KQuick explains how to become a successful music producer, going from selling $20 an hour studio time in his dorm room to 2x Platinum/Grammy Nominated record producer, working with major artists like Chris Brown, Nelly, Jeremih.
KQuick's Bio:
Kaleb “KQuick” Rollins is a Multi-Platinum Grammy-nominated songwriter/producer/engineer raised in the Roxbury section of Boston, Massachusetts who currently resides in New York City, USA.
KQuick discovered his affinity for music at the young age of 14. Under the mentorship of renowned producer/artist Ryan Leslie, he honed his skills as a producer and a songwriter, landing placements on a Grammy Nominated album while in college.
After graduating from New York University’s Clive Davis Institute Of Recorded Music, KQuick has worked with artists including Chris Brown, J Cole, Nelly, Jeremih, Alessia Cara, Queen Naija and Bas.
He has also written and produced songs for numerous placements in film and television, including scoring a Sundance Film Festival short film selection.
Now signed with Sony ATV as a writer and producer alongside his business partner Marc Soto as production-duo/band ClickNPress, KQuick is busy developing a sound for the current and next generation of music creatives.
High Level Discussion Flow:
Important Links:
KQuick's Baseball Card Stats:
Important Takeaways:
Should you quit your day job and do music full-time?
When are you “in the music industry” ?
Popularity vs Talent - Do A&R’s need to get back to finding real talent, versus scouring for “viral” singers / rappers on Instagram and YouTube?
Making music your career:
Jay - You went to NYU Tisch School of Arts and got a degree in music - most of your peers in the game didn’t go that route. What do you feel were the benefits of going that route vs the school of hard knocks that most of your peers have taken?
G - What was the point when you realized you didn’t need a “9 to 5” or “day job” to support yourself. How did you make that transition to where music became your passion + your bread winner?
G - Music business is such a grind - many people early on take a lot of L’s and call it quits. Did you ever have that moment where you thought maybe this business wasn’t for you?
You’re “in” - Now What?
Jay - What was the first moment where you felt like “OK - I’m really doing this” - was there an artist or producer you were working with, a placement, etc?
G - What was the amount of your first royalty or publishing check?
G - How do you even get to work with artists like J Cole and Nelly? Was it a plug? Manager? This is the holy grail for music producers. This is what every single person is trying to do. How did you beat out the thousands if not millions of other people trying to do this?
Jay - You have spent a lot of time in the studio with some pretty big names. But you continue to work with a lot of independent artists like Gaetano and myself. You’re obviously at a point in your career where you can afford to be selective - why do you continue to work with indie artists and what are the things that you look for when deciding which ones to work with?
Behind The Music Biz - Major Labels + Technology Disruption
G - So Quick, you have a lot of experience working with artists who are signed to major labels with record deals. From your perspective, what is the common pattern among artists who are getting signed now, vs artists who are not? In other words, what are the big companies looking for when deciding on what types of artists to sign?
Jay - On the other end of the spectrum are indie artists who now enjoy a larger platform than ever before as a result of platforms like Spotify, Soundcloud and social media i.e. Instagram, that didn’t exist 10 years ago. Talk to us about the impact that technology has had on the industry and is it truly the great “equalizer” for unsigned artists to get exposure.
G - Let’s talk about popularity vs talent for artists - there’s a lot of debate of what it means to be an “A&R” today.
Is it just a bunch of interns sitting in a label office scavenging through YouTube looking for the next big viral thing?
Is it really just all about numbers?
Or is there still some element of - “this artist has star potential, works hard and has remarkable talent. I believe we have something here that’s worth taking a shot on, despite very low followers counts / views on social media.”
Building a Brand (as a producer):
Jay - Aside from all the accomplishments and accolades - there is something notable about the KQuick brand.
G - What are some of the biggest mistakes you see upcoming artists, songwriters and producers make when it comes to building a brand for themselves?
Jay - How are you doing this for your group, Click n’ Press and are there any other examples of artists in the game who are doing it right, indie or otherwise?
What’s Next?
G - Quick, you’ve already done sooooo much, but we know you don’t sleep!
What are some projects you’re working on right now that you’re excited about?
What’s next for you? Where do you see yourself in the next 5-10 years.
Jay - Do you have any regrets? Anything you would have done differently?
Any situations with major fuck ups on your part?
Have you ever been burned by anyone in the industry? If so, what happened?
G - What’s the #1 piece of advice you have for business leaders or entrepreneurs today who are building a brand or company, or simply striving to achieve something great in their life or career?
Jay - What’s the #1 piece of advice you have for creatives / musicians that are seeking to take their career to the next level?
Podchaser is the ultimate destination for podcast data, search, and discovery. Learn More