Meet Ian Sebastian | Musician, composer, actor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ian Sebastian and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ian, what do you attribute your success to?
There are various factors and even definitions to success. It may be different for each individual. For me, success is doing what I love, what I enjoy doing, and if success is measured by monetary compensation, well then the ultimate success is getting paid for doing what you love to do.

For me, what’s clear or evident is that whatever I choose to do, it has to be done with great dedication, focus and perseverance. There’s no other way, and that in itself is also “success”, when you know you gave it everything you have and you always believed in yourself. When you do this, when you achieve this level of dedication, then you have nothing to regret.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started by writing lyrics in rap format when I was 17. My friend Noe would compose original beats for my lyrics. I was shy about it at first but quickly noticed that writing came relatively easy to me, or rather, it seemed I had something to say and wanted to express it. I also found that when writing, I was socially and politically CONSCIOUS of my surroundings and social-political topics, and of course, I also wrote about love and relationships.

As my writing developed, as I grew older, and as I evolved intellectually, so did my lyrics. I also opened up a great deal to all sorts of music and found that I had a thirst to quench, being that I wanted to hear and learn about other genres like rock, jazz, blues, funk, even classical music. That’s where my stepdad’s influence comes in. In my home there’s no shortage of The Beatles and The Stones, there’s also John Coltrane and Chet Baker, there’s salsa masters like Hector Lavoe and Willie Colon, the Seattle grunge sound is present, and so is Johan Sebastian Bach and Mozart, Motown and B.B. King.

I understood that no musician is complete without learning all this, and I was always told: “write music for musicians”, and that’s what I try to do as I interpret it… I write music for myself, meaning, I write and compose how I feel it should sound at the moment, how I feel it, how I want to express it. Some compositions may carry a jazz influence, others a more blues feel, while other tunes have funk influences, but I stay loyal to the original creation and “feel” that comes to mind when creating.

Some “external” challenges are the common formulas that are used in this industry. For example, the “stay in your lane” advise when having to choose a single genre may be true and realistic in the industry, especially for marketing, exposure, and sales purposes, and I understand that, but I also know that this may limit many artists’ true potential in exploring or discovering their hidden talents, especially in pop music. I believe that limiting artists’ imagination or their willingness to experiment with other genres and sounds voids the arts of endless possibilities of being introduced to new sounds by upcoming aspiring musicians, and in the long run that can be detrimental to music itself.

I realize this has a lot to do with what the market or what consumers want, or are able to hear, but I also think that if we as artists expose listeners to a wider-range of sounds, they, the listeners, will also expand their music knowledge, and this is why many musicians, to begin with, study and listen to artists of the past as well as other genres. I find it amazing, for example, how many pop songs are inspired by classical music. It’s fascinating, and when you discover this you can’t help but to research or listen to classical compositions, and that’s, for example, how you discover Bach.

As for personal challenges? I am my own challenge, meaning, I don’t stop pushing myself, and that’s fundamental in anything you do. The rest, those things that can be considered “challenges” are just part of the scenery that are there to learn from and help me (us) grow.

What I mean to say about this is also part of what one thinks sets himself apart from others; for example, if your ultimate goal is a certain destination, be it fame, fortune, recognition, then there’s a chance of overlooking the many things along the way, the actual journey. I’ve done some traveling abroad. When I get in the airplane I know the destination is, for example, Paris. This is the destination I chose, and from there I may have many other destinations mapped out for my trip, and I’ll get to all of them, but then there’s the journey throughout. The people I’ll meet, the challenges I’ll have, the unplanned places I’ll find myself in or when I thought I was going to sleep “here” and find myself sleeping “there”. That’s what the “trip” is about just like what the artistic journey is about, and that in itself sets you apart.

Musically what may set me apart, and hopefully within artists I admire who have also set themselves apart, is the originality of my sound, and that goes back to everything I explained. This is what works for me, this is what satisfies me, and yes, I hope to bring pleasure or inspiration, perhaps even a message of hope to those who give my music a listen. Someone said “music is the soundtrack to your life”.; no doubt, this is true.

For me, it all starts with writing a thought. As I progress throughout, it becomes a poem, and to quote another truth once spoken, “poems are emotions recollected from a distance”, and so everything I write and compose is based on my emotions and my feelings, and this is why music touches us all in such a personal and deep way. I simply can’t imagine a world without music, without the arts. It would be a world without emotions, without feelings.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This has a lot to do with personal tastes or what one considers a fun or “must do” activity. What I mean is, you can take the practical way and take your friend to the popular and touristy spots, or you can organize an agenda designed around your friend’s preferences. Personally, I like to take friends that are visiting me to those places that inspire. It’s a way of showing them my world, my space, even my mind and thoughts.

One thing that is not to be taken informally or in a practical way is food. The way I grew up, sitting down to enjoy a meal, the action of breaking bread, as they say, was very important just as the quality and variety of food was fundamental. For me, a good and unique meal, good conversation, good company, and great atmosphere, whether in a cool restaurant or at a backyard barbecue at my house is one of the joys of. life, and if you are a friend that’s visiting me, especially staying with me, I make sure this is all part of your experience.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
In my everyday life, there’s no-doubt I was encouraged by the support of my family. My mom and stepdad’s unconditional love and belief in me certainly built a foundation that I rely upon to this day. Musically, my stepdad’s influence as well as my father’s former music career exposed me to a wide range of genres that help me understand how important it is to know the past and present of music to be able to create an original future regarding my own sounds.

Those in music who I met in my first steps may not know it, but were fundamental and inspiring to me; musicians and friends like Stella Rose (a.k.a. “Rosie”), her brother Matteo Scher and my good friend and composer, Noe Ranuschio are definitely credited for the beginning of my music career.

As time went by and I began finding my voice and styles, I was fortunate to have met my acting coach, music mentor, and most importantly, a person whose advice and guidance have always been designed for what is best for me as an artist and human; Michael Jacques from “Film Acting with Michael Jacques”.

From there I have to say that I’ve been fortunate with the musicians I’ve met, worked and continue to work with, and have also developed important friendships with. From Matt Ryan, a great composer, musician, and producer, to Carolena, whose all-around talent make her a complete well-rounded artist, to “$DVLLV$ (“Cash Dallas) who introduced me to the Shoutout Miami family. Another musician/producer who has influenced “Conscious” and has definitely opened many dimensions of what my music can be is drummer Nathan Erthal. I simply love working with him.

I suppose you can say that all this makes up the foundation of my work and progress, and for this I am grateful.

I believe that an artist is in a constant state of evolution, and being so, all those who I come across with have a way of leaving a bit of an imprint, but you have to be willing to learn and be open about every experience.

Website: https://linktr.ee/Consciousmusic

Instagram: @OfficialConscious

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-sebastian-176160127

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuGOUm4SFNeiW-DuD8ewIrg/featured

Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/33Q0Waa6rJDaEMm0xIQjQO?si=yUrISD12Q3WYCQRXqZgddw&utm_source=copy-link

Image Credits
Dylan Nine, Cleanne Viana, Giano Currie, Adidas