Born and raised in Lithonia, Georgia, Mr. Muzix is a young and influential songwriter, musician, and artist.  Starting with the guitar at a very young age, playing drums in middle school, learning piano in high school, and teaching himself bass guitar during his college years, he is a true performer and creative.

     Heavily influenced in the realm of soul, funk, pop, and hip-hop, Mr. Muzix has transformed the idea of a music genre to create what he refers to as “MUZIX”; expression through song, no particular genre.

     Recently, he has become an exclusive Record drop Artist, had an interview with VoyageATL, and even performed at the Morehouse College Graduating Pinning Ceremony in Atlanta, GA.

     With the mindset of liberating others through song, he reminds us all that music can be a form of a new beginning as he states “I’ve learned to fly free…”

1.) What elements and/or characteristics made you say to yourself that you wanted to do music for a living? Who are your influences/heroes/role models?

I have always had a passion for music, but what made me want to pursue it was the idea that someone of a minority race, not having a big financial background, no friends or family in the music industry, and not signed at a young age could one day become a rockstar.

I gain a lot of influence from artists such as James Brown, Prince, Michael Jackson, and Rick James.

2.) If you could compare yourself to an already established artist, who would that be and why? If you don’t like to compare yourself, then music-wise, what separates you from other musicians?

I wouldn’t know exactly how to compare myself with any established artist because I’m not sure who I could specifically relate to.  However, I do believe my music stands out because it’s not necessarily what is trending, but I seem to get a lot of attention from crowds of all ages and races.

3.) Everyone in life goes through adversity of some sort. Is there anything in your life that has any influence on the kind of songs you write? What is the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure on your path to becoming a musician?

I tend to gain a lot of influence from people I’ve met and relationships I’ve experienced when writing songs; i.e. love, family, friendships.

One of the most difficult things I’ve had to endure along this journey is facing self-doubt; experiencing compliments on my music/performance and not always trusting it.

4.) How do you prepare yourself to write certain songs? What is your song-writing and recording process?

Songs tend to come to my head at any given moment.  If I were to be eating breakfast, I’ll begin to hum a melody or think of an interesting phrase and eventually write a song around that one thing.

The process of songwriting and recording is rather simple to me.  I have a small home-studio setup; no big rooms with expensive gear, just me, my instruments, computer, and paper for writing lyrics.

5.) Unfortunately the music industry is full of talented individuals who just don’t get any recognition for their talent and/or work. What do you plan to do to make sure you stand out and get noticed?

It is very unfortunate that this is still a thing and I hope it does not continue, but I make sure to keep myself active with performing a variety of my songs, I try my best to veer away from any generic sound by producing my own music, and I do not fetishize nor promote a certain financially driven lifestyle.

6.) Would you rather be on a major label or would you rather stay independent? Why or why not? In regards to the music industry itself, do you think that the traditional music industry model as we know it is dead?

Being signed to a major label and being independent both have their pros and cons, but I would rather be signed to an agreeable and sensible contract because I would really love to have the resources needed to tour internationally.

In regard to the music industry, I do think the traditional model is slowly coming to an end.  This can be a good and bad thing.  It allows smaller named artists an opportunity to gain exposure, however it seems to bring about even more corruption on the business side of things.

7.) How do you think the internet and social media affected the music industry and how musicians are able to market themselves?

The internet and social media has allowed musicians a quicker, cheaper, and more practical route to market themselves.  Instead of having to make physical flyers for a performance, now, one can simply make an Instagram/Facebook post.  It also puts more pressure on labels by taking away some of their edge on the industry with streaming services growing more and more everyday.

8.) Social media is obviously an extremely important element in today’s world, especially when it comes to business, branding, marketing, etc. With that being said, do you think an artist will be able to survive in today’s music industry if they’re not social media savvy?

An artist who plans to perform solely locally and has a very loyal fanbase, I do think can survive in today’s time.  However, artists that tend to perform at different locations with a smaller or growing fanbase will more than likely need some form of social media, whether that be to post performance photos/videos or to promote new music.

9.) Artists who try to make music for the general public and make more money are usually seen as “sell-outs.” Do you see it that way and if so, what do you plan to do to make sure your music stays true to your brand and make a good living at the same time without having to “sell out”?

If an artists’ intention is to make a certain type of music just for monetary gain, then I do not agree with it nor do I feel their music will last long.  My music will always stay true to me and who I am because I make music for the purpose of having the passion for it.  Yes, I understand finances play a role and are needed, however, I will always make music and perform whether I am paid for it or not.

10.) What are the positives and negatives of the music industry? What is it about the music industry that makes some artists push forward? What do you think makes some artists quit?

One of the positives of the music industry is the concept that you can inspire and change peoples lives with just one song, which in itself is its own reward besides being paid for it.  One of the negatives is that nothing is certain in the music industry; you can be signed to a label and given all new resources just to have your career on a decline in a matter of days.

I feel a lot of artists push forward because they have much more music to make and it’s instinctive of them to perform and inspire others.  On the other hand, I think some artists quit because they realize that this is a very uncertain, competitive, and rough road to travel.

11.) What trends do you see staying or going?

Live performances, albums, and DJs (club and radio) are trends I feel will always stay.  Artists and labels buying streams and followers, award shows/events, and artists working with entities out of music (i.e. clothing brands, make-up lines, food products, etc.) are all things I honestly feel will be going very soon.

12.) With so many people online who are expressing their opinions on any and everything under the sun, how do you know when to take something as constructive criticism or when to see it as trolling?

Personally, I do not take things I read, see, or hear online to heart.  Constructive criticism, to me, is given from those who are close to you.  Generally, those are the people who understand your vision the most and can more easily influence it.

13.) If you were to advise an up and coming musician on how to get more fans, what advice would you give them?

I would advise them to stay true to themselves, analyze opportunities before you take them, perform with a purpose, and don’t oversaturate.

14.) There are multiple ways of attaining fans and building up your fan base, so what are some ways you acquire fans?

A lot of listeners and fans I have come from performances.  Making sure to put on an entertaining show seems to interest people to learn more about me.  I also make sure that I’m active on social media to an extent; active enough to stay in the eye of listeners, but not too active to come across as a social media based artist.

15.) Professionally, where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

Professionally, I see myself signed to a label, under a sensible contract, touring the world with my very own band and preparing for one of my biggest projects ever.