Meet Holden Glazer | Singer, Songwriter, Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Holden Glazer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Holden, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
One of my favorite things about creating is that inspiration can come in many forms from many sources. Musically, I am constantly inspired by artists, writers, and producers that I look up to, whether it be music from decades ago or the past decade/few years. I am also generally inspired by my peers; artists, writers, and producers I am fortunate to collaborate with or even those I know and don’t work with. Music to me is so beautiful in that one sound I hear when playing an instrument can trigger an entire idea for a song or feeling. Something that I’ve come to realize more than ever, though, is the fact that most of my inspiration stems from life experiences that have nothing to do with music; even those that are quite mundane like going out with some friends on a random night, hiking mountains, etc.. The pandemic made me appreciate that source of inspiration and hold on to it tighter when it presents itself.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As I’ve continued to grow and learn, it has been more difficult to put a specific label on myself, but in the general sense I’m a musician. More specifically though, I’m a songwriter and under that umbrella a singer, producer, and composer, as I’ve been fortunate to have played all of those roles and continue to do so; a jack of all trades, I guess. It’s always project dependent though. For a long time, I was just a singer in a band (songwriter as well), whereas over the past few years I’ve branched out, working on other peoples’ songs, playing the role of a producer/writer, as well working on my own, and composing for film projects. Each aspect of music has taught me so much about myself and how to navigate life. One of the cooler things about working in many different capacities is that an idea, sound, or feeling, from one side can influence a whole other; IE – through producing scores for film, I learned how to make horns and strings sound really big and beautiful and now use them in production for artists’ songs or my rock band called Blind Mirror, where I place a lot of creative care.

In terms of how I got to where I am, in the simplest terms, I took chances, risks, and trusted my gut, even when things were hard or scary. I believed in myself, even when there was little to believe in, because I love music. I love it so much. I also learned to not be afraid of putting myself out there, introducing myself and what I do to anyone that’ll listen; that’s a big part of it all. So far, it hasn’t been easy, but nothing that is rewarding should be. I’m still working through challenges every day, doing something that is considered an artistic pathway, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am so happy with where I am now, but want so much more and strive to keep learning, listening, and growing to see my potential to the fullest. I do finally feel I’ve been on a path that suits me and has an upwards direction ahead.

I want people to know that in life or a career, there is no right answer, just do your absolute best and go with your instincts or what feels intrinsic and it’ll all work out, with hard work of course. Even if the destination you want to reach isn’t close, it’s the fact that you’re on the way that matters.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
A quintessential LA week would be a healthy mixture of the beautiful nature and city life for sure. Definitely would include some good hikes with awesome views, such as Lake Hollywood park or Topanga Canyon. In that vein we’d have to make a couple of beach trips to Malibu and Palisades to take in the sun, I love Point Dume beach in Malibu specifically. In between those, we’d probably hit up super random coffee shops, cause they are usually all pretty great in LA and either a mexican restaurant called Sol y Luna in the Valley or a sushi spot of some kind depending on the day. At some point I’d probably try to find some concerts going on in the area or some jam nights at local clubs because those are always so fun to go to! The cool thing about the bars in LA is that they all have a different feel or vibe to them, so I’d probably try to go to some around the sunset strip in West Hollywood, like the Rainbow Bar and Grill just because it’s legendary in the rock scene and has an amazing open mic jam night on Thursdays. Most importantly outside of the crazy though, to see the stars on some sort of mountain or lookout at night (beyond the smog) is amazing and necessity.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’m dedicating my shoutout to my family; without their incredible support and more I wouldn’t have been able to have come this far and be who I am today. I’m also going to dedicate this to my closest friends and collaborators – thank you for showing me new edges of the world and ways to push myself creatively and as a human being.

Website: holdenglazer.com

Instagram: @holdenglazer, @blindmirrorband

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holden-glazer-15a8371b6/

Twitter: @holdenglazer

Facebook: @blindmirrorband

Other: Website is being designed for my work as a songwriter/producer. My band is releasing new music soon and I’m adding their socials too.

Image Credits
Shaina Woolley (photos with the red jacket), Ren Shelburne (performance photo)