Today we’d like to introduce you to John Aqua.
Hi John, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I’ve been playing guitar since I was 5 years old but really had my sights set on acting in theatre/film. Having convinced my parents at that age to buy me a guitar, my mom saw the potential and immediately put me in guitar lessons. Although I began writing novice songs at that age, using three strings and a handful of lyrics, I’d eventually come to the conclusion that I really enjoyed performing, in general. And once introduced to the world of elementary school theatre productions, I began to really develop an appreciation for the fun I was having playing fictional characters on stage with my friends. As a result, I gravitated away from my more musical endeavors and, in contrast, toward that of theatre.
Despite switching my focus from one art form to the next, my parents still made it a point to support both–keeping me in guitar lessons and also putting me in local theatre programs outside of school. Programs like Teatro Dallas and TECO worked to shape my performance skills on stage, and eventually, my love for theatre would grow into a desire to be in films. This led to more parent-sponsored film classes and workshops. All the while, playing guitar and taking guitar lessons became more of a side gig/hobby.
I hadn’t sang in front of an audience or written a song since 5 years old, and at this point, I was in 4th/5th grade. I’d play guitar here and there behind other child singers my age, whom of which might’ve been the child of one of my mom’s coworkers or other connections like that but I wasn’t taking music seriously. In 6th grade, I auditioned for my first professional musical at Dallas Theatre Center and was accepted. This got me back into singing. At the same time, I auditioned for and was also accepted into the jazz band at the middle school I was attending (Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy). This made me start taking music a bit more seriously, as well as helped to train my ear. Both acceptances would play a huge role in my return to music years later.
Come 7th grade; I was getting pretty serious with my acting career, having both an LA and Dallas film agent. But to be safe and have a bit of plan B, I attended this summer camp centered around science, technology, engineering, and math. Little did I know I’d develop a huge crush on this girl that was also attending the camp. So much so that I’d break into song when I was alone. My buddies at the camp noticed and not only encouraged but help me write a song for said girl. Eventually, I convinced her to meet me in a secluded place at the camp for a “surprise” and would go on to perform the song for her. I think in my head, I was definitely expecting her to hear the song and immediately fall in love with me. Unfortunately, this was not the case. After performing it she walked over to me–was I about to have my first kiss? No. She hugged me, told me to send her the song, then left… Although it wasn’t exactly what I expected, I took her request for the song as a sign that she enjoyed the performance, which led me to believe maybe I had a future in music, despite all these years of neglect.
I continued to write songs after and explore this freshly revisited skill. And by 8th grade, songwriting became therapeutic. Having made connections with other students in the jazz band as well as having musically inclined neighbors, I formed a band out of curiosity of what my music would sound like with other instruments involved. Happy with how much fuller my ideas sounded; my parents began to book us shows around Dallas.
Still heavily involved/focused on my acting career, I attended Booker T Washington HSPVA for theatre, continuing to strengthen my performance skills and stage presence. Taking what I learned in my theatre classes and years of acting programs/other leadership camps my mom had me attend, I’d apply it to my music career. Band rehearsals were getting smoother each month, shows were getting easier to perform as well, my showmanship was constantly improving, my voice was developing, and more importantly, a fan base began to grow. My band was going by the name of APT. 4B by the time I entered junior year of high school, and by senior year we’d become pretty popular around the school. With college right around the corner, it was becoming time for me to decide what career path I wanted to focus on– music or acting. It was an extremely difficult choice, but ultimately, I chose music. As much as I loved doing character studies, remembering scripts, and completely embodying beings other than myself, music had given me a way to express how I was actually feeling in real-time while still being able to perform in front of an audience. It was therapeutic in 8th grade and was 100 times more therapeutic come senior year, being that I was dealing with a whole new and more adolescent-based set of situations.
After high school, APT.4B went on to split up for college, and I’d go on to venture into the world of studio recording and producing. Having attended community college for a few months, I’d eventually drop out to spend more time pursuing music, and soon enough, John AQUA was born. After dropping singles such as “Run Away” and “SOS,” I returned back to the performance scene with a few new members in the band. Quickly, we found our way into several Dallas underground scenes such as Vibes Texas and Creators Don’t Die.
Just last year, I found another amazing music program/school by the name of RRFC (Recording Radio and Film Connection), and upon completing the program, I earned my audio engineering certificate. I also dropped my debut EP “LULL@NAUTICALDUSK,” which you can find on all streaming platforms. Since then, I’ve been stocking up on music content, whether that be new songs or collab projects as well as visuals for said content. I’m really excited for what’s in store during this journey and am even more excited to share everything I’m working on with my supporters!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Half and half. Some struggles would be getting the band on the same page for events, making sure everyone’s schedules mesh for rehearsals/shows, as well as making sure we’re all taken care of at the end of each performance.
Depending on other people to deal with the production and finalization of my music. This isn’t so much a struggle now, being that I’ve learned how to do it myself for the most part, but it definitely was a year ago.
Confidence. Feeling like I’m not where I should be despite all the work I’ve put in on stage. I’ve had to learn patience is key and consistency is king in this digital day and age.
These are just a few.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a singer, songwriter, musician, guitarist, rapper, producer, engineer, and performer (artist) by the name of John AQUA. I specialize in playing guitar, songwriting, singing, and performing. What I’m most known for is never sticking to one sound/being diverse. My first singles had a more punk/rap-inspired feel to it, whereas my debut EP was more of a pop/R&B-inspired body of work.
I’d say I’m most proud of my constantly developing production/engineering skills. I’m no master, but I’m at a place where I can spit out a solid demo that would only need to be tweaked and mastered before release.
I’d say what sets me apart is probably my live performances. Typically, I’ll perform with my band, which tends to really resonate with the crowds we play in front of. That or my ability to switch/blend genres together.
What were you like growing up?
I was a pretty gregarious kid. Always had a good amount of friends. Was never bullied because I was too funny. I was very adventurous though. Loved being out with my friends. I grew up on anime and will forever love anime, so I feel that plays a big part in my moral standards as well as desire for adventure/thrill. Always rooting for the underdog. Loved sports, art, anything I could put energy into that could take my mind off whatever issues I was dealing with at the time. I definitely was a hedonist, and even now still have a lot of hedonistic attributes. I’ve also always been a hopeless romantic, which has always played a huge part in my song topics and still does today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://johnaqua1056.wixsite.com/bands-and-musicians/music
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/JohnAqua1056/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JohnAqua1056
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnAqua1056
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JohnAqua1056
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/johnaqua1056
- Other: https://linktr.ee/JohnAqua1056
Image Credits
Mike Majors
Zach Miligan
Rachel Sukenik
Jonathan Swinnea
Tre Suber
Brennan Shrestha
Mackenzie Collyear
