Tell us about yourself and your music

I was born in Sydney, Australia. My father Peter was originally from Sydney, and my mother Dawn was from Franklin, Virginia. They met in Israel while traveling the world and got married a few years later. At the age of three, we moved to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I started taking piano lessons at a young age and developed a love for music. I got my first electric guitar at the age of 12 and began to learn basic chords. I lost interest until the age of 15 when I got my first acoustic guitar and began writing songs and singing.

Talk to us more about your latest release

My two albums that are currently out were recorded in my home studio in North Carolina. The first album, Fire and Wine, is a compilation of songs from around 10 years ago. My latest album, Broken Dreams, are songs that I have written in the past five years. I am currently working on a third album, Make Your Move, that I hope to release in early 2021.

What inspired you to write this release?

The songs I write each come from a different time in my life where I was experiencing different thoughts and emotions.  Keeping up with the recording process with music that is recent is a battle within itself.  I feel that my music comes from a good place, and I hope that people can connect with it positively.  Music is not something I just sit down and create.  It comes to me as I continue to live life and gain experiences along the way.  So essentially, life itself is the inspiration behind all the music I write.

Describe the writing and recording process

All of my songs begin on the acoustic guitar.  As a poet and a songwriter, I am a purist when it comes to creating a piece of music.  I believe that even without drums, bass, and lead guitar, the song should be able to stand alone and be appreciated the same.  I record each instrument separately in the studio to a basic acoustic and vocal track, and then build the song from there.  I only use complete takes that are as close to perfection as one can get.

Any plans to release a video?

Any plans to hit the road?

I am hoping to play some local shows in the summer of 2021 on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  If you’re on vacation here, you might see me!

As an indie artist, how do you brand yourself and your music to stand out from the rest of the artists out there?

I believe as a musician, it’s all about the music.  The music speaks for itself, and I believe it’s up to the listeners and fans to recognize it as different and unique from the rest.

Who have you been listening to lately?

I listen to the radio frequently while driving.  It’s cool to hear so many different types of music and how they are created.  It’s incredible how so many people doing the same thing can be so different!

Who are your biggest influences?

I believe some of my biggest influences in music were not bands or musicians, but poets.  I studied and learned a lot of poetry at a young age, and so being familiar with them, it gave me a great foundation as a songwriter and lyricist.

Tell us about your passions

I have a passion for great food and enjoy cooking as much as I can.  I enjoy helping people in my community and doing things for others as much as I can.  I live in a truly unique place and feel so blessed to have the ability to thrive as an artist where I live.

What else is happening next in your world?

Well, I have two albums on the way in the next year, so I am really looking forward to releasing this music for people to listen to.  I’m hoping to continue to play live acoustic shows around the beach, and one day, maybe go on tour with a bigger band as an opening act.  But all in good time. I’ll have to wait and see what happens.

Thanks for an awesome interview, Rudolph

Connect with Rudolph

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/justin.rudolph.39/Twitter: https://twitter.com/MusicRudolphYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz6mhIiXVYrNHlFOO8qTq7w?view_as=subscriber