Meet Stephen Kopriva: Electronic Musician

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

Hi Stephen, what is the most important factor behind your success?
As a musician, it is imperative to be consistent. More often than not, I find myself running into writer’s block when producing music. However, every now and then, sparks of beautiful creativity pop up and an artist can only capitalize on those moments by consistently getting in the studio and trying to write something. Great ideas can only be created if you try. Even if it’s the last thing I want to do on a particular day, I have to look past all the crap and self-doubt and try to create something. That consistency and drive to create is what ultimately makes a musician successful. 

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I produce electronic music that blends various sub-genres, such as bass and Lo-Fi. In addition, I like to incorporate a lot of naturalistic elements in my music to help raise awareness for climate change. All of my music starts with a setting (forest, beach, etc.) and flows with an open-ended story about that setting. I’ve grown very proud of my recent releases and my ability to create the story I want to tell. However, it has taken me a few years to hone in on my craft, decide on what I want to make, and figure out how I want people to feel after listening to my music. There are SO many hurdles to get over when first starting out as an artist (i.e. production software, music theory, branding and marketing, etc.). It’s like every time you make a big break through, there is another wall twice as tall sitting on the other side. However, the biggest lesson I’ve learned is to NEVER give up. Just looking at my progress this past year, I did not think I would be where I’m at today. You are your own biggest obstacle and anything is possible if you believe in yourself and never stop, regardless of what’s in the way.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
2 things I love to do in Atlanta: eat and get outside. Every time I have a friend in town, I like to take them to Little’s Food Store in Cabbagetown to grab one of their fantastic burgers. Then, taking a walk by the Krog Street tunnel to check out the mural wall is a perfect way to rid of the food coma. I’ve also recently been really into urban exploring and Atlanta is full of old abandoned properties. There are a few awesome spots in West Atlanta I’ve come across that seem untouched by modern society, excluding the beautiful street art you may find tucked away. One cannot visit Atlanta without having some fried chicken benedict, and my favorite place in the city for that is Highland Bakery. Highland Bakery is always on my brunch itinerary whenever I have someone in town to visit. Lastly, as an electronic music fanatic, I love to go out to shows (not during COVID) and my favorite club in the city is Ravine. After COVID season passes, I can’t wait to get back out to Ravine to see some live music. A lot of my inspiration as an artist comes from shows and I love showing my out-of-town friends the music scene this city has to offer.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to Sami Diament, who is a prominent electronic musician. I’ve never had the chance to meet Sami, but he is always providing tips and tricks for navigating the emotional ups and downs of being a musician. His words of wisdom have helped me get through some of my deepest lows and I wouldn’t be where I am today without Sami.

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Image Credits
Horeyezon Media (just the first picture)