Meet Jorge Cajías: Music producer/Artist

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

Hi Jorge, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
I think when I’ve been the most successful in my life is whenever I’ve been the most genuine to my work, my vision, and to the reasons why I started making music in the first place. I think that very often, as we get on with our lives and our careers, we get further and further inside the microscopic well of day-to-day tasks and forget why we started to do it in the first place. I’ve seen that especially happen in my field, in music. Whenever I feel somewhat lost, I have the habit of doing my best to reconnect with my inner child, who was once so obsessed with just the magical, sublime idea of one day making music that resembled my favorites—maybe even one day surpass them! When I remember that, I know exactly what I have to do. That helps me keep focused, but also gives me insight into the big picture, and allows me to gain strength for any hardship in the way.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I just released last week a new song as an artist, called “Qué Dulce,” which is my very first work that I release in my mother tongue, Spanish. Spending years copying and trying to master the style of my favorite musicians in the English-speaking world, I suddenly realized a few years ago that Spanish conveys sentiments like nothing I had ever attempted before.

What I believe sets me apart as an artist and producer is that I am never afraid to go to the fullest of what I am doing. I believe that only pushing and exploding art’s potential to a point where it won’t give anymore, is the place where the ever-lasting art lies.

I believe that it’s this what people who hear my music, and people who hire me to produce, mix or arrange for them see in me. I strongly believe that everything you create should have a reason to exist—something truly new to offer to the world. Of course, the wheel is already invented, but everyone has something in their musical DNA, a strange combination true to themselves, that should be brought to the front rather than cut out. I believe it’s only this way, that music has a point of being made. Many people spend their whole lives ignoring this, but it is what I try to channel the most.

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.
LA is undoubtedly a beautiful place in countless senses, yet as a music lover, just as when I arrive at any new place, I would be deeply drawn to the city’s musical highlights. This is, then, where I would take my visiting friend to.

The beautiful record shop, Amoeba, comes to mind. I could get lost a whole day in that store, just looking at albums, absorbing music, past, present and future. They recently re-opened at a brand new location and it is just as gorgeous.

Another similar option that comes to mind is Record Parlour: a tiny used-vinyl-records shop. I’ve been to countless record shops in the country, and this one, for some reason, has an important place in my heart. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ve spent most of my waking time thinking of music. Since I was around twelve I started writing songs, and soon enough I discovered the beautiful art of recording. I started recording my innocent, amateurish songs with my older brother’s equipment, and as years went by, I got better and better at making grand arrangements with very little. When I was in college, at Berklee college of music, I learned this thing I had done for so long is what they call Music Production. I ended up studying that as my major, and if I had to think of a couple of people who made me exactly who I am professionally. it is two incredible teachers that I had” right in the middle there, it should be a comma rather than a period. Very tiny thing.

The first one is Enrique Gonzalez Müller (who’s worked with stunning artists such as Venezuelan group Los Amigos Invisibles). He shattered all standards I previously had about music-making, and opened my eyes to a wide new world of possibilities. When I was his student, his feedback on my work at first destroyed me completely, but as I picked up the pieces and rose back up, I set myself on the way to be the professional I am today.

The second one would be my teacher Susan Rogers (who rose to fame as Prince’s long-term audio engineer). Her teaching style is closer to a spiritual guru rather than a teacher—she saw me for who I am straight away, and she never gave me a piece of advice or feedback that wasn’t in some way profound or life-affirming. In terms of life goals and music-making visions, she is one of my biggest inspirations.

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIyaz2ubBaawq-JWB7g_dhg

Image Credits
Claudia Prieto