My newest chat is with multi-talented Nadeem Majdalany out of Los Angeles. His love of music and the creation of it goes back to his childhood. We talk about the joys and challenges of being a composer, and he shares three fun facts about himself. His first fun fact is one of mine too.
Introducing Nadeem…
What do you love about your life right now?
Being able to be a kid with my kids and experience all the things they are excited about.
You wear a few hats as a music creative. From being a film composer, conductor, and songwriter, you have been involved with music for years since you were a child when you were playing piano as young as eight. At a young age, you made your orchestral debut conducting the Athens Symphony Orchestra. You are also a Grammy Award winner, with several Grammy Award recognitions—quite impressive! Which creative hat do you love the most and why?
I love the creative process hat the most, getting my hands dirty and squeezing out every ounce of artistic juice possible while immersed in the act of creation. I think I’m always in love with the process and when I’m “in the zone” it’s something magical. I’m most happy even discussing the process and I can get carried away often in conversation just talking about the process and that creative quicksand I love sinking in.
I’ve been listening to your music and enjoying it immensely, especially “The Hastening Heart” on your album Soliloquy of Eden and Phoenix of Atlantis is fantastic. You have an amazing talent and gifts that I imagine have been years in the making and hard work and dedication to your craft. Share with me your process of composing an album of music.
I want to. I really, really do…. But I’m afraid the men in white suits will show up and haul me off. Just kidding-ish! There’s this moment where intuitive and intellectual smash into each other in my mind and this autopilot auto writing kicks in. I get inspired by a lot of things, but one thing I particularly love is paintings and works of art. Even when scoring a film, I surround myself with collections of visual art and visual references and even kinetic moments play a huge factor in my composing. I also love writing literature and attaching a literary companion to all my music. It’s always found in the album notes and in particular with Soliloquy of Eden, I re-released it as a short film with the album notes read as a voice over accompanying the music as it was intended in my mind.
What are the joys and challenges of being a composer?
I think the best joy is hearing your work performed and seeing it come to life. Whether it’s by you or a small group of friends or a massive ensemble, it’s hearing those notes dance off the pages, drift through the ether, dissolve into the canals and digested by your being. The challenges are endless, daily, constant and never ending and writer’s block is never one of those challenges! But the unknown factors of life and its pursuit are the challenges.
Was there anybody or a body of music that inspired you to become a composer and conductor?
I would say the personal lives collectively of composers and conductors. The unglamorous, disturbing, real-life human problems and their darkness that was very inspiring because I could see myself and relate to a lot of those issues. We tend to romanticize composers and conductors, but the truth is they have issues, personal life matters, addictions, demons and yet they kept in pursuit of their passion and transformed avenues of art. I can give you a nice short list here: Stravinsky, Beethoven, Cage, Mozart & Wagner. But if I had to pick one from there I’d definitely say Stravinsky. 100% definitely Rite of Spring. Where else can you find such a revolutionary piece of music that upset so many people at its premiere that it caused the audience to burn down the opera house it was being premiered at? I hope one to upset so many people they burn an opera house down. Goals.
Is there any advice you would give to someone who wants to pursue a career in the music industry as a composer, songwriter, and conductor?
Just write. Keep writing and do everything you can to put your music out there. Just find a way to make it happen and get it done. I get asked all the time from songwriters to composers how I do what I do and how I can help them. I do. I do help them, however they become their own challenge and want a quick, easy fix, but there’s nothing easy about this and it requires commitment, hard work and sacrifice.
If you could have a gigantic billboard anywhere with anything on it, what message would you want to convey to millions? What would it say and why?
That’s a fun question. Hmmmm… having a billboard anywhere with anything on it is a really awesome thing. I’ve been on a few before, but honestly, I would want it right at the curve on westbound Sunset Boulevard just west of Doheny Drive in West Hollywood. That’s always been a dream of mine to have a billboard there and I would love it to say RELAX & ENJOY with my giant freaky eyes staring at people like the eyes of Dr. TJ Eckleburg. In the background of those eyes and behind the words RELAX & ENJOY would be a cacophony of the images from my upcoming show, Pandora’s Box. Never actually saying that the show is just the words RELAX & ENJOY for the death machines racing down to Dead Man’s Curve.
We all have experienced failure, and sometimes success follows it. I know it’s just part of life and we can also learn from it as well. Do you have a favorite failure?
It’s hard to pick a favorite failure. I have more than one. Each failure to me is an opportunity to learn and grow. I used to really beat myself up about failing and rejection. I’ve actually kept and collected many rejects and have about 720 of them and each one more exciting than the previous. I think if you are really doing well in life and sticking to your guns, and building your artistry while being kind, there isn’t really anything as failure.
Describe yourself in one word.
Enigmatic
Nadeem, this is one of my favorite parts of the interview. Tell me five fun facts about you.
I wanted to make this a serious career fun fact answer, but I think those types of answers are pretty boring and easy to find on the internet. Let’s see…. I love pickles. I have a collection of meteorites. I love cooking. I have a vast collection of rare first editions, especially the works of Hunter S Thompson. And I love to collect souvenir hats from literally everywhere!
I love ending the chat with a quote. Do you have a favorite quote or saying that has inspired and motivated you in your life that you can share with my readers?
“Don’t Try.” – Charles Bukowski
It’s one of my favorite quotes that I live my life by and try to embrace every day. Most people think that it means to never make an effort or something negative to that effect. But it’s actually very freeing. It suggests that one should not force creativity, effort, or personal expression. Instead of striving and struggling to meet expectations, Bukowski advocates for a more authentic approach to life and art. Ultimately, “Don’t Try” encourages individuals to live authentically, allowing creativity and personal expression to unfold naturally without the burden of external expectations.
Thank you for reading my interview with Nadeem. His work is amazing and you can learn about him on his website and social media.
Check out his website.
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