Tag Archives: 2015

What Is Our Definition of Work?

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Earlier this evening, after checking my notifications on Twitter, I decided to check out the profile of someone I recently interacted with after she tweeted a quote by a women named Myleik Teele. The quote that she tweeted courtesy of Myleik stated the following, “You can’t be on year 2 expecting 10 year results.”

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Screenshot via Twitter.

Interestingly enough, I interviewed Myleik for behindthehustle.com back in 2015 for one of our “3 Lessons Learned” articles. In other words, I know her hustle! Speaking of hustle, I also know that when I share a common interest and philosophy with someone else, the least I can do is check out their profile to see what it is they do for work. In this case, I decided to check out the profile of @Reality_Check5. After checking out her profile and seeing that she is the DC Membership Manager for Women of Color in Communications, I decided to check out her company’s Twitter handle, @ColorCommntwk. It was here that I saw the following tweet to an article by Kayla Matthews via Inc. magazine about research saying that “40 hours Is Too Long Of A Work Week.” This really caught my attention and interest.

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Screenshot via Twitter.

As a result of this tweet, I was compelled to reply that our view and perspective of “work” will often determine whether or not we feel as though 40 hours is too long of a work week. I believe that when we do what we love, we’re more committed and devoted toward living and working with a greater sense of purpose. Thus, the energy that we are fueled with through passion and purpose will allow us to put in the adequate amount of hours required to achieve our goals. Most of the time, this will far exceed 40 hours!

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Screenshot via Twitter.

This thought is essentially what led me to the following question, “Are we really working too long…or maybe, are we really working too wrong?”

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Photo via Twitter.

What Is Our Definition of Work?

Are we allowing our “work” to occupy our time or optimize our time? Are we working towards meaning, significance, and purpose or towards making ends meet? Let’s take the money out of the equation and ask ourselves, “Why are we working?” More importantly, why are we working 40 hours? What are we working 40 hours on? Would we be doing what we are doing if we were not paid to do it?

After a while, I believe that there comes a point and time where we must truly assess what we are doing and why. As Michael Jr. Comedy once said, “When we know our why, our what has more impact because we are walking in or towards our purpose.” This is often what differentiates those of us who live life on purpose from those of us who unfortunately fall into the dangerous time warp of society. Let’s ask ourselves, “How might we discover our purpose?” As a result, I’m sure this will eventually help to alleviate the pain of both working extra long and extra wrong.

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(Uh • Kway • Us) Aquaus Kelley is a forward-thinking Brand Strategist, Cultural Curator, and Educator. As the Founder of A Lovers Ambition Lifestyle Group, he specializes in identifying talent and creating opportunities for brand development, exposure, and growth. Aquaus has worked with companies and organizations such as Cornerstone Agency, City Year Miami, Universal Music Group, and W Hotels. He is extremely passionate about helping companies adapt to culture and building value between brands and their consumers centered around love. His ultimate mission is to use his influence to project positivity across the globe and invest in the collective future of society through the arts, education, entertainment, and leadership.

What Do We Look For In Emerging Artists?

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Photo via FACT Magazine.

Back on November 24, 2015, I had the honor of being interviewed by one of my favorite new music discovery platforms, fanum.fm. When asked the question, “What characteristics or qualities do I find attractive in new and emerging artists?” I answered as follows:

When I was an A&R and music publisher, I was often asked: “What do I look for in emerging artists?” As strange as it may sound, this was never a simple question for me. In fact, I was always looking for better ways to explain what catches my attention. Even today, when it comes to discovering new and emerging talent, there are a few elements that I find myself…well…a “sucker for” — here they are!

1. Production Quality (Songs)

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Photo via GrungeCake.

My introduction into the world of recorded music came through producing and writing songs alongside a very good friend of mine. We were HUGE fans of The Neptunes and were always intrigued by the quality of their production and how they worked with a wide variety of artists. When it comes to identifying artists who catch my attention, I’m very production driven.

Here are a few attributes which I tend to look for:

  • Good selection of sounds (electronic, live, sampled, etc).
  • Catchy melodies and chord progressions.
  • Clear and audible vocals.
  • Interesting vocal and/or instrumental arrangements.
  • Thoughtful lyrics and storytelling.

In October of 2015, I was talking to one of my friends in the lobby of my apartment building. A few minutes into our conversation, I heard an ear-catching melody underneath some foreign female vocals. I immediately had to pause the conversation to find out exactly what song was being played. Thanks to Shazam, I discovered it was “Come” by Jain – a singer/songwriter from France. Due to the flavor and quality of her production, I was positively exposed to her music. As a result, I continue to follow her work as she proceeds to build her brand.

2. Brand Potential (Cohesive Aesthetic)

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Photo via The Fader.

I firmly believe that a strong brand should entail a cohesive aesthetic across all media platforms. It’s important to avoid confusing our potential consumers and make sure that they know where and how to find us. Our website, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Soundcloud, Twitter, and Youtube all serve as primary and secondary touch-points for people to find us. They need to be in sync. A GREAT example of an emerging artist with a cohesive aesthetic is Kali Uchis:

I’ve always been a sucker for the small things that tend to add up as our careers manifest down the line. Do you notice how Kali’s quality visuals match her personality, style, and theme across all channels? Even her color scheme is a consistent baby blue and pink. Brand cohesion plays a huge role when it comes to catching and keeping our consumers attention.

3. Diligence, Honesty, and Initiative

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Photo via Google.

Practicing diligence, taking initiative, and being honest with one’s self is truly what helps to set an artist up for the long-haul in regards to defining their legacy. I believe Kehlani is a prime example of this. Her current label, Atlantic Records, considers her a “mindie” act (‘Major’ artist with ‘Indie’ bonafides), having her fan base as an independent artist before garnering the attention of the majors.

It’s apparent that her hard work is just beginning to pay off, while her more subtle honesty bleeds through her music. In an interview with The Fader, she talks about going through foster care, losing her father as a child, and her wavering sexual identity. These are all topics that many artists shy away from for fear of compromising how they are viewed in public. Kehlani is different. She realizes that to inspire others is to accept herself for exactly who she is. She is such a shining light of truthful experience and authentic artistry! For this reason, Kehlani is continuing to win over fans and supporters even through her public challenges and setbacks. Keep striving Kehlani, keep striving!

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(Uh • Kway • Us) Aquaus Kelley is a forward-thinking Brand Strategist, Cultural Curator, and Educator. As the Founder of A Lovers Ambition Lifestyle Group, he specializes in identifying talent and creating opportunities for brand development, exposure, and growth. Aquaus has worked with companies and organizations such as Cornerstone Agency, City Year Miami, Universal Music Group, and W Hotels. He is extremely passionate about helping companies adapt to culture and building value between brands and their consumers centered around love. His ultimate mission is to use his influence to project positivity across the globe and invest in the collective future of society through the arts, education, entertainment, and leadership.

Jain – Makeba

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I remember initially coming across the music of Jain last year in October of 2015. When I heard her song playing in the lobby of my apartment building, I immediately thought of M.I.A. and Santigold. I love Jain’s artistic, creative, and free spirited vibe. Since then, with the help of fanum, we’ve been keeping track of her moves as an emerging artist.

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Just a few days ago, she released her latest video for “Makeba.” It’s pretty dope! When I first saw the balloons in the beginning, I thought of Warby Parker. It always amazes me how one visual can trigger a response that leads us to think of a particular brand or product.

Anyway – back to the music. Enjoy the video!


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(Uh • Kway • Us) Aquaus Kelley is a forward-thinking Brand Strategist, Cultural Curator, and Educator. As the Founder of A Lovers Ambition Lifestyle Group, he specializes in identifying talent and creating opportunities for brand development, exposure, and growth. Aquaus has worked with companies and organizations such as Cornerstone Agency, City Year Miami, Universal Music Group, and W Hotels. He is extremely passionate about helping companies adapt to culture and building value between brands and their consumers centered around love. His ultimate mission is to use his influence to project positivity across the globe and invest in the collective future of society through the arts, education, entertainment, and leadership.

7 Days of Wisdom (Episode 9)

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7 Days of Wisdom is an original weekly video series presented by A Lovers Ambition Lifestyle Group and hosted by Aquaus Kelley. Our mission is to foster growth and create a community of success and significance. Through sharing meaningful advice, knowledge, and insight gathered throughout our daily experiences, we aim to empower, encourage, and inspire our community to achieve their most passionate aspirations.

In This Weeks Episode We Discuss:

  1. Disappointment(1:40)
  2. Hopefulness (6:23)
  3. Proximity (9:04)
  4. Could vs Should (22:50)
  5. Quotes of The Week (12:47)

This Weeks Resources Include:

  1. Living Brave: Brené Brown and Oprah (https://aloversambition.com/2016/01/02…)
  2. Zeitgeist Minds Presents: Bryan Stevenson (https://aloversambition.com/2016/01…)
  3. London Real Presents: Robert Greene (https://aloversambition.com/2016/01/03…)
  4. Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl (Book)

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(Uh • Kway • Us) Aquaus Kelley is a forward-thinking Brand Strategist, Educator, and Music Publisher. As the Founder of A Lovers Ambition Lifestyle Group, he specializes in identifying talent and creating opportunities for brand development, exposure, and growth. Aquaus has worked with companies and organizations such as Cornerstone Agency, City Year Miami, Universal Music Group, and W Hotels. He is extremely passionate about helping companies adapt to culture and building value between brands and their consumers. His ultimate mission is to use his influence to project positivity across the globe and invest in the collective future of society through the arts, education, entertainment, and leadership.

NIKOS Band EP

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As the first full week of 2015 abruptly comes to an end, I find myself earnestly working on narrowing down the emails and LinkedIn messages that I have yet to get to in 2014. One message that I had to revisit comes from a young man by the name of Jeff Motekaitis.

Jeff is the bass player in a band by the name of NIKOS. After finally getting a chance to sit down and check out their music, I was impressed. Their self-titled debut EP on soundcloud was totally worth the listen. I had it on repeat for about 3-4 cycles while cooking and eating dinner.

I’m always happy to witness the emergence of new artists and bands. I’m even more excited about the potential to work with these new artists and bands in some capacity in the near future.

I hope that you enjoy NIKOS like I do!