Introducing Stathis Stathopoulos, a unique and intense musician turning heads
In this article we turn our attention to Stathis Stathopoulos a talented and unique musician making waves within the music industry. I asked Stahis a series of questions, here are his responses:
Tell us a little about yourself, where your from, grew up, what H.S./College you attended, etc.
I’m from Athens, Greece where I grew up in and lived for most of my life. I went to college at the Athens University of Economics and Business where I got a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with a specialty in Marketing, while I was playing music on the side.
What inspired you to get into music, directing and writing? Early experiences worth sharing?
I’ve been in bands ever since I was 14, so the processes of songwriting collaborating and turning an idea into a finished product of a song became second nature to me throughout the years. What made me get into music was my mom bought a copy of Tool’s “Aenema” because she listened to part of it at a record store and found it dope. I was mesmerized by the album, it was so much different from all the other mainstream music I was exposed to at that time, so it dragged me down this rabbit hole of discovering new music. Getting into directing was very different: I was always a film fan but learning how to get into that world, setting up a production and being aware of the technical difficulties seemed an impossible task. Whereas music as I said was much easier to pursue, so I kept procrastinating until I decided to enroll in Digital Film Academy and force myself to learn the basics.
Talk about a time where you have faced adversity/conflict and have triumphed.
I’d say getting to the States to explore my options as an intern several years ago and a student now, has its challenges for a non-citizen. It’s definitely tough to get through the paperwork and make it happen, but a little patience and persistence can go a long way.
What do you believe sets you apart from other musicians?
I guess I dabble in a genre where technical proficiency and uniqueness in composition are appreciated; a sense that we’re doing something obscure or avant-garde, but I always try to incorporate something vocally or orchestration-wise that is ‘accessible’ to everyone. This leads to conflict with bandmates sometimes, but I find that conflict to make tracks more interesting in the end.
Do you have other interests or hobbies?
Not really. Vegan restaurant hunting, if that counts. And online chess, even though I’m real bad at it.
Any projects you have out or or currently working on?
I’m in two bands, one is NYC based, they’re called “The Horizon Problem”. They’re an alternative rock band with a lot of progressive elements so our songs can have odd time signatures, key changes, long structures etc. The other is “Saisei” from Greece, and we’re closer to the “Metalcore” genre, a much heavier sound. A far as films go, I’m trying to have school and my student films pave the way for my first short film “I’m Glad You’re Here”, shot in New York.
Where would you like to see yourself in 5 years?
If I’m doing things that I find creative and fulfilling I’ll be happy no matter what the specifics are.
What advice can you give in regards to individuals looking to enter your line of work?
It’s a cliché, but just going ahead and doing whatever it is that you wish to go after is the best advice anyone can get. To not live out your dreams in your head and stop procrastinating is good advice I continuously remind myself.
How can we follow along in your journey? YouTube? Social media? Sites?
You can follow me here Instagram, and my bands:
