Today, we’d like to introduce you to Genesis Barrios.
Genesis, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m gen.wav, a 26-year-old Cuban-American Singer, Multi-Instrumentalist, and Producer based in Miami, Florida. For too long, I struggled to fit into society’s predefined categories, only to realize that my artistry thrives in breaking free from such constraints.
As a multi-faceted artist and producer, I revel in exploring the depths of music production and composition and not sticking to one genre or style. My sonic palette spans across diverse genres, from Latin to Urban to electronic- all while staying deeply rooted in the vibrant culture of Miami.
I began my musical journey at 8 years old in Miami-Dade County Public Schools where I participated in Magnet Piano, Orchestra, and Choir Programs through 12th Grade. I was always a top student taking part in All-State Choirs and the prestigious Young Arts Program. I began self-teaching myself guitar and music production in middle school, and while I have always been confident in my music skills there was always a doubt fueled by what society, family and friends think of entertainers and the misconception of the “starving artist”.
During this struggle, in my first semester of college I switched from studying Jazz Voice at Miami Dade College and moved to Orlando to study Computer Science. I studied hard, and five years later, I got my Bachelor’s of Science in Computer Science from Florida International University, all the while continuing to learn music production, releasing music, and gaining thousands of subscribers and millions of streams across platforms.
I began releasing original music around 2017 while I was still in college, and haven’t stopped since. I’m honestly grateful to have the career that I have because tech is a huge part of society, and even music and entertainment. I think it’s common to have a voice inside that tells you you haven’t done enough, or you should be further in life, and I sure do, even big artists and people that have “made it” have the same thoughts, because there is always room to grow.
But the older I get, and the more things align and fall into place, I see how everything happens as it’s meant to, and I trust in my path wherever it may lead me. I’m a Trans Man and I’m a little over one year into my medical transition. Although many people are uneducated on it, dysphoria and being trans is something that has affected my life in every way, in my friendships, my family, my education, my job, and even my music.
I’ve never publicly told this story, but the reason I first ever came out online and shared my pronouns was because when I went viral on TikTok in 2021, I got flooded with hundreds of comments misgendering me that sent me into a spiral and made me accept myself in a way- enough to be able to publicly start sharing my true self.
During that time, I somehow got my FIRST Reggaeton song placed on two Spotify Latin Playlists, and then I got my TikTok to go viral. And though I’ve looked back many times and wondered how I could’ve capitalized on that moment more, and many other moments like it, I’m really grateful to be where I’m at, grateful that I was able to transition and get top surgery at 25 when there are many people that don’t have the opportunity.
In the past two years, I have gotten more serious about music, and it’s not just something that I “do”; this is my passion that I dedicate the most time to. While I continue to be a Software Engineer, I also do side projects, and I want to create tools that help musicians and independent creators. One project I’m working with is PanaMia, a local directory for exactly that- to connect artists, venues, vendors, and small businesses in South Florida. I think that giving back to the community can only help everyone further because we’re all looking for the same solutions.
I’m also deeply involved in the Web3 space, with my Software Development and my music, offering Music NFTs that serve as rare collectibles, tokens for future perks, as well as direct downloads to my music. As the industry changes, I think its important to always find ways to expand and I think decentralization is natural, the industry is already going that way, why not try Web3?
It hasn’t been easy being an independent artist, not only fully handling all of the music production, but having to learn videography, editing, marketing, social media, and consistently stay up to date with it all is a full-time job in itself. But I do it all with love, and with over a decade of experience in crafting original music and all the little milestones I’ve achieved along the way, I’m driven to explore how far I can take my music career.
My future endeavors include releasing my debut album that comes out May 30th, more live performances and collaborations, and a relentless pursuit of creating new, boundary-pushing music.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t, leaving home for college and having to work to maintain myself while studying full-time was difficult, so is just having a full-time job. It’s also been difficult navigating the music industry as an independent artist with absolutely no insight as to what to do.
When I first started releasing music I would just release the song with the cover art and promote that, and not create many other visuals or any other content. I just wasn’t aware of what I could do with what I had, even though I knew how to make my own videos and edit already. It’s also a learning process and a process of growth. I have also been learning music production on my own since middle school, and I feel like I’m up to par with industry producers now. The industry itself has been evolving and changing a lot as well, and that has actually helped a lot.
As a trans man, I haven’t found it easy to navigate the world either. Growing up as the wrong gender already experiencing the world is traumatic. I had many music experiences that were basically ruined because I had to experience them as the opposite gender, causing them to be unhappy memories and experiences. My transition in and of itself takes a lot of time and energy, but it’s absolutely necessary to my journey and has only improved my life and my music.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Professionally, I am a Software Engineer with four years in the industry, and I’m also an artist and producer. I’ve been releasing original music for over 8 years and performing in the Miami music scene for the past 6 years since I moved back to Miami from college.
I’m most proud of my achievements and being an independent artist. I’ve built it all on my own, with help and inspiration from colleagues and professors. But I’m proud to say that I didn’t have to go to school to study music, and I’m able to create music that people in the music industry can admire.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those just starting.
Look at the greats, what did they do, look at their routines, listen to how they speak, what they say, is there any negativity coming out, what inspires them, what motivates them?
These are all things I have looked for, and I continue to look for in my research that I’m constantly doing. I would also say don’t take advice from people who are not in the industry because they literally have no clue what they’re talking about. I’ve let opinions cloud my judgment and perception of the world when there are thousands of people working and living off of entertainment.
Take everything with a grain of salt because everyone has a different path. Don’t think of your music releases as a checklist, it’s your art – as long as you believe in it, work your artistry and create more art that can be used to promote your music.
Pricing:
- $125 Exclusive Beat.
- $125 Mixing and Mastering.
- $40/Hr Web Development.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://genwav.xyz/os
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/gen.wav
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/gendotwav
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@genwav
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/genwav
- Other: https://linktr.ee/gen.wav
Image Credits
KHR!S João
Gurudine
@itskonstant
Manic Shape Media
