Catching up with pop producer turned composer Con The Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Conan “Con The Artist” Karpinski and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Conan “Con The Artist”, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Balancing work and life can be so tricky. I’m always trying to keep up with my friends, fam, hobbies, relationships, and hustle hard to make a living and support everything. In the past, I’ve struggled to find the right balance and ended up essentially ghosting on my health and relationships just to chase a life of art. However, I’ve come to realize that taking care of myself and having strong relationships actually improves my work performance and creativity. It’s been a gradual process, but I’m slowly getting better at finding that sweet spot. Ultimately, I think the key is to prioritize and make time for what’s truly important.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My journey started in the rock band world, and slowly but surely, I stumbled upon a newfound love for being a pop artist and film composer. It all began when a director heard my bands rock music and approached me to score his feature film. Without hesitation, I said yes and found myself immersed in the world of film scoring. Which I am totally digging.

In the past, I used to believe that pursuing multiple creative endeavors was hindering my progress in each individual pursuit. Whether it was making music, directing music videos, or composing film music, I thought each was separate from the other and holding me back from achieving excellence in any one area. But, as I’ve grown and matured, I’ve come to the realization that all of my creative pursuits actually complement each other and work together to form a cohesive whole.

Each piece of my creative puzzle fits together to tell a bigger story, and I’ve learned to embrace the diverse aspects of my artistic identity. Being able to exist in both the pop artist world and the film composing world has been a dream come true, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to explore different avenues of expression.

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.
If you’re ever in the LA BREA area and looking for a spot to grab some grub, I’ve got the perfect recommendation – the Swingers Diner. Their milkshakes and tuna melt sandwiches are the bomb dot com. Trust me, no other spot can top their game.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
As I sit down to write this, I’m feeling a deep sense of gratitude towards the Canadian Film Centre, and those they put me in touch with… especially Jamie Hopkins and John Herberman. These two amazing humans played instrumental roles in my music journey, teaching me how to read and write music, and compose for orchestras… in less than 3 months.

Believe it or not, just a few months ago in January 2023, I had zero knowledge of music theory. I couldn’t even tell one note from another. But 3 months later with Jamie’s guidance and his one-on-one sessions, I was able to rapidly up my music game to an insane level. He went above and beyond, taking time out of his busy schedule to answer all my questions and offer me invaluable knowledge.

Then came John, who patiently helped me prepare my first orchestration piece. Despite his busy schedule, he took the time to nurture my understanding of the entire process and push me to do better, and for that, I am truly grateful.

I owe a big thank you to the Canadian Film Centre for putting me in touch with these two awesome gentlemen. They both leveled up my music knowledge in ways I never knew were possible, and I will never forget their kindness and generosity.

Website: www.contheartist.com / www.conankarpinski.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/con_theartist

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itscontheartist

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@contheartist

Image Credits
Yes I took these photos