Meet Vegas Valentine | Songwriter/Performer

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

Hi Vegas, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
There is a lot of hard work, research, reading, troubleshooting, phonecalls, meetings, contracts and other things UNRELATED to making music that go into “making music” as a whole. I would venture to say that over three fourths of the job of “musician” don’t actively involve playing or making music. This can be a big deterrent for many people! You have to have a deep enough love for what you do that supercedes all of the “busy work”.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’ve been a performer in professional environments since childhood. I’m educated in music, theater, and dance, but have always truly STUDIED the great pop performers of our time. I am self taught in production and instrumentation, and I tend to think “outside the box” creatively. As a performer, it is very important to me to tell a compelling story, whether that is through audio production, visual/performance art, vocal dynamics, or even just the lyricism. I view my life as a grand adventure, and that reflects in how I go about putting my stagecraft together. It has NOT been easy! Sometimes I bite off more than I can chew, sometimes my ideas are on a larger scale for what I have at my disposal, and sometimes I don’t know how to ask for help!

I have learned that taking your work seriously, yet not taking yourself too seriously is MANDATORY for mental well being. Laughter is necessary in life. Collaboration with others is how you put big things together, so asking for help and being unafraid to say EXACTLY what you want is key to making your dreams a reality.

Practicing gratitude is an important habit I’ve developed too! Looking back with this mindset, I have way too many points of pride to count! I’ve won awards for my work, and have been nominated in NYC nightlife for high honors five times over, but the real honor for me comes when a peer, whose work I admire, pulls up in any way for my work (this could be a referral, a kind gesture, or a collaboration).

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
It is tough to answer the question of how I’d show a city visitor “the best time ever”. I rarely go out anymore, and spend much if not all of my free time on my craft, or working out, or on learning something new. I lead a relatively cerebral and introverted lifestyle, which may seem “boring” to others, even though it is very stimulating to me,

That said, I have always been in love with Harlem, Brooklyn, and Jamaica, Queens. All of these neighborhoods are situated outside the usual NYC tourist destinations, but contain the true personality of New York. I’m a big fan of coffee shops, vinyl record/book stores, but am also known to check out music venues in the case of Harlem and Brooklyn. Sometimes I have been known to travel all the way out to Jamaica, Queens (an hour commute) solely to hit the gym because “all the cool kids work out at that gym”.

There are always fun events happening at 3Dollar Bill in Brooklyn, and speaking as someone who used to produce shows there, I can’t recommend it enough for a fun night out. House of Yes is also a point of interest, but I’d recommend going there on a weekday to avoid the “culture vultures”.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are two main individuals in my life who mentored me at crucial moments of my journey. Morgan Mallory, a longtime friend and musician from Portland, Oregon, and Dallas’s own Dezi5, who took me under his wing in New York City. They have shared wisdom with me, introduced me to other important people, and given me many tools to succeed as my own artist. I love them both very much and am endlessly grateful for their belief in me.

Website: https://vegasvalentine.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/vegasvalentinemusic

Youtube: https://youtube.com/@VegasValentineMusic

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vegasvalentine Twitch: https://twitch.tv/vegasvalentine Linktree: https://linktr.ee/vegasvalentinemusic

Image Credits
Kevin McGann, Mario Nico, Jeff Eason