Today we’d like to introduce you to Ivan Morin.
Ivan, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I have been writing, recording, producing, and performing under the name Alcoda for five years now. I was in between a band break up and recording under a different stage name when I started writing material for Alcoda. I didn’t know what I wanted at the time, but I knew I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone. I had been playing melodic metal with a group of friends from high school, and we had started growing apart and out of our sound.
I come from a dysfunctional, but a beautiful family of musicians. Growing up, I found comfort in music, and later, I would find joy in performing whenever and where ever I could. I picked up a guitar for the first time at the age of 12 and never looked back. I would learn how to play piano and drums and eventually singing over the years. Now as an artist, I find myself writing songs as a homage to certain things in my past and even writing messages of hope to those who may find themselves in similar places in my lyrics.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I make lots and lots of music. I am inspired by everything around me. My family, my relationships, my encounters with strangers, the things I feel when watching a sad movie, or hearing an old song with memories attached to it.
I often find myself writing lengthy and sappy messages on my social accounts for my listeners.
When I was 16, I was in a very dark place. When I was all alone, I found music. It was all I had.
Now that I am in a much better place, I strive to do the same thing: offer love, offer hope, offer help.
Overall, I’d like to think that my music has something for everyone. If you’re there for the atmosphere or the vibe, you’ll have a good time. If you’re there for the meaningful passages, whether lyrical or musical, you’ll find substance.
How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
Up until a few weeks ago, I had no idea how to answer this question.
Success can be a scary thing.
But success is relative.
No matter where you are in your art, there will always be someone better or someone who makes more money than you or sells more records or has more dedicated fans.
Sure, success can be defined by these terms.
But I think success more or less lies with what kind of a legacy you leave behind.
Something that can’t really be determined until you’re done making art.
It’s hard to say what it really takes to be successful, but from what I’ve seen in others that I look up to, it’s staying true to your art, being bold and brave enough to step out of the box, and persevering against all odds.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Most of my music is available on all major streaming platforms (Spotify, Pandora, IHeartRadio, Apple Music, Tidal, etc.), but my entire discography is available on my Bandcamp page and can be purchased at whatever price they feel is suitable.
However, the best way to support not just my work, but any artist, is by sharing and talking about it with your friends, family, coworkers, baristas, neighbors, or complete strangers with nice shoes.
Contact Info:
- Website: alcoda.bandcamp.com
- Email: alcoda.music.777@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/alcoda777
- Facebook: facebook.com/alcoda777
- Twitter: twitter.com/alcoda777
- Other: alcoda.threadless.com
Image Credit:
Annalisa Morin, Annalisa Morin, Ivan Morin, Rena Morin, Greg Strode
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
