Today we’d like to introduce you to Johnathan Taylor.
Hi Johnathan, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I am a naturally curious and energetic person. From a child’s age, I was picking up snakes, climbing trees, running off in the woods, and anything else my fearless spirit led me to. In the midst of all of that energy, music and performing were my ways of telling my stories. I started my musical journey as a kid playing piano and trumpet. I would sit in front of the keys, learning songs by ear and taking lessons here and there.
I knew that from a young age, music and performance were in my bones and were how I expressed my thoughts and feelings to the world. As I got older, I began my scientific journey. I went on to major in Environmental Science and was prepared to go onto further schooling for Wildlife Ecology; coincidentally, I also began acting in college as well. Though the sciences were my current career path, the arts made their way into my life even stronger than before. When I graduated in 2019, I went onto an acting apprenticeship in Atlanta (the year before the world stopped). It was also the year that I met my future sound team: Multiband Studios. Everything clicked from the moment I started to work with Multiband. I composed my first score for Alliance Theater, designed my first of many theatrical shows, and began to travel the country designing sound and composing. Now, I work fully as a sound designer, actor, and content creator in Atlanta. I have found a way to use the gifts I was given to share a bit of light to every person I come across. This journey to living in my art has not been the simplest path, but it is one that I don’t regret taking. Making a living out of sharing art, getting people to laugh and feel, and playing music is a life I would choose in any universe!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road for sure. I had to first make the mental and spiritual leap of faith from the sciences to the life of a working artist. There were many long nights of scraping money to make the ends meet, and plenty of weeks of just turkey sandwiches and soup, but the leap was a necessary step in the journey. Though I don’t live the 1st and 15th paycheck lifestyle, I have adapted into a lifestyle that pays the bills while pushing me to utilize all of my skills to pay the bills (pun absolutely intended). The other struggles were the humbling gigs where I didn’t know a single thing, but I brought the best energy I could and learned along the way. It takes a good amount of humility to admit that you don’t know what to do and you need help, and I have been blessed with a team that has empowered me to push farther beyond my current limits and not be scared of receiving help from others.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a Sound Designer, Producer, Actor, and Content Creator. I design sound for theatre, film, music, and live events across Atlanta and the US. I specialize in music composition and performance; I also specialize in improv acting and performance. I am most proud of stepping out and getting back into improv. Improv has given me a perfect place to use all of the skills that I have while making me a better performer. From performing on stage, to performing as pianist, it has granted me the chance to combine my passions and make people laugh all at the same time! I think this approach sets me apart from others in my field. I bring the mind of a designer and performer into all the spaces that I am in; it gives me more perspectives on how to engage with an audience, how to actively listen, how to bridge gaps between different worlds, and so on.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
One of my favorite childhood memories would be my first live baseball game with my family. I was born in Rochester, New York and when I was a kid, I went to a Rochester Redwings game with my cousins. Ironically, I got lost at the stadium, but my curious brain just thought it was a fun trip around the stadium. My family would disagree, but I digress.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justoriginal14/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justoriginal14
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/justoriginal14
