Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Warren.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born and raised in Austin, Texas. I grew up in a single-parent household and was an only child. In a way, I felt like an outlier most of my youth due to the unorthodox family dynamic. Music and creativity were my escape. I was always in bands when I was younger. I always thought I was going to get signed to a label and go that route. That never happened and I went off to college. I still dabble in music but just on a different scale now. I always enjoyed talking to people, which inadvertently led me to podcasting.
Since I was a teenager, people have told me I should be on the radio because of my voice. It was like one of those things about yourself that you weren’t overly aware of or paid much attention to until you heard it a million times. So I was finally like, “I guess I should do something with this.” Ever since I could remember, I have enjoyed media, journalism and storytelling. I’m definitely a sponge for information and I enjoy hearing people’s stories. I also inherently have an affinity for good conversation.
February 2020 was when Trapped in Austin launched. There was a lot of trial and error and growing pains in the beginning. Talking and being recorded is not as easy as it may seem. But over time, you catch your stride. I started the show with a childhood best friend of mine, Zack, who is my occasional co-host. By default, we have chemistry and feed off each other’s energy well. We are both born and raised in Austin, so it was a no-brainer.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The biggest hurdle, in the beginning, was figuring out how do we do this the most cost-effective way possible and still make it consumable. The audio quality still isn’t superb but it actually grew on us over time and I think it adds to the gritty vibe of the show. We knew we didn’t want to spend thousands of dollars on equipment upfront for something we weren’t sure was going to stick or not. Luckily there is some vertically integrated platforms out there that make podcasting really streamlined. Technology is truly mind-blowing to say the least.
Any established podcaster will tell you, talking isn’t necessarily always the hardest part. It’s working around other people’s schedules in regards to interviews. A lot of that has gotten resolved, though since we started doing almost all the content remotely. Trying to do all the shows in person got get really stressful.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Outside of working a professional job during the day, I podcast part-time and I also write/produce music. I have been a musician and a writer since I was 14. I have an instrumental project on Apple and Spotify called ‘Restless’ that Wreble Muzik, whos a local rapper and artist, and myself produced and dropped a couple of years ago. I played and wrote all the guitars for the project. We plan on getting back into the studio soon. Oh yeah, go stream Trapped in Austin on all major streaming platforms. 🙂
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
My whole fabric as a human being has been based off taking risks. You only live once and if you really want something, you have to be willing to make the sacrifices for it. What are you willing to sacrifice to get to where you want to be? Are you willing to stop going out as much? Are you willing to stop drinking for a while? Are you willing to tell other people no? Establish better habits? I think this is the line that separates people who achieve their goals and aspirations and who don’t. I also think it just boils down to how badly to do you want it?
Being a creative can be a lonely and unforgiving road. You don’t do this for money; you do it for passion and the desire to express yourself. Expressing yourself is arguable the most therapeutic and empowering part of the human experience.
Contact Info:
- Email: trappedinatxpodcast@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswarrenmusic/
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1Jfp6GDxus5NG8pZIwi3mj?si=mhb3mclHQ3a92CLHWJR2RQ&dl_branch=1
