Today we’d like to introduce you to El Lambert.
Hi El, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My Mom tells me that I was in a “Talented Kid” contest around 1 year old and I won by “playing the piano and singing” lol I do remember watching a video clip from my 1st Birthday Party (my Dad recorded everything) and my Mom sat my down on her lap at the piano and I would be trying to figure out the notes and then match the pitch with my voice……so it’s safe to say that music was in me since the beginning. I grew up in a small town in West Virginia called Martinsburg. About an hour and a half from Washington, D.C, I got a good mix of country life with some city experiences sprinkled in.
Early Teenage Years: Around this time, I also started getting into Music Production, I’d been writing songs since about 6 or 7, and then I started getting into Music Theory and stage performance. I joined most of the choirs in my high school, but I really enjoyed “Show Choir” where we did a combination of singing, dancing, and acrobatics lol It was called Good Times and we had an amazing music teacher named Mrs. Linda Snyder. She was also my older Brother & Sister’s Music Teacher as well. My Brother (Alex) was also in Show Choir when he was in high school (he’s 7 years older), so Mrs. Snyder would actually pick me up from elementary school and take me to the high school (down the street) and I would sit in their practices after they got out of school. They won trophies, had phenomenal soloists, and really amazing choreography! Seeing them rehearse and then watching the performances come together for show time….it was game changing. From then on, I knew I wanted to be in Good Times when I got to high school.
High School was a coming-of-age time for me and trying out and becoming a member of Good Times felt like something that I’d worked for had come true. That was the first time that happened and that opportunity prepared me for the stage, got me comfortable performing and dancing in front of people, I became a “Dance Captain”, a soloist, and actually won a few solo awards during my time competing. It was also during these years that I also got more interested in Business and I was really inspired by many of the “Business Moguls” on TV and in the media, so I knew from that age that I wanted to be free enough to perform music or open a new company. Seeing them balance running various companies showed me that it was possible, I just needed the right team.
Then Until Now: I went on to college to study Business, while still pursuing my Music career. I was producing music, writing songs, playing piano around my college town (Morgantown, WV) where I attended West Virginia University. I also took my business aspirations to the next level by working in Marketing for Small Businesses, Event/Party/Concert Promotion, and started to Consult Businesses on the side.
After college, I moved to DC to grow my career in both the music and business worlds, while being closer to my parents and other close family members. Although I grew up in West Virginia, my family roots are traced mostly to the DC area and North Carolina. During those DC years (2013-2017), I met and worked with a few of my musical heroes, I performed on some legendary stages, and really learned some amazing lessons that helped me to form a solid foundation in my current city of Charlotte, North Caroina (2017-Present). D.C showed me what was possible.
Charlotte: This is where my dreams have been realized! I hit 1,000 performances (in Charlotte) at the beginning of 2024, have been finishing up 2 music projects, launching a Vocal Wellness Brand specializing in teas, honey, throat lozenges, and lifestyle products for anyone who uses their voice to make money. Since 2023, I been working with the jails, first with a program named “The Beat of Life” where we would write uplifting, healing, and transformative songs with inmates in facilities in cities across the county and now I’m working with the Charlotte Sheriff’s Department with a program called “2nd Verse” where we teach them musical concepts such as songwriting, production, and engineering plus they receive a core curriculum of Creative Entrepreneurship where they learn about business concepts such as marketing, branding, rebranding, and pitching themselves and their ideas.
I love the fact that I get to exist as an Entertainer and Creative Entrepreneur and now I’m in a place where I’m building a team around what I do and am looking to scale to the next level.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
This has been an amazing journey, but I’ve had my share of struggles.
1. Leaving my home state and my family. Coming from a place where not many people move far away, it can cause a sense of unease and isolation being somewhere that they can’t easily get to (and vice versa). Although moving to Charlotte has been an amazing opportunity, I’ve been here for 9 years. That’s 9 years of parents/grandparents aging, that’s memories not being shared, that’s small gatherings that I’m not attending. So it weighs on you at times, but Facetime, phone calls, and airplanes are a blessing and they keep me connected to them.
2. Mental Health. Many artists struggle with doubt, fear, anxiety, depression etc and most of us are afraid to talk about it, not realizing that it can help someone else. I struggled at certain points in my career with doubting my abilities, doubting my purpose, being down about where my career was, not embracing the blessings and opportunities that I had, and just having expectations from so many people watching your life from afar. It’s helped me to share these struggles with my peers and many of them have dealt with the same things.
3. Financing my career and still existing. Being a human is expensive, so try adding Entrepreneur, Musician, Recording and Performing Artist to that list lol Yea. So it’s been a beautiful blessing to be asked to perform, play piano, host, and do other things that I love in order to take care of myself and my family (I’ve been married since 2022 to my beautiful Wife Jada + our amazing dog Buddy lol), but it was tough over the years. I remember hiding my car from the repo man when I was fresh out of college, taking people to lunch when I couldn’t afford my phone bill, paying for studio sessions with my rent money, losing investors……those where some hard times and I still have them from time to time, but they made me resilient and super grateful for every opportunity that comes my way.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a Creative Entrepreneur:
My Creative side is based around Music. I’ve always loved music, come from a music family, and have been performing and playing it since I was a child. I primarily sing and play the piano and my genres are R&B/Soul, Neo-Soul, as well as a little Gospel every now and then. My Entrepreneur side is based around building products and services around my creative ideas. Mostly in and around the entertainment world.
I’m known for my distinct sound and vibe. I have a soulful, smooth sound with the experience to perform for small rooms and massive crowds alike. I’m most inspired by impactful artists who have experienced success over a long career, artists like Babyface, Stevie Wonder, and PJ Morton. They’ve charted territory that I hope to explore and in addition to my own music, I’m currently writing and producing music with various artists, which I really enjoy. I have to thank them for inspiring me to do so.
I’m most proud of the current state of my career. Musically, over the past 10 years, I’ve been writing, producing, and collaborating on a series of songs in a collection called “What A Feeling” as well as a 2nd project called “Deep Thoughts” where I explore real-time issues in the world and my life in a 5-song EP that I wrote last year while in Nashville, Tennessee. I’m in the process of doing my first feature show in 3 years, where I’m performing 11 original songs with my band and background singers. This is most exciting because it marks a transition from an artist who does mostly covers, to an artist who performs and promotes their own original material. That’s a game changer.
In addition to the Music, I’m extremely passionate about my Vocal Wellness Brand called “Singers & Speakers Co.” This company was birthed from an idea I had from seeing my Dad drink special teas and remedies to keep his voice clear when he had to preach, sing, or teach. As I began to sing more (in various environments), I began to rely on tea more and more. I also began to take note of the effects of the tea based on the ingredients. It started as an idea for a single tea and then it blossomed into an entire Lifestyle Brand supporting the active Singers & Speakers of the World. Look out for our flagship blend “Show Time” which comes to market in just a few short months!
What sets me apart from others is my unique skillset. Being well-rounded is something that my Dad preached to us growing up and I’m happy to remain a student throughout it all. I know how to do many things and that aids me throughout my life and my career. Being able to play piano allows me to be free as an artist and also be able to play for myself if I need a musician. lol Singing, Hosting Events, Curating Events, Teaching in the Jails, and much more has given me a unique vantage point and set of skills. My current goals are centered around maximum impact, both for myself and the people I serve. How can I be more helpful as I’m on a quest to be my best self? This is the most free that I felt. I’m grateful for it all.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I have to first say that although I understand and appreciate the concept, I must say that many of the things that have happened in my life would be considered as blessings. I believe God has guided my footsteps and I appreciate the prayers of my Parents, Grandparents, and my Community.
With that said, I do believe that I’ve had moments that are totally unexplainable, from meeting the right people to things totally falling apart. There were times where I felt unlucky and like things wouldn’t go my way, but also there were moments where things just felt right. So, it began to just feel like more of a journey, rather than just these spurts of exciting achievements coupled with times of depression and stagnation in my career.
I believe that things happen for a reason and a season……take it in stride and enjoy the ride. Not to be cliche, but it just helps me remember that the things that aren’t in my control, aren’t in my control and the things that are….are. I can focus my energy on being the best artist, musician, producer, writer, and creative entrepreneur I can be, while not allowing myself to get too high or too low. Staying focused on self-improvement has allowed me to remain humble, but I have to make sure to pat myself on the back every once in a while.
Pricing:
- Solo Performances: Starting at $500
- Band Performances: Local ($1500+) Travel ($3000+)
- Speaking: Starting at $500
- Business Coaching Sessions: $250
- Music Production: Starting at $300
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ellambert.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamellambert/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellis.a.lambert.1
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellislambert/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Iamellambert
- soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/el-lambert
