Meet Zaro Vega | Artist, Record Producer & Music Executive

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

Hi Zaro, what do you attribute your success to?
Looking back on my journey, I started understanding overtime that one of the most important factors was always trusting the process. I knew it wasn’t going to be something that would happen over night, and it was always important for me to try, and do the best I could on any project that came my way no matter what it was. There was countless of projects ranging from small budgets, high budgets, and also no budget at all; From new upcoming artists, to major artists, and also artists who had never recorded a song. It was always important for me to trust the process and deliver my best with what was presented. There was plenty of times where it felt that maybe I wasn’t properly compensated or treated fairly on the business end of things, but I was always able to zoom out to the bigger picture and see that it was always preparing me for when the right opportunities came along. Being able to understand that early on, it was able to give me the experience that was needed for me to get to where I am today. We must trust the process.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Being raised by Guatemalan parents in a Spanish speaking household, and moving from LA to South Dakota early on when I was 8, I had always struggled with identifying where I fit in, and who I was. When first moving to South Dakota, I had felt pressure to fit in, seeing how different it was from LA with the majority population being Caucasian, and when it was time to travel back to the homeland of Guatemala, it was the same issue in a different way. I didn’t feel accepted, and felt the pressure to fit in with my own people every time I traveled there. I let many opinions in both parts of the world get to me, just so I could feel somewhat like them. Music was the one thing that helped me connect with myself. I had access to a wide range of sounds being able to experience the 3 different locations that were a major part of my childhood. I learned how to love many different genres in the process.

Being a part of the music industry, you slowly become aware of how much opinions play a big role in the development of many artists and creatives. As a producer, being able to work with artists in many different genres, you start to see how opinions can start directing us away from who we truly are, and how important it is to be firm in understanding our own vision. Listening and hearing opinions about my production choices early on, and being inside the meeting rooms with the artists when they’re working on getting their first record deal was a challenging mind state to be in, because it’s almost as if we’re looking for some sort of validation from others, who we may already see as well established. One of the biggest lessons I learned was to always take things with a grain of salt, because only you could ever be the one who fully understands your vision with what you are creating. Being able to spot the difference and mentally manage when something is advice, and when something is an opinion is important to understand. One of the best moments in my life was when I was 25, when I realized that not fitting in anywhere specific was probably one of the greatest things to ever happen to me. I found a connection. I was always meant to stand out.

What I’m most excited about right now is being able to back and support the vision of the artists I’m producing for in different genres, as well as supporting the vision for my own career path in Hip Hop, Reggaeton and popular music.
The sound was always meant to be universal.

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.
One of my favorite things about LA is the wide range of foods and culture out here. When it comes to activities, I’d have to take them out on a hike like Runyun, and Point Dume in Malibu to see the views. When it comes to food, I’d definitely try to negotiate with them to try a vegan restaurant like Crossroads Kitchen, or Mr. Charlie’s to see what they think. I always find it fascinating how many different options of food they have out here, and how LA most likely has a vegan version of it. Outside of that, we’d have to go to Nobu and TAO! Absolutely would have to take them to some art events out here, and bar spots with live music. My personal favorite is taking friends on a drive, sightseeing in the Hollywood Hills, and PCH out in Malibu./

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?
I’d like to give a shoutout to my mentor, friend and collaborator Greg Allain, who was a major key role in my music journey. Early on in the process, I didn’t fully understand the dynamics of what it meant to be a music producer, and what it meant to be able to seek a project through to the end. Everything from learning new perspectives on the recording process, important details to stay aware of in the mix, and what magic moments to look out for to make a great song; He was able to instill confidence in me early on that taught me how to always trust my ears. The man’s a genie!

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ZaroVega

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZaroVega

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTESBXMS0Su0meXmeB6ssxg

Other: LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/zarovega TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@zaro.vega

Image Credits
Johnny Theophilus, Jay3