We’re looking forward to introducing you to Tony Chetta. Check out our conversation below.
Tony, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
I think one of the biggest things that’s misunderstood about my business is that it IS a business.
One of the reasons this is misunderstood is because where you’re first starting out in the music industry, you’re not a business. You’re some kind of creative who first needs to put years into refining your craft.
But along that journey you slowly start to transform into a business.
So during that slow transformation, you’re needing to convince both yourself, your close circle of collaborators who are used to you working for free, your family, and everyone else that you are taking this seriously and trying to build something that can sustain growth.
Ironically, once you do that well enough, you need to re-convince these people and yourself that you’re still a creative as well.
It’s a never-ending dance.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I like to make music that moves me… that pretty much sums up what I do haha
Most of my time these days is making music with an artist that’s aimed at being placed in a TV show, movie, or an ad.
So if I’m watching a dramatic show that has a sad emotional moment which needs to be magnified by the music in that scene, I need that song to move me to tears or it will never move the viewer. Similarly, if I’m watching an ad about a new smart phone and the music needs to accentuate how exciting and innovative this new product is, I need the song we’re making to move me in a way that’s exciting and fresh or it won’t play a part in communicating to the viewer how great that phone is.
When I’m not making sync music like this, I like taking on just 2 or 3 artists to develop full projects with. I love being able to explore every corner of an artist’s sound and identity and challenge them to represent new parts of themselves that their audience might not have seen yet.
But if the music doesn’t move both me and the artist, we know it’s not going to move their audience. So it always comes back to that for me.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
I think being able to truly see and cultivate someone else’s passion, talent, and ambition is one of the most beautiful traits a person can have. These types of people are selfless, giving, and foundational in improving the lives of others.
For me, this person was my grandmother — we’re Italian so we call her Nonna.
Nonna started giving me piano lessons when I was 6 years old and from the first day she was persistent in communicating that she saw a “gift” in me. As I continued studying classical piano into my late teens, she gave money for me to learn from some of the best teachers in the country at the Peabody Institute Preparatory school and she showed up at every recital.
Nonna never expected an ROI from me haha
But she was the first domino to fall that started me on the journey I’m on now and any ounce of success I might see in my career I owe to her for truly seeing me before I could see myself.
I hope to be even a fraction of what she was for me for the artists I’m working with today, as I see the same passion, talent, and ambition in them.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I can confidently say there has never been a time where I almost gave up.
Now have there been times where it would’ve been SMART to give up is a different question haha
Early on into going full time in production, I lost studios I was working from with a full calendar of work and nowhere to get it done, I had my power shut off once, I got eviction notices for not being able to pay rent, I’ve lost friends because I chose to spend my time on this business instead of with them, I’ve burnt bridges from not having the foresight that I was in unhealthy working relationships.
So of course thoughts came up like:
“Am I even supposed to be doing this?”
“_____ got their real estate license and are producing on the side and they seem happy and successful; maybe I should do that.”
“Should I put an age:income cap on how long I’m going to keep trying at this? If I’m not making more than $X per year at 30, should I quit?”
But whenever I would go through difficult times, these were just the initial, frantic, panic-state thoughts.
My next thoughts were more grounded:
“What do I need to do right now to keep working today and tomorrow?”
That’s really all I would think.
And once I got to a place where I didn’t have to think that anymore and my work was more sustainable, then I could look back on the difficult situation I was in, reflect, and learn from it so that I didn’t put myself in that position again.
You don’t have to act on your doubts.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
I think the biggest lie that’s perpetuated in the music industry is: “Just stick with it and you’ll be successful.”
The reason this belief is so dangerous is because it’s TRUE but it’s only half the truth and it’s loosely defined.
“JUST STICK WITH IT…”
No one explains what this actually means.
What this doesn’t mean is “just stick with it and continue doing what you’re doing and eventually you’ll meet the right industry connection who will lift you into the career of your dreams.”
What this does means is “just stick with it and continually measure and analyze what’s working for you and what isn’t. Continue learning more about your craft. Continue learning new tools that could provide innovation to your sound and efficiency to your workflow. Continue learning about business and how to better monetize your work. Continue learning about the people in your close circle and be a valuable resource to them and expect nothing in return.”
“…AND YOU’LL BE SUCCESSFUL”
This is so cliche and pithy but you will never feel in control of your career until you precisely define what “success” is for you.
This is the litmus test for new opportunities.
As you grow in this industry, you will be presented with opportunities; taking an opportunity will lead to one definition of “success” and not taking it will lead to a different definition of “success.”
If you do not know what your “success” is, you might be tempted to take an opportunity that leads to a definition of success that is not your own.
This is how people become resentful of a career they once loved. So don’t do that lol
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
The story I hope people tell about me when I’m gone is whatever they honestly felt about me. I’ll be dead, I probably can’t hear what they’re saying anyway.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tonychettamusic.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonychetta/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Tony-Chetta
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2BOG8chXTmx5Na11087xhL?si=a42295c8e65c45e6
Image Credits
Dennis Cook
