Meet Elliott McKenzie | R&B Singer/Songwriter

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

Hi Elliott, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
Many fans and listeners might think being a successful Recording Artist is just fun, performing, recording songs, and enjoying life but, there’s actually a ton of things that go into it. Early on in my career I had to learn that being a Recording Artist is extremely similar to being a business owner. We are in charge of everything (unless you have a label or team helping you). The same things that a CEO has to handle, we have to handle. The only difference is that we are the business. Things such as logos, partnerships, how much to charge, paperwork and contracts, business deals, wardrobe, where to perform and when, branding, promotions, marketing, website creation, social media, etc….it’s ALL done by the Artist themselves (again, unless you have a team doing certain aspects of it for you or with you). A record deal is the same exact thing as a small business loan for a CEO or business owner. We get that money to operate our business (our music career) and have to pay it back with interest, just like a business loan. What fans and/or outsiders often see is all the fun and exciting things about the music industry……the concerts……the parties…..going on tour……releasing new songs and albums……the award shows……etc. But what they don’t see is all of the business that happens behind the scenes. Remember……it’s the music BUSINESS, not the music industry. Every professional Recording Artist you know of is the CEO of their business…….themselves.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My music and story have been called “different”, “unique”, “inspiring”, and “emotional”. My background and what lead me into music is a bit different than the traditional Recording Artist. I’m a U.S. Marine Corps Iraq War Veteran who uses music as therapy for my mental illnesses such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety. That’s my brand and my music tells that story. Unlike most other successful civilian Singer/Songwriters, I’ve dedicated a portion of my brand and my music to inspiring others who also deal with mental illness. The beginning of my career was launched through my story of overcoming my own struggles through my talents in music. That brand will stay true throughout my career. The things I am most proud about are overcoming the lifetime of struggles I’ve experienced all through a talent I was blessed to be born with and dedicated my life to. I’ve been able to go from being homeless and sleeping in my car to now having performed at LA’s most famous sports stadium (Crypto.com Arena, formerly STAPLES CENTER) SIX times now. I’ve been able to use my own story and my own experiences to motivate others and help others get out of their own darkness. I’ve been able to not only make my childhood dream of becoming an R&B Singer/Songwriter come true but have done it in a super unique way that ads an element to it that I wasn’t expecting. Getting to where I am today has definitely not been an easy path at at all. It’s taken dedication, hard work, failures, fumbles, and so much patience for me to finally succeed. The one constant I’ve had is that I never gave up. No matter what, I kept going and kept trying. Anytime I do public speaking to tell my story, I always emphasize never quitting and never giving up. If you have a dream or a passion or a talent that you want to turn into your career, do it! Yes, of course, be logical about it and only pursue it if you truly do have the necessary skills or talents to accomplish it but, once you decide to pursue that thing, pursue it until you catch it and then it will pursue you!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Living in southern California, a lot of people would resort to the typical LA/Hollywood trip. Being that I’ve lived all over SoCal though, I wouldn’t do that. I might include an event or a spot in LA once but that’s it. I’d take them all over SoCal so they can experience all of SoCal, not just LA. Places such as Victoria Gardens in the IE all the way down to San Diego and OC. I’d also take them to places in other areas of LA and Orange County like Cerritos, Chino Hills, Anaheim, etc. so they can see ALL of SoCal. I’d do research and find fun things to do in each area and make each area a day trip for us so we can explore. I’d include a few theme parks like Six Flags and Knott’s Berry Farm as well. My overall goal with their trip here would be to have them go back home understanding that there is so much to do in SoCal outside of the Los Angeles area.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Long ago when things were heading downhill for me, I spoke with a great therapist who taught me about how I could use the power of music to get through my depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses. She was a fellow Veteran and also understood that aspect of my experiences. She educated me about how endorphins and adrenaline are the natural chemicals which fight against depression and how to utilize things such as songwriting and performing to naturally release those chemicals. That advice changed everything for me. I started writing songs and performing and that was what began to heal me. If it wasn’t for that amazing Therapist, I likely wouldn’t be here today.

I also want to give a huge shoutout to my fans!! My entire career started because people started responding to and interacting with a song and music video that I released back in 2017. That is what launched my success and got me to where I am today! My entire brand is now dedicated to making a difference for other people through my music and my story. I’ve been blessed enough to have been given a platform where I can now inspire others and create music that makes people feel good when they might need that extra push.

The majority of my success has been due to other people and I am beyond grateful for that. All I’ve done was follow through on taking some amazing advice and keep going when others told me what I was doing helped them as well. It takes a village.

Website: https://www.elliottmckenzie.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elliott_mckenzie

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/elliottmckenzie