Meet ClayDough

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

Hi ClayDough, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
As I grow and step more into this career and life path, I feel I’m constantly doing music or thinking about it. Being your own boss is great until you realize you don’t get weekends off. At the same time though, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I think it’s just signaling to me how passionate for music I am, and how much it’s in me and means to me. It’s a bit hard for me to rest, but I have a meditation habit and getting exercise helps as well. Work = life though.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think my sound and story sets me apart from others. I grew up traveling the world touring internationally with my musician parents. You can hear the world influences in my music. It makes you feel things and move. It’s deep harmonies, sweet chords, sexy, sophisticated. Recently I’ve been getting into doing background harmonies on my artist’s songs, and over all vocal producing. I’m really proud of having that in my toolbox. Growing up, my Mom taught harmony singing classes and I never payed too much attention at the time, but I can tell it seeped into my brain. I’ve been working really hard at music production and all of this since I started producing in 7th grade. After high school I’ve been working back and forth from the Bay to LA, connecting with new producers and artists and playing shows with them. All while building from ground up with an artist Ajai Kasim, and creating worlds in music that I heard in my head. My goal is to keep letting music take me to beautiful places, and to be able to work with anyone I want to.

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?
If my friend was visiting me in Oakland I would take them to Lake Merritt on a Sunday, I’d take them for walks at the Emeryville & Berkeley marinas. We’d grab Pho, a burger from Smoke house, Japanese food, or just cook ourselves. I’d bring them with me to Vallejo where I play keys for LaRussell at his backyard shows. We’d go to some beautiful views and to my shows around the bay.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My parents & my community for always lifting me up! Growing up surrounded and engulfed in music all the time gave me an undying passion for it, and it’s just in my blood.

Website: https://linktr.ee/callmeclaydough

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVfJXbajGoidRWSQ-aa3kMw

Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5r7Rbfw8HjHPA5H0lHLyWW?si=amp0QgFRRS69g94uFTxoXQ

Image Credits
Yeiseon Castae
Gabe Univerze
Firstplace Rene
Julio Cesar