Meet Aaron Kellim | Pop Artist

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

Hi Aaron, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I love this question, because often times we don’t get to see the backend of an artist’s success. We just see the talent, and assume that a cool melody or great vocal performance got them where they are. I’ve found that the most important factor in my own success has been how I treat people that I work with. My goal in every collaboration, at ever show, in every session, is to try and make the people I’m in the space with leave feeling better than what they came in. Of course, talent, growth, and hard work are instrumental in being a successful artist, but the way I treat people has opened doors for me that talent alone could have never opened. I genuinely think that the best part about being in this industry is that I get to do it with other people. And at the end of the day, people want to be seen and be loved, so I try to make sure every aspect of my career does that for the people around me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When all is said and done, I want people to know that they matter. That they are valuable and have a place in this world. When people leave my show, I want them to feel hopeful. I want them to smile. I want them to know that, in those hard things that they’re dealing with, they’re not alone. When they interact with me on social media, I don’t just want them to see a guy who sings well and writes cool songs, I want them to feel seen, feel inspired, feel encouraged. It’s been a journey coming to that realization. I’ve spent times in bands opening for groups like OneRepublic, Train, and Switchfoot. I’ve been in rooms with some of the biggest names in this industry. I’ve had music on TV. And honestly, none of those things have fulfilled me. Yes, they’ve been incredible experiences that I’ll remember for the rest of my life, but it’s always the people and the relationships that make this industry so rewarding for me. I am excited to see where this next chapter of my music leads me. I’ve been releasing a song a month, which I’ve recently passed 1,000,000 total streams on Spotify, and I’ve been having a good amount of success in the licensing world. The next big step is partnering with Praus for distribution in South Korea, and looking into a South Korean tour once things open back up from Covid-19.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We have a few go to spots for first time guests to the city. We’ll pretty much always take a cruise on Mulholland Drive and stop at one of the lookout spots that overlook the valley. We’ll drive Malibu Canyon Road and then go to Leo Carrillo beach. We’ll hike Paradise Falls in Thousand Oaks. As far as food goes, it’s usually what we put most of our focus on, since we have some of the best in the country. We’ll go to spots like Hinterhof in Highland Park, Pura Vita in West Hollywood, Magpies in Tarzana, and the always faithful, never failing Veggie Grill. For drinks, we live within walking distance of Thirsty Merchant, or we’ll go to Arts District brewing, or a tour at Lost Spirits Distillery. And call me crazy, but my new favorite local bar is Whole Foods in Sherman Oaks. The beer they have on tap is pretty lights out.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
How the heck do I narrow the list down? There are so many people who have been such a crucial part of my journey. I’m going to give my shoutout to Nolan Wright. My relationship with Nolan goes back to the beginning of my musical journey. He was there when I first started learning guitar, he and I formed the first band that I was ever in, and he introduced me to music that still shapes the path of my musical creativity. I couldn’t even drive when we first formed the band, so Nolan would pick me up for rehearsals and shows. I attended my first every show with Nolan, which was Taking Back Sunday, Brand New, and Rufio at the Fireside Bowl in Chicago. His mom, Susan, and Dad, Noel, put up with hours upon hours of us playing way too loud in their basement, which, looking back, created such a safe place to explore song writing and the creative outlet that is music. I’m quite confident if it weren’t for Nolan, I probably would have never gotten into song writing, or been intrigued by playing music for a living. I owe a whole lot to those years of friendship and music making.

Website: http://aaronkellim.com

Instagram: http://instagram.com/aaronkellim

Twitter: http://twitter.com/aaronkellim

Facebook: http://facebook.com/aaronkellimmusic

Youtube: http://youtube.com/aaronkellim

Image Credits
Johnny Delamora