Today we’d like to introduce you to John Reaves.
Hi John, 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?
I grew up playing guitar and singing in multiple metal bands within the Nashville music scene. When the pandemic brought live music to a halt, I started a podcast with a friend and quickly fell in love with content creation. From there, I began live-streaming on Twitch, playing video games, connecting with new people, and building a community.
Before long, I found myself sharing my background in music with my audience. My moderator, Meg, suggested I try music reaction videos. At first, I didn’t think I had anything unique to offer, but after weeks of hesitation, a slightly intoxicated night in New Orleans changed everything, and I finally gave it a shot.
After reacting to a few bands, I took things a step further, traveling to see those artists live, documenting the experience, and meeting viewers and fellow fans along the way.
This has now grown into something beyond my imagination, as I’ve been a full time content creator for the past 3 years, traveling all over the world, connecting with people through music.
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?
I have for sure faced many challenges along the way, from financial struggles, to travel plans completely collapsing, and random haters online, but one thing I’ve learned is to roll with any punches life throws at you, and find a way to continue on your journey.
When I first started doing music reactions, I received a TON of hate from my “friends” in the music scene I grew up in, it was a hard time in my life for a number of reasons and that for sure didn’t help, But I heard the perfect song at that time and it not only helped me deal with those people, it also changed the way I look at how I treat myself.
“ You can’t stop me loving myself ! “
It was like a declaration! “ I’m doing what makes me happy, and you’re jealously or hatred won’t keep me from being happy” that’s how I took it.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a music focused content creator and travel vlogger on the YouTube channel JohnReavesLive. I specialize in music reactions, but what I really do goes beyond that, I use reactions as a gateway into discovering artists, then take it into the real world by traveling to their concerts, documenting the experience, and connecting with the communities around them.
I’m probably best known for my high energy, genuine reactions and my appreciation for global music especially. My audience connects with the fact that I’m not just watching music, I’ve lived it. I come from a background of playing guitar and singing in metal bands, so I break things down with both a fan’s excitement and a musician’s perspective.
What I’m most proud of is building a community that feels connected, not just to me, but to each other and to the music. I’ve had viewers meet up at shows, discover new artists through the channel, hosted an annual convention for my community and that kind of real world impact is everything to me.
What sets me apart is that I don’t stop at the reaction. I turn content into experiences. I travel, I show up, I document the culture around the music, and I bring my audience along with me. My goal is to evolve from reacting to music into telling the full story of it, on stage, behind the scenes, and across the world.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Honestly I read a ton of world philosophy books, mainly Japanese writers and am currently reading Miyamoto Musashi‘s The Five Rings
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Patreon.com/johnreaveslive
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/johnreaveslive
- Twitter: https://Twitter.com/johnreaveslive
- Youtube: https://YouTube.com/johnreaveslive
