Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Mola.
Hi Justin, 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?
My journey in music started from a very young age, and has been a rollercoaster of growth, changes, and refinement. I was born and raised down in Brevard County, Florida, just outside of West Melbourne. I was fortunate enough to have been raised by two supportive and encouraging parents, who are both musicians themselves. My Mom is a singer and pianist, and my dad is a professional drummer. With this being the case, music was always in my household growing up; and luckily there were always a variety of instruments available for me to experiment with and explore my talents on. My immediate interest was towards the drums. My Dad would bring me and my brothers to all of his gigs growing up, and seeing him play really planted a seed in me (as well as my brother Jared) that grew into a deep interest towards the drums. As I grew up and started playing more and more, I knew I found my passion. Once I reached Middle School, I joined the band program and started my journey as a percussionist. I played in every group and style that was available. From symphonic band to jazz band, I played drums as much and as often as I could. This eventually led to me joining the drum line once I got to High School. I continued honing my skills as a drummer/percussionist and I reached the point where I was actually the captain of my percussion section by my senior year. If it isn’t clear yet, drums have been (and still are) as MASSIVE part of my life. However, during my time in school, while I was so heavily focused on drums, my interests in other facets of music were silently growing and I didn’t even realize it.
During my years of high school, I began taking a big interest towards playing guitar and piano, and eventually, I discovered a singing voice that I never knew I had. When most singers are asked how long they’ve been singing, they would say: “Yeah, I’ve been singing since I was a baby”; but that definitely wasn’t the case for me, I only really started singing when I was around 14 or 15. However, ever since I found out I could, I fell in love with it. It gave me a feeling like no other, and I’ve stuck with it ever since. As I began to sing more and more, it developed into a natural desire and passion for writing my own songs. I loved the process of taking what was hard for me to express in words and channeling it into a song. It was like a superpower. The more I wrote songs, the more I built up an urge to record them. I remember seeing a friend record music on a little interface that connected to an iPad and I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. I remember wanting to buy one for myself so I could record my own demos. When I finally saved up enough, I bought one. This was the beginning of what would become my biggest passion of all; recording, producing, and mixing music.
After years of experimenting and trial and error, I was starting to get good and recording and making music. I would record myself, my friends, and even took on a few clients early on. After years of trying to do it myself, I really wanted to take it to the next level. That’s when I decided to move to Orlando, and I started attending Full Sail University in May of 2021. Ever since then, I’ve been releasing more and more music, getting better as an audio engineer every day, and just growing more confident in who I am as an artist.
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 definitely not been a smooth road to get here. I’ve had to fight through a lot of things in my life to reach where I wanted to be. However, whether it be a crippling anxiety, or issues at home, I’ve always sought refuge in music and I’m so grateful for what it’s done for my life. I truly believe that out of every bad situation comes a good one, and you really have to roll with the punches in order to get where you want to be. The hardest moment I’ve ever had to push through was losing one of my best friends back in 2021. He passed away in a freak accident, and it was so abrupt and so emotionally damaging that I struggled mentally for a while. He was a phenomenal musician and was such an inspiration to me. My first song that I ever released was a tribute to him, and that’s what ended up giving me the confidence to start actually releasing my own music. He gave me the strength to do things I was hesitant to because I knew that if he were still here, he’d still be encouraging me to keep going and grow as musician like he always did when he was alive. After going through all of that, I make sure I dedicate each day to getting better at what I do because tomorrow isn’t promised, and the best thing we can do is take advantage of each day to get better at and enjoy whatever it is we like to do, and hopefully leave bit of inspiration, encouragement, and joy to the world in the process.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At the core of everything I do, I am an artist. I specialize in songwriting, producing, and audio engineering. I would say that I am most known for being a singer and a musician; and in recent times, I am getting more and more notoriety as a mix engineer. However, at the root of it all, every skill I’ve acquired up to this point was to present my music to world in the best way I could, and in the way that I imagined it. I take a lot of pride in being able to take on any challenge necessary to accomplish my dreams. I want to share my music with the world in the best way possible, and that dream has led me to become a multi-instrumentalist, a mix engineer, and a seasoned producer and songwriter. If there’s anything that sets me apart from others, it’s not only the fact that I wear a ton of different hats (musician, singer/artist, producer, audio engineer, music promoter, etc.) but I’m not afraid of adversity and challenges. Many people I grew up with were quick to give up and change courses that steered away from their dreams. I take any and all challenges head-on because I know what I want and what my dreams are, and I would never let difficult times get in the way of what I’m meant to do.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
The list of people who have inspired me mentored me, and supported me in some way is a lengthy one. There has been so many, and I’m grateful for every person who came into my life and made a difference in who I am. To keep things brief, the first group of people who have always been the core of my inspiration and support would be my amazing family. My parents raised me to be the man I am today and gave me so many opportunities that have brought me so much success. My brothers Jared and Jaenin have always believed in me from the start and have always been there alongside me through everything. I recognize my best friends that have stuck with me through the years that have kept me sane and were there to continue growing and improving alongside me. I also credit a few of the many educators that have helped shape me and encourage me through the years such as Josh Sall, Bobby Blum, all my Full Sail instructors, and every other amazing teacher/mentor I’ve had over the years! I am forever grateful for every piece of inspiration and knowledge I’ve gained from you all and it has shaped me into the person I am today.
Pricing:
- Mixing Services – $200-$350 per Song
- Live Music/Performance – $50-$75/hr
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.justinmola.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justinmolamusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JustinMolaOfficial/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxFVsa8oSGB2NA1wPEM0vuQ
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/justin_mola
- Other: https://ffm.bio/justinmola
Image Credits
Justin Mola Photography
