Today we’d like to introduce you to Steven Curd.
Alright, thank you for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
Drawing is the first hobby I can remember fully being invested in. When I was about 7 years old, my grandmother got me an Elvis top 30’s greatest hits cd that I listened to religiously. (I still have that cd, which is cool!) I just enjoyed having something mutual to talk about with her, and from that point on, music became an outlet to connect me with my entire family. I started learning/singing different genres of music and started “performing” at family get-togethers – I’d get a few bucks here and there, but I mainly liked entertaining everyone. As time passed, my ‘why’ for loving music changed but, in some ways, stayed the same. I always knew a bigger spotlight was out there somewhere; just a matter of earning it.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Oh man, ok, lol Well, at a certain point, I was told music wasn’t a realistic career option. So I put music aside, and for 3 years, I worked a government job driving this beat-up work van delivering packages. It was hot, It was cold, it was rainy, it just sucked overall. But at the time going to school and getting a 9-5 was the safest bet. The week before I turned 21, I decided to leave that job and started making calls looking for gigs. My uncle had taken me on because I had no place to go, let alone have any money. So I stayed in this newly built back house for about 8 months, rent-free, all while putting an act together and finding ways to perform it. But once I wore out my welcome, I was pretty much homeless.
For about 3 months, I lived out of my car and a rented storage unit. I would drive to a nice neighborhood, park in a visitor’s spot for the night, then wake up and get ready for the day at the gym. Occasionally, when it was really cold, I’d ask a couple of friends if I could crash on their couch. Some even let me sleep in their trucks, which had more room than my coupe. Once I had enough money saved and some gigs lined up, I could find a place of my own. But the life of a solo musician has had its fair share of challenges and still does today. My early breaks combined with the ‘do or die’ mentality needed to survive set me up for greater things. It was a crucial part of why I’m here now.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My specialty and what pays the bills, for now, is acoustic looping/singing, but I also paint with acrylics, I do a lot of woodworking, song-writing, and recently started producing. I’m even learning to DJ vinyl which I’m excited about. Learning to produce music is what I’m most proud of today. I knew my only chance of releasing music had to be done alone and on my own time, so I busted my *ss for about 2 years, learning all I could. I dropped the first album in May 2022, and now I have that experience for future projects. I’ll leave it up to y’all to determine what I’m known for, but I’d like to continue helping people see how possible it is to pursue what they’re passionate about and make a life out of it. I feel that’s the overall purpose of this venture we’re all on together.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
“If you don’t build your dreams, someone will hire you to build theirs.” That’s the quote that took me out of population. It was a lot of hard work and sacrifice, but it was completely worth it. My first album, ‘I’ve Had This Dream Before,’ is a testament to that. But also, damn, that album came out so good lol all 9 songs reflect on different times in my life: A journey full of desire, love, and questions of my existence—lots of beautiful colors, groovy bass lines, soul-searching lyrics, and 100% me. I’ve never been great at opening up or dealing with my emotions, but here’s the result. It’s yours now for the taking! I hope you enjoy it—all love.
Contact Info:
- Website: stevencurd.com
- Instagram: @stevencurdmusic
