Sharod Virtuoso hails from Chicago, Illinois, by way of Atlanta, Georgia. He is a Grammy-nominated and platinum-selling producer, singer/songwriter, and the lead guitarist for the Atlanta-based band The Band of Brothas, who have traveled the world playing for various artists and acts as well. A self-taught musician, producer, and songwriter, he has worked with the likes of such artists as Trey Songz, J. Cole, Summer Walker, H.E.R., 6lack, Big KRIT, KeKe Wyatt, K. Michelle, Kevin Ross, Dondria Nicole, and the legendary Stevie Wonder. He released his debut EP, Tales Of a Broke(N) Songwriter, in 2017. In 2019, he released a new single featuring Musiq Soulchild entitled "Slow It Down," which is off of his second EP "Jus' A Guy & His Guitar," released in July of 2020.
By Kamil Bobin
Discovered via Musosoup
Kamil) Hey Sharod Virtuoso, super nice to have the chance to chat with you. What first got you into music?
Hello, pleasure to chat with you as well!
Well I grew up in a very musical environment. Like many R&B singers I grew up in church, surrounded by other singers and musicians who always provided me with a pretty supportive and nourishing atmosphere to just explore things. I was able to just learn and grow at my own pace. If I had to pinpoint any singular thing that started my journey into music, it was definitely church.
Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of music?
Hmm, a few. I'm a big basketball fanatic, byproduct of growing up in the 90s in Chicago during prime Jordan/Bulls dynasty era LOL But I watch alot of basketball. I like to play video games (mostly 2K of course). I'm also a bit of a gear/gadget head; I have so many little gadgets and gizmos around the studio and house. Other than that, really just taking vacations regularly, enjoying life. I think its important to take time out to reset and recalibrate your creative energy.
Your latest song is 'Favorite'. Can you tell us more about the making of it and if there were any unusual things happening during the process?
Well I don't know about anything unusual taking place duirng the creative process of it LOL But the entire concept of the song started from a conversation that I was having with a friend. They reached out to me to vent about their recent discovery of the person they were seeing, seeing other people. I think evolking social commentary after your song is a key element of song writing, so I always look for subject matters and approaches that will give me good chances to do that. I couldn't help but think that wondering if you're the favorite of someone you're dating or seeing who is also seeing other people would not only be a sort of cheeky topic, but also universally relatable to people everywhere. So the entire song really came from me having that conversation and wanting to write about that perspective.
Can you reveal the recipe for a musical hit?
I genuinely believe that the criteria for a "hit song" is so subjective nowadays, so it's difficult to say. But I also believe that to compose and produce a hit song, you need a few core things; A strong, universally appealing subject matter, catchy melodies, vivid and well written lyrics, and fundamentally sound music that creates and cultivates a specific vibe. I think as long as you can create that world for people to invite themselves into and feel at home when they press play, then you've accomplished the goal.
What are you doing to ensure you continue to grow and develop as an artist?
In order for me to continue to grow and evolve creatively, it's really about two main things. First thing is consistently finding multiple sources of inspiration to keep myself inspired. If you aren't constantly staying inspired or in that headspace, I find it more & more difficult to have source material to pull from to keep building the brand. That could be watching music documentaries, it could be watching live performances or tour concerts; It could be listening to playlists of new music and artists I'm not already familiar with. Whatever helps keep me in the frame of mind to always push forward and not get complacent with what I'm doing or working on in the moment. Second thing is surrounding myself with like minded creatives/persons as well. Iron truly does sharpen iron, so if you're always in the company and environments of people who are growing and pushing their own boundaries of creativity, it becomes harder to stay in the same place and keep doing the same thing yourself. That constant pressure keeps you sharp and wanting to continue to push the envelope.
What inspires you as an artist? Could it be the sea, the weather or something else?
Honestly yes LOL Everything inspires me. It could be any given thing at any given moment, you really never know. That's why I think it's so important to stay in a state of constant inspiration; Going out into the world and taking the iniative to find inspiration in the randomnest of things throughout the day. It's sporadic and random, somedays it comes and somedays it doesnt. But the key is just being open to it, that's what works for me.
How do you spend your free time? What makes you feel relaxed?
I mostly spend my free time or down time either playing video games or watching basketball games, both are decompressing for me, and allow me to just relax and recharge. Watching a game and smoking something smooth is always ultra relaxing for me, so I'm gonna go with that lol
Do you have a mentor or coach?
Yes, I actually have a few different mentors for different facets of life. I think when you want to accomplish something in life, one of the most effective things you can do is to find a person or persons who are already doing what you would like to do, and cultivate healthy relationships with them so that you can learn as much from them as possible to get you where you wanna be. So that's a model that I've used for just about every aspect of my adult life, and it has benefitted me tremendously.
Do you think it's easy to become established in the music world, or is it difficult?
Oh it's definitely difficult to become established in the music industry. There's so many nuisances that go into it now, more than ever before. Just to create and cultivate a signature sound and brand that appeals to people, and make it stand out amongst the sea of so many others in your respective genre(s) trying to do the same thing. And that's just getting there! Then to have to stay locked in to maintain it. It can be alot, and it can really take a toll on you. I tell anyone who wants to do this for a living that it isn't easy, and it's only worth it if you love it. Simple as that.
What accomplishments do you see yourself achieving in the next five to 10 years?
In the next 5 to 10 years I see myself doing alot of the same things I'm doing now, mostly just finding an even better balance of creating records and content for myself while still creating great records for other artists. I enjoy the challenge of continuing to do both at a competitive level.