Today we’d like to introduce you to Victor Castillo.
Hi Victor, 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?
I started as the son of a church drummer, before I had any musical aspirations for myself all I wanted to do is be like my dad. So around 13 years old I picked up my first pair of drums sticks and got to work. I eventually ended up playing for the church as well. And that’s what led me to develop my own music taste. Once I learned everything the church had to teach me I wanted to teach myself to play all the punk rock & metal songs I loved so much. In doing so I met a handful of people that also played instruments and enjoyed the same music I did. Once we had established a good enough relationship a few of us decided to start a band together, but we were missing a very important piece. The lead guitarist. I didn’t know anyone personally that could fit the position, but I heard legends of a kid that could shred like no other & he happened to sit right next to me in audio/video production class. His name was Nick or formally known as Nicolas Jefferson. One day I decided to lean back in my seat and ask him to be in a metalcore band with me. He agreed & the rest was history. We played in multiple bands together but none more important than The Above Average Joes. What started as Me, Nick and my now brother in law Alexis, eventually just became me and Nick. We rocked many stages, for many years, wrote many songs and we made a pact at 18 years old that no matter what life threw at us that we would never give up on music or each other. As the years passed we began to expand our knowledge and our musical pallet. I remember one day I heard Nick playing with a r&b band and I felt a jealousy I never felt before, I didn’t want to be BETTER than my brother, I wanted to be a participant in what he was doing. I admired what he was doing. I remember one day he brought an artist to the house that went by Dende. They were rehearsing for a SXSW show that never happened due to covid. But listening to them always felt so special and different. I eventually asked him who this Dende guy was and it turns out I asked at a perfect time. Dende had just released his debut album “DrkMttr” the night before, so we listened to it from start to finish in a hot ass garage. And ever since that day I felt like my life was transformed. I didn’t just hear a guy with a good voice from Katy Texas, I heard opportunity & freedom. I felt so moved that I started taking acoustic guitar lessons at guitar center and composing my own songs. I did this for some years as well as learning covers for my own enjoyment. Until One day Nick introduced me to GarageBand. I watched him use GarageBand to record demos for The Above Average Joes and it inspired me to figure out how to use it for my own personal music. Next thing you know I’m downloading type beats & writing full songs every day. Keep in mind up to this point I haven’t made a dime, no recognition, no pat on the back, just for the love of the game. I did this for a couple years on repeat. Putting my feelings, my heartbreaks, my hopes and doubts on the track. Until I got up the courage to upload something to SoundCloud. That one song sounded so bad quality wise that I HAD to find someone else to record me, so I turned to the only producer I knew existed, my homie Lean Baby. On our first ever session we recorded a song called Mean Girls & that played a huge role in my development. It was a song that I was proud of & could show not just my friends but ANYONE and be confident they would enjoy it. Some months into recording with Lean Baby I met Lance Burkes, which was a blessing in itself for the both of us. On the verge of quitting music, I knew Lance Burkes had more to accomplish in this lifetime, I couldn’t let him go out like that. We kept each other working and active for months, even recorded an entire album together called “Alice In Wonderland” at the same time I was recording my album “For What It’s Worth” and we released both the albums on the same day in December 2023. That moment is what led to our first performance where we met Anothony Juarez and the rest is history. We’ve been growing together and elevating the sound ever since.
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 was never easy. When I tell the story, I like to skip over this aspect of the journey, but it’s hard af being an independent artist. I’ve been through an abusive relationship, depression, running multiple businesses. bringing life into this world, multiple heartbreaks, homelessness, joblessness, losing friends to life, to betrayal, to drugs. But we’re not defined by our struggles, we’re defined by our resilience. The only that could stop me is death itself.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m known for my writing, structuring albums, instrumentation & one liners.
Outside of music I am known for managing franchises, mostly restaurants or hotels. I open stores, oversee operations and work like a regular joe. Above average tho.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Start small, but start TODAY!! The little things that you feel are insignificant today are the things that matter the most. Everyone has a story worth telling, and yours is only starting.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sleepytaughtme?stkn=MTA1ZHVlbWI4cnRpZQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1CA7dUZJQ4/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@sleepyv?si=jlL6wtzWxti_cuYa
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/y1RaXlsBaqMabkl03B
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5zDrMF7pj3epwdaWg8Qj8w?si=oAE6gEKoQDec-BlPkgPIKQ&utm_source=copy-link
