Today we’d like to introduce you to THANKYOUSTEEZ.
Hi THANKYOUSTEEZ, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
For as long as I can remember I’ve been surrounded by music. One of my earliest memories is actually being in the backseat, listening to “Wanna Be Baller” by Lil Troy, while my mom was in the front seat driving. Early on I was exposed to so many genres of music, from Rap, Rock, Motown, Tejano, you name it I was probably listening to it. So naturally, I took an interest in music. I never knew I wanted to be a music artist, I just know music brought out the best in me. I even used to listen to instrumentals & pick out all the little details. It wasn’t until 8th or 9th grade that I started writing, which was actually poetry. Initially, I wanted to be a producer but I wrote on the side as a way to express my thoughts. I was recording, mixing & producing for local artists throughout high school until my senior year when I decided to put out a project of my own. From then on, I would still record other artists but I started to really grow into a full-fledged music artist of my own. I was learning my style & building my craft. Around this time I also started performing at a local spot called “Harmony Sweets”. The real ones know what I’m talking about. Eventually, I started performing more frequently at bigger venues. This momentum kept building & building. I also kept creating & creating. Each song & project felt like a stepping stone to finding who I was & was essential to my growth. Unfortunately, Covid 19 & the pandemic really slowed me down but it ultimately helped me define my sound and I truly believe I came out of that time polished & more mature with my music. I have since put out 2 more projects, and my latest project, “THANKYOUWHO? Vol. 2”, which is my best work to date.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t believe any artist has a smooth road. In fact, I don’t think it would feel as fulfilling and provide that authentic emotion you can feel in music. So to answer your question, no, it has definitely not been a smooth road. I actually thought I was done with my music career a couple of times, especially once I had my son. There were so many responsibilities on my plate at that particular moment that I just didn’t have the time or right mindset to create. Mind you, this was during the middle of the pandemic as well. It honestly felt like I had hit a wall. I would still be drawn to music & even though I wasn’t writing, I would still be listening to instrumentals as background noise. Around this time I also started reading more, I really dived into learning about mental health, and I had to reassess who I was & where my future was heading. It’s crazy, even at a low point, if you can find some light, it can really take you a long way. Suddenly, it was like a dam broke & all this music started flooding me. That’s when I started writing again which eventually led to my “Free Game” EP & “THANKYOUWHO? Vol. 2”. If it wasn’t for those struggles, I wouldn’t be the artist I am today.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
In simple terms, I’m a music artist but beyond that, I’m a voice for my community. I believe what sets me apart are my intentions. I feel like, in the space we’re in now, everybody, not just music artists, wants to be successful & acknowledged. I think as individuals, we gotta sit down with ourselves and first ask, what does success look like to me? The obvious answer is financial freedom, which by all means, get your money! But what do you do with that success? How do you pay it forward? I can only speak for myself but my whole goal is to lead by example & show my community that you can be as successful as you want to be without all the bulls**t that comes from our environment. You can build up your community and make it stronger because there is power in numbers. All it takes is one domino to fall, and my intent is to be that domino of opportunity & belief. I think my music embodies that message. I believe people are drawn to that because they can feel my intention behind the music.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I can’t express how important support & collaboration is. When I say this, I mean genuine collaborations & support because there are people out here that only have their best interests in mind. Supporting can be as simple as sharing my music or putting someone else on to it. Word of mouth is the best form of advertising. To collaborate, all anybody has to do is reach out. I’m very open-minded so as long as our morals align, we can definitely work something out.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thankyousteez/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@THANKYOUSTEEZ
- Other: https://linktr.ee/Thankyousteez
Image Credits
Maria Hernandez
