Interview Martin Rodriguez

In this captivating interview, we have the pleasure of sitting down with Martin Rodriguez, a musician whose passion for music was ignited during his teenage years.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background as a musician?

I have been involved in music since I was a teen. I remember I used to work in a Music store, and

seeing all the CDs and all the music related stuff around would continuously spark curiosity on me for

music.

 

What inspired you to pursue a career in music?

I can’t say I have a career in music, since I have a regular job, but it was more of a “me” kind of

thing. I wanted to see where my music could go if I let others listen to it, and this is where I am.

 

How would you describe your musical style and the genres you enjoy exploring?

Exploring! That’s the right way to put it. I am from Puerto Rico so I’m influenced by many styles

and genres of music. I do explore a lot with ambient sounds and rock. From there I try to incorporate

melodies to it and follow the connections than come up. But, honestly, I just like music as a whole and I’m willing to explore anything that comes to me in the moment.

 

As a composer and multi-instrumentalist, which instruments do you play and how do they contribute to your creative process?

My main instrument is guitar, however, when I start writing new ideas I always use Piano or the

keyboard, and finally the drums to figure out a pattern. Those are my go-to instruments at the moment.

 

How has the pandemic influenced your musical journey and the projects you have worked on?

WOW! The pandemic was a crucial point for my music. It all started from finding myself with too much time to spare, given that everything was moving remotely and virtually. So I started writing music and decided to give recording a try.

 

Could you share with us one of your favorite musical projects that you brought to light during the pandemic?

There is a song called “Fortaleza Mia”, which you can listen to on my Spotify, it came out last

year and I consider it a Key moment for me during the Pandemic. There is another song, that is

unreleased and doesn’t have a title yet, that is dedicated to my father. He died during the pandemic

from cancer... I still get goosebumps every time I listen to that one, but it will definitely come out

sometime since I feel I should close that cycle.

 

What are some of the challenges you faced as a musician during these uncertain times, and how did you overcome them?

There is a lot an independent musician must do. Not only are you responsible for the

whole music and artistic production, but there are also other things that you must keep in mind. You

always feel like you’re running out of time almost every day.

Social media is the “thing” now and if you don’t put out new music accompanied by regular posts you

become an extinct dinosaur in two days. However, I’ve managed to not let social media dictate that for my music; I am not competing with anybody. If just one person listens to one of my songs and enjoys it, then that’s a win for me.

 

Can you tell us about any upcoming projects or collaborations that you are currently working on?

Sure! I already have all the music for next year ready, and hopefully I can also shoot a video for one of the songs. Also, I have two songs that are waiting for the right collaboration partner! I’m currently

talking with someone for guest appearances.

 

How do you approach the process of creating music? Do you have a specific method or routine?

It all starts with a blank page. I just write any idea that comes up, anywhere that I am, and later start

thinking about the progression; how to create something out of that. When listening to my music, you will notice that I don’t make anything too complicated, all my songs can be played by anyone. I am not into heavy progressive, but I do enjoy turning something simple into an enjoyable sound.

 

What advice would you give to aspiring musicians who are looking to make their mark in the industry?

It’s a constant fear, “should I do it, or should I not”, “will people like my music or not” comes up often.

However, that’s up to the listener. Focus on what your really enjoy, be it creating, writing or whatever is your case. Follow your guts and stop second guessing your own opinion; I did it for a long time and it delayed my journey.

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