Today we’d like to introduce you to Lorenzo Burroughs.
Hi Lorenzo, 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?
Being raised all my life in a Christian family, my dad was the pastor and organist of our church. At around seven years old, the organ started to intrigue me and so I would watch my father and other guest musicians play each Sunday. After church services, I would take the bench and try and replicate what I saw them do while also trying to remember from memory what they were playing. This is how I taught myself how to play the piano or anything with keys really.
I always went to schools that focused on the arts which I believe further bred my love of creativity. I took part in things like photography, cinematography & design as well being accepted into the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising here but ultimately not going because I didn’t have the income to afford it (and I was not about to go in debt).
I ended up working at many places and trying out for many shows… Old Navy, Target, an office job, American Idol, The Voice, America’s Got Talent… I eventually got a job as a Semi-Truck driver. It’s here where I would inevitably start and manage what is now my current YouTube channel. Teaching people how to make music, inspiring current artists, and doing it all in a way that is true to my creative style.
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?
It has not been smooth by any means. Most of my struggles have come by way of tough romantic relationships. While I was on my truck driving job, building my channel I would go through 2 failed engagements from long-distance relationships. I am very much a risk taker and I tend to dive in headfirst to things and so it has gotten me into these major bumps in the road. Running a music and YouTube content creation business is not easy to do when you’re having a mental breakdown, there were many times I told myself I would give up.
I’ve had downturns in revenue where I would have to resort to cleaning my savings account out, times where I’ve had to sell off music equipment to pay my bills but not have to get a normal job that would detract from the growth I was experiencing…the ups and downs of income and romance were to 2 main culprits of my harsher times. More recently, it has been a feeling of being burnt out. Since my job is one creative in nature, it takes an incredible amount of will and energy to make something from scratch multiple times a week, every week. Sometimes my mind and body suffer through this for weeks and I start to feel incompetent. That’s the most annoying part.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I manage a YouTube channel called “IAMLXGEND” (no relation to Will Smith) which is a music production channel that teaches creators of all ages and skill levels how to make music or improve on what they already know. I do this in a way that makes it what I like to call “Netflix For Musicians”.
I specialize in producing multiple genres (mainly r&b/Pop & rap), engineering the music (recording & mixing myself or other artists), and directing, editing, and filming music videos, documentaries, commercials for Music software companies around the world. Everything I currently do in each art form was self-taught from the music to the cinematography and editing. Which is what I believe sets me apart from others.
I really pride myself on being a self-sufficient individual. I can get it all done (and done masterfully) by myself. While this can be a negative just as much of a positive, I think it’s the reason I’ve had so many nice highlights in my journey. Some of what I am most proud of for instance when Janelle Monae heard a song I wrote for an album of hers. Back in 2010, it brought her and her record label to tears (the tweet still exists somewhere). Or when Justin Bieber used a rendition of a song of his that I made for a charity campaign. They are very small moments in time but they hold big value to me. People are paying attention.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Some of my mentors are people who taught me as I was growing up in this wonderful city. Mrs. McKinney, our choral ensemble teacher at SDSCPA was a big influence over my entire family and our music. She kept us sharp and on our toes with our voices and our knowledge of music theory, even if we didn’t know official terminology which is what I really appreciated. It heavily leans into what I do now on my YouTube channel. I teach in laymen’s terms (not that she did) but I make sure people get the PURPOSE of what they are learning and not just the technical jargon.
Artist B.Slade, also a San Diego native, had (and continues to have) a tremendous influence over my creative life. He was one of the artists who inspired ME to be an artist. We had close family relations as well, so I was able to take more influence from his artistry as well. The funniest part about all of this is his former studio, the “Ink Spot” is now the same building where my current studio is located. So the very place I visited, thinking to myself “I want to have a place just like this”, I now have in the literal same suite as him. Everything has just been so intertwined, it’s hard to say how they DIDN’T influence my career.
Pricing:
- General song review: $50
- 30 min. consultation: $50
- Remote Session: starting at $150 (2 hours)
- Studio Session: starting at $200 (2 hours)
- Mixing & mastering: starting at $150
Contact Info:
- Email: enxo@lxgends.com
- Website: http://www.lxgends.com/
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/iamlxgend
- Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/enxo
- Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/iamlxgend
Image Credits
Lorenzo Burroughs
