Learn To Balance Self-Discovery and Ambition with Artist TiDUS
Power is the ability to pursue your dreams with unlimited ambition. The feeling of conquering a creative goal, or any goal for that matter, is indescribable once it has been accomplished. Even though it’s amazing to be in that position, sometimes in the midst of getting it, one can become lost. No matter what age you are as an ambitious artist, entrepreneur or leader, self-discovery to understand and get to know who you are can easily be forgotten when pursuing your dream. When an artist has a chance to balance self-discovery with the drive and ambition required to successfully achieve career goals, a superior emotional and mental health is afforded to the artist and becomes evident to those consuming their art. A balance of wellness, achieved through self-discovery, has the potential to make the pursuit of any goal more successful.
The New Jersey native TiDUS is an artist that has been given a spotlight for developing his own genre and championing the power of self. His sounds are influenced by Hip-Hop, Electronica, Goth, Gregorian chants, our own spiritual nature, and the African Diaspora. TiDUS has a new album, “Once You Believe In Yourself”, slated for release at the end of 2018 and his previous songs are starting to appear in inspirational and compelling Film and Television projects like Oprah’s “Queen Sugar” and the soon to be released independent film “Canal Street”, starring Bryshere Gray and recounting the true story of a young man who had to surmount a tremendous hardship. With an incinerating path of ambition and self-discovery, TiDUS has interesting views on the road to achieving your goals and maintaining your wellness.
Tell us about you. What’s your name, where are you from, what type of music do you make?
My name is TiDUS. Iʼm from New Jersey and I’m a creator making good music for the future.
What stage are you in your career and how long have you been creating music?
I guess you can say this is a self — discovery stage. Believing in the power I have to change my life and affect the lives of those around me, including my family. Believing in the inner power I have to make a positive change in this world. The inner power I have to shift things in my favor. The power I have to be all that I came here to be. The power I have to inspire others to discover their personal power. The power we all have. Iʼve been creating music all my life, itʼs just in me.
When was the moment you realized you had to pursue music as a career? How did it feel, was it scary, what steps did you take to get started?
The moment I realized I had to pursue music as a career, I was 16. On the way to a party, I think I had just finished a beat or something before because I was high on energy. I just remember looking up at the night sky and saying “Iʼm going to do this for the rest of my life” and that was it, I kept it moving. [Free] is a good word to describe the feeling. If I want to do something, Iʼm going to do it — it felt good knowing that this is what I really wanted to do back then.
In the midst of achieving your artist career goals, what’s the journey been like? Have you felt that you’ve discovered new things about yourself?
In the midst of achieving any goals, I think the journey will be filled with challenges, because ultimately itʼs “YOU” that youʼre achieving. The goal is just a marker letting you know you’re almost at the point of being a “new you”. I took an unorthodox route on this journey. Simply because my inner voice has always been strong within me. I’ve traveled a hard road on this journey. Iʼve slept on trains, floors, and couches, slept in cars, stairwells, been arrested, been thousands of miles away from anyone Iʼve ever known for months at a time.
Listen ‘To My Energy’ by TiDUS:
Iʼve lost my closest friends, contemplated death, wondered why life is the way it is, cried joyously and cried painfully. Iʼve taken my ideas, passions, and pains and turned them into a source of inspiration and guidance. I canʼt complain though because the journey is a beautiful one. Iʼm discovering the true power within.
Do you ever feel that you allow your career ambition takeover you sometimes where you don’t spend time doing things not related to your career? If so, how? If not, how do you create that balance?
I let my career ambition take over all the time, literally. Just this year I made it a promise to see family more, I have friends I havenʼt seen in 7 years, cousins and nephews I havenʼt seen, I have to cancel plans all the time, but I see a studio every day, you know? Maybe thatʼs just my makeup; I donʼt do this for nothing, thereʼs stuff I have to do before I leave here and it keeps me up at night. A calling — itʼs spiritual and Iʼm very attached to the process. Definitely getting better at balance though. I meditate every morning, almost two years straight now, I facetime, go outside, go on long drives, read. But nothing balances me as a good breathing in and out. Meditation.
Where does your ambition come from? What inspires that ambition you have for your music career?
My ambition comes from pain, from knowledge, and understanding of what I truly want. My ambition comes from struggle, from wanting to know how far I can take it- that alone drives me.
Has there ever been a time where your personal relationships have been affected by your choice of chasing your dream? If so, what happened?
ALL THE TIME. Facetime works wonders. Itʼs one thing to choose to chase another person over another. Itʼs another thing to choose a dream over someone. But what if youʼre dreams are your someone? We all make choices, the ones I make are dedicated to what I think is the bigger picture.
What do you envision for yourself to learn down the road once you are more experienced as an artist?
Iʼm envisioning learning how to inspire nations to build a better future.
If there anything now you wish you could have told your younger self when you first started as an artist that you know now?
No one knows what you want better than you.
What’s your favorite motto to live by and apply both personal and career wise?
Once you believe in yourself from the bottom of your soul there is nothing left to fear.
Are there any messages you are trying to relay with your music? If so, what are they?
I just want people to realize they are infinitely more than what we see every day on TV or at work. I want people to understand they have the power to change their lives and the world drastically. I want people to feel inspired and motivated. I also want people to understand that only they can bring that out of themselves. Just believe in yourself and the world changes.
Tell us about any new or upcoming projects your working on that your excited about.
My next album is called “Once You Believe In Yourself “ and it speaks to/ documents this time of my life and transforming into the me Iʼve always been. Discovery. Uncovering. I think that comes about through belief, faith, and declaring. Itʼs all an experience, itʼs all a challenge, itʼs all painful. Even when faced with some of the hardest challenges of my life thus far, I canʼt stop believing. Itʼs the 4th chapter. “Soon Youʼll Understand”, “Why Weʼre Here On Earth”, “Before Its Too Late”, and Now “Once You Believe In Yourself”.
