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

Hi Swim., do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
Yes. I disagree with the advice that says “Anything is possible”. I think there are a lot of impossible things, and that much of life happens within the realm of extraordinary possibilities and relatively unknowable but still constraining impossibilities,

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I think what sets me apart from others is my versatility. I really love music. I’ve always loved music and I’ve never only liked one genre of music. What I’m most proud of, I guess, I’d say then is just not allowing myself to fall into one style. I’m unorthodox. I’d say I got to where I am today through a steady grind. It wasn’t easy. It’s still not easy and a lot of days I want to quit. I overcome it really through passion alone. Whenever I drop a song, I write a song. Whenever I’m worried about where I’m headed, I write about it. The lesson I think I learned from this is that consistency is probably the primary metric. One of my favorite quotes is from Andy Warhol and he says, “Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” I really try to live by this quote, be myself, release songs reflective of all the ways I feel and all the genres of music that those feelings cross.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I usually take friends who come to visit to The Friend or Tenants of the Trees in Silver Spring for like nightlife things. To eat I go to Veggie Grill on Sunset Blvd as well as Canters in Fairfax a lot. I’d say those are some of my favorite places in LA. I spend a lot of time in Orange County too and Crystal Cove Beach is my favorite beach I’ve ever been to. And the Den in Costa Mesa is probably my favorite place in California in general.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There’s so many people I could shoutout. I am a, ‘I am because we are’ kind of person. My story is impossible without parents who always believed in me. My younger brother deserves a shoutout too for being my most loyal friend. You can check out his YouTube channel at Black Vito – Moneyology. He recently was featured on CNBC’s Millennial Money. I’d also shout out my Acrylic Matter Co-Creative Director JT Creswell. I could literally list hundreds of people who have shown me support, mentorship, love and encouragement. All my producers, Lorenzo Sarti, AMAC, Iacopo Pinna, Jewel Tones, Sean Jonez, and more are all members of the swim. band and all of this wouldn’t be possible if not for their creativity too. I even include my engineer TheGodfather666 since his mixing is usually the final touch on every track. Everything I have in life is a result of the collaborative efforts of others, so, I could shout people out for days and still probably end up forgetting someone who had a major impact on my life and journey. I am because we are.

Website: www.acrylicmatter.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/iamswimsoul

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swimsoulmusicpage

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB_IQ2hkSRpgZblaSbl84eQ

Other: www.mumbletheory.com

Image Credits
Photos in all black: @propagator_and_propagandist Photos in skull t-shirt: @billiexback

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.