Today we’d like to introduce you to Preston Bearden.
Hi Preston, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I am a music artist. You could say my relationship with music has been a bit of a slow burn. Growing up, music was like a friend that I remained close with but never struck me as a long-term companion. Though I loved listening to the music on my favorite video games, collecting a surplus of singing stuffed animals, and playing my grandmother’s piano, I never saw these hobbies as surefire signs that music was my calling. In those days, I rarely thought about my future endeavors, much less my future with music.
Throughout high school, my interest in music continued to grow. I would download dreamy type-beats off of the internet and layer my less-than-ideal vocal on top using Audacity. Sometimes I miss when I first started making music. I put less pressure on myself. Looking back, my old music was very rough. When I graduated high school, I was at an extreme low. I had no friends and I had no direction. That’s when I clung to music, which was the one thing that I knew I liked.
I decided to make warm and nostalgic music that reminded me of my childhood and better times. It took a while to iron out my brand and my vocals, especially because my music is so different than what many who know me would expect. That’s when I decided I wanted to take on somewhat of a character for my music, a character I named Otlo.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I think most indie artists would agree that being independent is not easy by any means. There is just so much that goes into it. You have to write, produce, and perform music, make music videos and cover art, and figure out how to get heard. There’s a lot of useful information out there, but the task is figuring out what information is the right information. I always want a right or wrong answer.
In the music world, there is not a whole lot of right and wrong. It’s a tough world out there, and there has been a lot of self-doubt and uncertainty from when I first started as an artist to now. The very first song I released to the public, “But A Dream” came after two years of planning and work. I wanted to make sure I had a year’s worth of music created before I released anything. I remember those late nights of being frustrated and out of ideas. While I have made lots of progress, there is still a lot of work and improvement to do.
Being a student (I am 20 years old) and keeping up with my studies while also pursuing my dream can be frustrating at times. I have also struggled with anxiety and nerves when performing.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I produce and write dreamy bedroom pop songs with a nostalgic and slightly unsettling edge to them. More than anything, I am most proud of my branding and soft image. I feel like I have finally successfully captured my purest self as an artist. I think I set myself apart from other indie acts by making a particularly dreamy and youthful type of bedroom pop. I grew up playing hand-me-down video games with my brother, and I grew a soft spot for those vintage sounds. I also grew up listening to a lot of music from the 70s and 80’s that my parents would play.
Acts such as Matthew Wilder, Andy Gibb, Stevie Wonder, and Roy Orbison were big influences. I combine the sounds of popular contemporary acts such as Dayglow, Clairo, Michael Seyer, Cuco, Mac Demarco, and Men I Trust to make my own brand of bedroom pop. While my music may not be as accessible (and a bit slow for some tastes), I think it certainly has its own charm. I want a lot of my music to be something people can relax and escape into a warm, fuzzy void of sound. My second track, “Stay (Why Won’t You?)” is releasing this month.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Especially in the world of music, everybody says that networking is an essential element of success. For people who are introverted like me, it can be hard to network. My best advice is to hone and work hard at your craft. Once you start achieving results that you are proud of, then you will naturally want to go out and network. You will want people to witness and discover what you’ve worked so hard on. Spend a great deal of time focusing on yourself and you will naturally become involved with those around you. Don’t fixate on “needing” to network.
Sometimes networking can just be going around on the internet looking for freelancers and other artists. It is amazing how much talent is out there. My cover art was made by someone I found on Instagram, and it turned out amazing.
The hardest part about networking has been finding people to help you perform live. My best advice for this has been to just simply ask. You’d be surprised how many people are willing to help you.
Contact Info:
- Website: otlomusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/otlomusic/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089107485536
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/otlomusic
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLKpjLp1fWUoXVL5jHVqt7w
- Other: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/otlo/stay-why-wont-you
Image Credits
Sarah St. John, @saraaa_aaah
