We had the good fortune of connecting with Rahjai and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rahjai, how do you think about risk?
You take a gamble when you live outside of the “norm.” Living comfortably is a real ideology, and following the plan that’s already been laid out for common people is easy. With that being said, every venture outside of the “nine to five until retirement” lifestyle is a risk. But I truly feel that this risk is what shapes leaders. It’s a drive like no other, and the most rewarding in self achievement. I would not be where I am in my career without risking the time to tell myself, “You know what? I might be able to take myself somewhere with my creativity.” And it is merely the beginning. I could settle for a life more promised in stability, but I “risk” my time and effort to turn my passions into art that will amount to things greater than me.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My artistic expression is more than just the music. My artistic expression is a representation of commitment to self, and my journey through allowing myself to surpass my mental barriers. I used to hoard records for years, and put the value of my work in the hands of others. I couldn’t get myself to understand why I could never progress – until I allowed myself to step out of my comfort. My passion for music has always been deeply rooted. My mother, a DJ of 19 years always had records spinning in our household. My father, an artist and painter, and my brother following suit in making music as well. Music surrounded me, so much that my first studio was in my apartment bedroom. My pride for my music stems from this point in my life. Everything I had learned about music production, I taught myself. Literally working on music night to night until my frustrations wouldn’t let me work anymore. But I never stopped. When we jump to the 2020 quarantine, things changed immensely. I was going through rebranding myself as an artist, after a couple “failed” releases (failures are set up to teach you). With things slowing down because of the pandemic, I allowed myself to lock back into the craft. So many records came out of this time in my life, that I was amazed every single time I sat down to create music. I learned how to take that knowledge and apply – I learned how to break those barriers of comfort, and excel. Now as I make my way into understanding the ropes of releasing music and building a fanbase, applying these skills is truly all about mindset, and having trust in taking a risk to set yourself up for success. All because I never stopped.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love driving, a great drive in my city is worth everything. There’s tons of scenic drives around LA, some of my favorites are through Mulholland Drive, the Pacific Palisades area, and through the Hollywood area as well. Los Angeles is huge, so one of the quickest ways to explore any district of LA is to rent one of the Bird (or Lyft) Scooters and drive around the area. This is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of the area, and get around quickly. Spend time in the Fashion District, and go to the many museums in LA, such as The Broad.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I don’t think I would have made it to this point without my brother, Jacob Cardell. In all the moments that I’ve felt lost and unable to accomplish the goals I set out for myself, he’s like the walking blueprint. My brother has taught me to be persistent in my pursuit of success – how to find the answers I’m in search of, and how to apply that knowledge to excel in my work. For a while, I couldn’t fully grasp the idea of stepping out of my comfort – the idea of taking that risk to push the boundaries of myself mentally and physically. There are no boundaries for Jacob. There isn’t a problem that he won’t work out until he has gained some worthy knowledge from it. I strive to master this curiosity, and unwillingness to settle, because there is nothing better than fostering something great out of nothing at all. Without him pushing me outside of my comfort, I wouldn’t have a team around me who’s like-minded ambitions drive me to achieve more.

Website: rahjai.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialrahjai/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/officialrahjai

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialrahjai/

Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3WsbamQlkUgL42IbLO7cYu

Image Credits
Nikai Miller Karla Funes

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