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Life & Work with Color. The Creative of Chicago

Today we’d like to introduce you to Color. The Creative.

Hi Color., so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started when I was around 5 years old. My grandfather was a jazz musician, and because of him I was exposed to instruments like keys, guitar, and drums, playing by hearing and composing very early. So when I was in 3rd grade my school introduced woodwinds to our music class and I picked flute because I am also a gamer at heart and “Link” (From Zelda) made me want to learn the flute/piccolo. As I progressed in school and learned how to read music fluently, I was very head strong on learning all instruments. Long story short I now I play woodwinds and brass. I am also still learning strings. When it comes to the beginning of me writing, singing and rapping I was listening to musicians like “The Dungeon Family”, India Arie, Erykah Badu, Michael Jackson, bands like Linkin Park, Fall out boy, American Rejects, Beatles etc. And I would pull up the instrumentals to their songs and write my own versions to them. I was always big on poetry and just journaling in general at a young age and I just never stopped. It’s really just in me at this point. I didn’t even go to college a lot of people assume all the time because I’ve become fluent at this I graduated Columbia College or something, but I just never stopped practicing and doing what I loved doing since I was a little girl. Music doesn’t have a age cap. I just always knew if this is something I wanted to do for a living I cant ever stop learning and always be ready to perform.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I honestly hate what social media and Ai have turned music into. Its very rare that people are authentic anymore everybody has to hop on someone else’s trend to be pushed/discovered. My biggest struggle has been social media cause I have to force myself to do it and I’m a fulltime (homeschooling) mom of one wild little girl. I miss back when you can hit the radio and your career go up from there. Now you just get shazams and 10 cents.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a musician, voice actress and entrepreneur. I perform for all types of events ( book me at bookcolor.forvibes@gmail.com or dm on all socials @oneandonlycolor) and I just put together a small business called “Cozy Shop with Color.” where I sell handmade items by me. Items such as junky cases, knitted items like car decor, phone holders, blankets, self care items etc. I am also currently in the process of creating a exfoliating scrub and mask for your face. I am overall known for music and playing 7 instruments. I am proud that I stuck to being a musician cause I know a lot of amazing instrumentalist that wasted their potential after they graduated school and that really breaks my heart. I think that sets me apart from others I’ve always chose music in school at a young age because I wanted to not because it was a skill my parents forced me to have or whatever. I genuinely enjoy being a creative and being surrounded by other creatives. I have a extremely diverse taste in music. I literally vibe to just about anything and I write that way as well.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Taking risks is just a part of being a musician and entrepreneur. You godda pay to play. Its very tricky where to invest your money cause you never know what will really give a decent impact. Whether its paying for promo for your events to sell tickets, or promoting a album or single. Or like starting out my first time having dancers, I didn’t have a dance studio to rehearse with them so I risked having strangers in my house but it was worth it, thank God they were genuinely good people and didn’t rob me. Another risk is performing in sketchy areas I got followed to my car twice after a show and had to do laps to make it in my car safely.

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