Interview With Cory Ard
Why do you make music?
I’m an artist I make music specifically Christian hip-hop, but I just make good music. I mean music for whoever is listening, whatever the flavor I just want to make some music that when people listen to it, they can Vibe with it’s message. There is a purpose behind it. My goal is just] encourage people, to challenge them to live different. To inspire them to Change the world with anything and everything that they’re doing. I feel like our world is just in a place where so much negativity and I want to bring a positive light swing music and inspire people to do the same as they’re listening.
What is your music making process?
I’ll start by sometimes praying or listening to a little bit of worship music before I start writing my music and then I’ll just cut on the beat to start rocking out. a lot of mumbling it first and trying to find different Cadence’s and different Melodies and rhythms that I’m trying to do for my verse or chorus. another way is to do writing sessions with friends. I found it. I make some of my best music when I’m surrounded by people I love who are also making music as well. It’s one of my favorite ways to write music.
What have you learned about the value of stage presence?
One thing that I learned is that people come to concerts and events to be entertained. And so if you’re going to entertain you have to be entertaining. my stage presence is about energy, it’s about making eye contact. just connecting on stage with the audience in those different ways. Telling everybody nod their heads with me. And telling a joke to make them laugh. I like to do to try to get the crowd to engage with me. There’s a type of relationship you need to build with your audience, something personal that they can relate to. that’s extremely important when it comes to Stage presence.
How do you choose what songs to perform during a show?
a lot of times. I’ll choose beforehand, but after noticing the crowd or how seeing how other people who have performed before me have responded thing how people performing the audiences responded to them. I’ll change my set a little bit. You know, if the crowd is a little older I may do some songs that maybe for mature audiences. If its a young crows, I’ll just have some of my more fun songs,
What are some things that you’re learning about the business side?
When working with other people sometimes things don’t always go the way you want it to go. And so I think it’s flexibility as well as patients with your craft and with your music but also taking initiative yourself and just] making things happen. I think oftentimes we wait too long and we rely too much on other people to make what we want and what we need for ourselves. Quote one of my favorite books is “faith without works is dead”
I’m learning the value of a team and Community around me, and the power of having other people around you that are doing the same thing , iron sharpens iron.
