking up the guitar because my brother was all into music. At some point, I discovered Fernando Delgadillo and my passion for songwriting started. At the same time, I discovered Lenny Kravitz, John Mayer, SRV, Clapton, etc. and my passion for learning blues guitar and combine it with Latin pop happened to be my signature as an artist´s concept.
Nowadays after my first record that I make that approach, I’m seeking new sound paths mixed with Latin urban, new Latin pop, but lyric-wise keeps to be the same, I know exactly how to say things as an artist different as a songwriter for others, same happens with music production, my project is all about mainstream but with personality, keep it real for me as an artist and different from others.
Contact Info:
- Email: FERRERMUSICA@GMAIL.COM
- Instagram: @FERRERMUSICA
- Facebook: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/FERRER.OFICIAL
- Twitter: @FERRERMUSICA
Image Credit:
Ferrer © 2020
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