Meet Version Eight | Artist

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

Hi Version, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
I personally don’t believe in giving up.

On that note I’ll be brutally honest. You’re going to fail. A lot.

Every single business, artist, or otherwise goes through ups and downs. There will always be setbacks and failures. But through immense determination and willpower, there is always hope in achieving that dream that may currently feel impossible.

It is also important to keep the big picture in mind when faced with career difficulties, especially in the creative sphere.

It’s true, there are times where a particular idea may not work out in the long run.

For example, a particular restaurant may fail. But that doesn’t mean giving up on the dream of opening a successful restaurant. Maybe the pizza joint on the highway didn’t work out, but that doesn’t mean the calzone shop in the heart of the city won’t. Sure, the first 5 metal albums you release might not stick, but that retro 80s electro album that’s been sitting on your computer collecting dust might.

At the end of the day it’s all about perspective. You have to ask yourself what your dream really is, and how far you are willing to go to make it happen. You may have to sacrifice certain aspects of that dream, and certain aspects of your life, but that doesn’t mean that dream ever has to die.

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.
I am what I guess you would call a one-man-band. I write, record, produce and mix all of my own music, produce all of the artwork, photos, videos and merchandise by myself. I run my own social media, and handle all of the business and financial aspects as well.

It has taken many years and countless hours of practice to reach the point where I am now. I see it as a gift I have given myself to be able to create whatever I want, however I want, whenever I want, and no one can tell me otherwise. That was the ultimate goal of Version Eight in the first place.

I see a lot of artists out there who only play guitar, only paint, etc. and that bothers me. I think there is always opportunity to do more.

It has not been an easy road getting to this point. I’ve lost many friends and have difficulties with romantic relationships due to my insane drive to succeed and the nature of my business. I have multiple chronic health conditions that often impede my abilities to do certain things and it can be very frustrating. There are always naysayers and that nasty inner critic that can make creative pursuits incredibly difficult.

I’m the end what I really hope is that Version Eight will inspire the world to start their own business, band, clothing line, etc.

Whether that’s one person, ten, or a million, that’s up to the world to decide. I believe if I can inspire even just one person to pursue their impossible dream and achieve it, then the purpose of Version Eight has been fulfilled in my eyes.

The meaning behind the name is a representation of infinity. The idea that anything is possible no matter how crazy it sounds.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them to Boludo, an Argentinian pizza place in Minneapolis. Fantastic pizza and mouth-watering empanadas. From there we’d drive up to Duluth and the North Shore of Lake Superior. The view is breathtaking all over and I always feel at peace up there, with plenty of small town places to eat and shop. Best to go in autumn to see the changing of the leaves along the shoreline.

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?
Honestly there a too many to count but I can name one who stands out. I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to Skyler Acord from the band Issues. That man has helped me countless times in every aspect of my artist career and also my personal life. I wouldn’t be the artist or person I am today without his help.

Website: versioneightloot.com

Instagram: @versioneight