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

Hi Caleb, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
If you’re on the fence between keeping at it or giving up, you should probably take a quick break. You could use that time off to regroup, think of a different strategy, or work on other aspects of music (networking, self-promotion, learning your DAW, etc) Music is fun, but life can get real.

With that said, never give up. It’s cliche but for a good reason. Facing those challenges is how you improve.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m proud of my ability to sound like my influences. Not in the sense that I’m imitating their sound, but more so that my music emits the same energy/emotion I feel from the bands and artists that influenced me. This could be anything from writing songs, producing, or even accompanying. I’m all about trying to adapt my influences’ attitudes when they play or write, which helps out so much when collaborating with other artists. I’ve already done the work of transcribing a bunch of songs, subsequently making my ear training fairly sharp- so learning another artist’s songs is easy. And since I’ve transcribed different songs from different genres on different instruments, I have a good feeling of what role each instrument should play and how they can collaborate to elevate the song. The most important thing I’ve learned is to serve the music and to disregard the ego.

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.
Definitely hitting up some spots in KTown and Hollywood. Start off with Document- love their signature Document latte with oat milk. It’s a clean vibe with a nice outdoor seating area. It’s also in a great location, just right in the middle of Western where more great spots are, like Nandarang- their Kimchi Pasta is good. I might as well give an obligatory shoutout to H Mart. I also like hanging out at JKwon in Liberty Park.

Hollywood has okay food, I just like hitting up comedy clubs like the Comedy Store or even the Improv.

There are so many spots to mention, and the beauty of living in a city like LA is that you can travel to different parts of LA using a car, bike, train, or just walk. Everything is conveniently accessible, so go out there and get it.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’ll give a shoutout to my alma mater, CSU San Marcos. The music department offered an environment where I could learn how to work with other musicians, which is a crucial part of being an artist. I also had some great mentors who gave me opportunities that still benefit me.

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

Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4SU3NTv8uXD7tFLhFS0U1K?si=s74BR5ZBTiquhf5Pv-Agow

Image Credits
Danney Paul

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.