Meet Jack Chen | Music Producer, Audio Engineer, & Keyboardist

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

Hi Jack, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
Working in music is not an easy job, especially in the beginning. As one of my supervisors explained to me before, a large majority of people will struggle to make it anywhere in the industry. Some won’t even be able to cover their monthly living expenses, so they’ll need to take up other jobs in order to make ends meet. Then there are others who are able to make a living, but it’s nothing too crazy or extravagant, and there’s always a chance that they could slip up and fall back to the bottom again. And then there’s a very small percentage of people who will rise to the top, and achieve great success in music. But success in music isn’t really a linear progression; you can start out at the bottom and grind for years on end with little to no return. But suddenly, one day, you might be presented with an opportunity to instantly rise to the top, whether that’s from a call from an A&R, or one of your songs going viral, or an already established artist liking your music and personality and adding you to their team. But this success is never guaranteed; it’s very much a “right place at the right time” kind of situation, and until then you just have to keep your head up and work hard everyday. You really have to love music in order to survive in this industry. You have to love it enough that even if you’re barely making any money, or working insane overtime hours at a studio, you can still go home and have the drive and motivation to keep persevering. You have to believe in your craft, and work on improving it everyday so that when the opportunity does come, you’ll be ready for it and can take full advantage of it.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think what sets me apart musically from others is my use of instrumental melodies, synths, and textures in my music. I take inspiration from a variety of genres, including hip-hop, EDM, Asian ballads, and cinematic music. I feel like my music often has a mix of elements from each of these genres, and it creates an interesting sound. I got to where I am today professionally through the knowledge that I gained and the connections that I made from both Berklee and LA. It wasn’t an easy road, and I’m still finding my path right now, but it’s been fun so far and I’ve learned a lot and met a lot of great people. A lesson that I’ve learned is that this industry is tough, and there won’t be anyone to baby you and guide you once you’re in the professional world. While there may be some people who are willing to teach you, most of the time you have to be a self-starter and self-learner, so be sure to make use of any advice and tips you can get from others. What I want the world to know about my brand and story is that everything I do is genuinely me, whether it’s making music for myself, other artists, or businesses. I’ve always prioritized being genuine in everything in life, and that’s something I will continue to live by.

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.
I’m not the greatest trip planner, as I like to do things spontaneously. But I’d say some places I’d definitely bring them would be Hollywood, Malibu, Venice Beach, Orange County, and Universal Studios. Hollywood is fun because there’s lots of touristy things to do there, including visiting museums (like the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum) and seeing the walk of fame. If they’re into fitness and hiking, I’d also bring them on the hike to the Hollywood sign. You can see some amazing views on that hike, but it is a little challenging at times. Malibu is nice because it’s right by the beach, and it’s definitely one of the more beautiful beachside cities that I’ve been to. Venice Beach is cool because there’s always a lot going on there, whether it’s street performances, weightlifting, basketball, or skateboarding. I suggested Orange County because I heard there’s a lot of good Asian food there, and I haven’t tried it myself yet so I’d love to go with a friend who’s also into Asian food. And there are some beautiful areas in OC, like Irvine and Newport Beach so it’d be fun to spend a day there just exploring the places and sightseeing. Universal Studios is great because it’s a theme park, and they have a lot of cool rides as well as the Universal Studios tour which shows you all the different film sets from classic shows.

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?
This might seem a little cliche, but I’d like to give a shoutout to my friends and family. My friends have been some of the biggest pillars of my life until now. They’re the people that keep me grounded, and keep me motivated to constantly pursue my dreams, even if they may seem out of reach right now. I’ve got good friends from my childhood in Canada and from my time in Berklee who are always checking up on me, keeping me motivated, and overall just lifting my spirits whenever I talk to them, and I never take that for granted.

My family has also been a big support for me in pursuing music. They’ve put a lot of faith and trust in me to follow my passion and achieve my goals, even when times have been tough and I’m not always getting a lot of work. But they reassure me and help me stay on the right track, which I’m very grateful for.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jack.chenjie/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-chen-815b3b22b/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/jackchenmusic

Image Credits
Ethan Yu Naomi Huang Alvin Cheng Frank Nguyen