Today we’d like to introduce you to Santiago Clark.
Hi Santiago, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story starts in the driveway at my parents’ house a week after being cut yet again from the high school basketball team. I was hopelessly shooting in the driveway at a dream that would never come true. After one last shot, I stopped. It was over. So I went inside and sat up all night at the foot of my bed thinking about what to do next. Late that night, I asked myself what the first thing I do when I play basketball or soccer. It was music. Rock and rap were the must-have on the courts and the fields. So I decided to pick up that broken 3-string guitar my sister had in her closet and cleaned off that dusty lonely keyboard in the corner of the room, and taught myself how to play music. My secret late-night addiction grew to become a public daily habit with the sight of a guitar on my back wherever I went. It was a stamp of rebirth.
At 17, I played my first public show in my living room to my extended family for my dad’s birthday.
At 18, I moved to El Paso, Texas, and played my first open mic at a pizza joint.
At 19, I moved to Austin, Texas, and joined my first band called System Positif.
At 20, I played in a college jazz and mariachi band.
At 21, I started a music club called Jam Central and a festival, Sunflower Fest.
At 22, I started my first band called ZeroHour.
At 23, I played at UT’s Middle Eastern Ensemble, Bereket.
At 24, I went on tour as a social media/videographer with the world music band, Atash, to Andalusia, Spain
At 25, I began learning to Flamenco and joined a gypsy Latin rock fusion band called The Black Magic Carpet Ride
At 26, I recorded my first album with my band, Novus Rose.
Today I’m 26 +1/2, and I am hungrier than I’ve ever been before for life and music. What started as a loss of identity, direction, and purpose became a chance at a new beginning. Ultimately, a new road paved leading to a never before seen horizon.
I tell the reader my story this way to not lose hope. Sometimes when you’re down and out, you’ve only just begun.
You can be anything in this life… as long as you keep going!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road was not paved for me. I’m not a prodigy musician. I didn’t start playing till my late teens. I was shy and afraid to stand out of my own shadow. So I locked myself in a room and played till I could get good. But remember… if the goal is to be an artist, you gotta wear several hats. Social media, booking, finance, designer, videographer, photographer, and logistics. On top of that, write and practice that music. Grind at it and get good.
The biggest struggle I’ve had in this journey is not the task but the mindset. It’s the quicksand that pulls you down and says you’re not good enough. That’s doubt. Any task can be learned if the will is there, but doubt is something that can keep you from growing to your full potential. Once you learn to let go of what keeps you attached, you can be free.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Today I’m greatful to be in Novus Rose, formerly known as ZeroHour, since 2022. The band has evolved and changed like the seasons over the years. But for the first time, we’ll be releasing our first 5 song EP titled, A Place For Us, this summer on all streaming platforms. What makes this album special is the genre jumping between each song. All songs are fused together by a rock foundation that acts like a magic school bus. This album features inspiration from Foo Fighters, Deftones, Queens of the Stone Age, Massive Attack, Mdou Moctar, and several Flamenco artists. We’re beyond a belly full of excitement to share our music, art, and love with the world.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
People matter the most to me. I would be nothing without the people who inspired me to never give up and nothing without the people who told me I couldn’t do it becuase it’s so sweet when I do. I’m forever grateful for all the emotions, moments, and people because that what makes life so beautiful.
People can be nasty with one another nowadays, but that doesn’t mean we should lower ourselves. We can find a new way to bring people up instead of bringing them down. We most continue to inspire one another and to do that we first must inspire ourselves.
We must look at the impossible and not say no but how. The reason why I love people is because they can change anything in this life. One day the world was round and the next it was round. Who knew… It just goes to show you that anything is possible.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.novusrose.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/novusrose/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NovusRose
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2yBAurkuNUX1DJRdz5vkNY?si=ldxN76YXRhevB8dO-jSWNQ&nd=1&dlsi=cf408d2184054238
