“Everyone has talent. What’s rare is the courage to follow it to the dark places where it leads.” – Erica Jong
If there is one thing that the music industry has always valued is an original talent. Even though the competition has increased in this space, with fresh talent pouring in from several sources, the value of unique creativity has always found a place in this industry. One such unique talent is Abran Lopez. This 21-year-old jazz musician started his journey on the street at the age of 17 to become a prominent name in the live music scene in America. Here’s his story.
Abran was born and brought up in a wealthy family of entrepreneurs. Although Abran was passionate about music from an early age, he always knew he would follow in his father’s footsteps and join the real-estate business. Everything was going fine until Abran turned 16, and his father suffered a major setback with his business losing millions. The family was forced to move from a posh bungalow to a two-bedroom apartment in a low-income neighborhood rife with crime and drugs.
The sudden downfall in their financial position led Abran to quit high school and start earning to support his family. It was then he took up music as a way to make some money during the day while working as a waiter in a restaurant at night. Abran started his career in the subways by entertaining passersby. While some helped him with a few dollars, others asked him to shut up. Working as a waiter in a posh restaurant where live music was played, Abran always dreamt of being on stage as an artist. He could spot the difference between an artist playing in the subways and one performing in a luxury restaurant. This fired his passion to pursue music as a profession.
With no formal musical training, it was difficult for Abran to find a place where his talent would be valued. This was when one of his co-workers suggested he try his luck at a talent hunt show. When Abran reached the audition venue, he was so excited about the opportunity that he was anxious about losing it due to his lack of formal training. With this lack of confidence, Abran could not perform his best and eventually lost out. This was when he realized the value of self-confidence and the need to hone his skills. Although he failed in his first attempt, the lesson he learned was priceless.
Over the next several months, he poured his heart and soul into improving his craft. He then took another leap of faith to audition for The Voice, a popular talent hunt show broadcasted on Hulu and Peacock. Abran left the judges mesmerized with his performance, and what followed after this roller-coaster journey was him being crowned the winner of season 9 of The Voice.
Abran earned loads of appreciation for his debut album Breathless, which was part of his prize for winning The Voice. His euphonious tone and unique take on cross-genre music left his listeners craving more. Today, Abran is a renowned name at music festivals and live concerts. He is redefining jazz with his signature style that has never failed to impress an audience. Abran has a series of projects in the pipeline, and some of them are due to roll out this year.
