the director [part 3/5] — building the live show of the smartest animal

Projects and Profit

Siri: Beyond the newsletter — and the newsletter is kind of the overarching “here’s where you’re going to find out about all the other things I’m doing” — talk to me about the other things that you’re doing.

Because it’s a list, man: music director, music executive, production, live band arrangement, kids’ music — which you talked about — being able to talk to parents, right?

So let’s get into that for a second: music lessons, again, probably a lot of you know, a lot of novices, and you’re sharing your live streaming, right?

So you’ve got lots of stuff. You tell me where you want to go next, but I’m sure these are the types of updates people can expect to see in the newsletter.

A2: For sure.

It’s funny when you look at the outline for our notes. In essence, that’s more or less a layout for the newsletter.

I wouldn’t say it’s a perfect flow of information or order of things, but this is kind of how I’ve been approaching it and the big picture of the whole situation — where is this creativity?

Ultimately, being creative is cool. Writing rhymes is fun, making a sick beat is awesome, performing in front of a couple people you don’t even know is crazy.

But is it a profitable activity to me in the end? Is there somewhere along the line where I see this benefiting me? That’s been the backbone of where all of this creativity has taken me.

As it becomes an investment, it has to become a wise investment, and you have to treat it as such.

Music Direction and the July R&B Show

A2: The opportunity I’ve been able to dive into with music direction specifically was to invest in not only the ideas but also the people who make those ideas happen.

On July 6 — about a month ago from this recording — I got to do music direction with an R&B show.

I got to do it with Robert Leslie Jr., who is based in Lake Nebraska. He and I went to college together. His colleagues of The Soul Review: Ethan Saure, Jadyn Keller, and Hayley Bice — all sound fantastic as vocalists.

I really wanted to level up from my December 2023 show. That show was under A2nelito - until changed to the smartest animal.

The Role of A2nelito

A2: The distinction exists because A2nelito is where all of my piano work is shared.

It’s been the most longstanding creative alias I have — and still exists — because there’ve been a few others over time.

I did an acoustic piano show at Rockwood Music Hall in New York City for the piano album that came out in December 2023. I’m really happy I did it.

It was my first cover album, and performing that show allowed me to see what I needed to improve for live performance next time.

When I say “improve,” it’s because there weren’t a lot of people at that show.

It was earlier in the day, and there are other factors you could point to, but ultimately, I felt the A2nelito piano project is very niche — meant for certain settings.

For a full band performance, which I am capable of, I would have to invest more to execute that dream.

Executing the Full-Band Show

A2: We executed the full-band performance, and I’m very happy to say we did it successfully.

As part of preparing and marketing the show, we set ourselves up for a great turnout.

Let’s start with the vocalists: Robert, the featured vocalist, and his colleagues, who weren’t just background singers — they all had solos.

They did an amazing job handling the R&B vocals for this show, which we called Summer R&B in NYC.

The setlist was about 60–70% covers, with the rest being originals written either by Robert or the group. As of now, these tracks are unreleased.

Investing in People and Art

A2: This was a great opportunity to see how investing in the art and the people paid off — results I wouldn’t have seen if I continued with my previous live format.

When I first started writing music, I began with a group of people but approached things differently.

I was in my early 20s, and life looked very different back then. Now, I can assess where my energy should go and how to make live performances well-anticipated events.

It was also good to hear feedback from people who had attended my solo shows and now came to these R&B shows. That feedback validated the effort we put in.

Marketing and Social Proof

A2: Now, about marketing the event: when I first met the vocalists over FaceTime in March 2024, I told them straight — if we don’t share videos and promote this show from March to July, nobody will show up.

I set it straight because we were unsigned artists without funding, performing in New York for the first time, under a new stage name.

We had to be our own biggest fans. Promote it as if we were opening for Beyoncé.

The only difference between promoting this show and promoting Beyoncé? She gets a marketing budget. We get our own hustle.

A2: From the start, I wanted them to have confidence in me as a music director — not just that the show would go well, but that we would put in the effort to make people show up. And they did.

Siri: That’s fantastic. Even as musicians, it’s not just about playing music. You have to handle business, marketing, backend tasks. Do you need merch? All of it.

I tell my partners, “We love the doing part, but that doesn’t mean we get to do it all day.”

Siri: You leaned into the music director role while embracing marketing — social proof matters. Showing videos, showing your performance — that was crucial.

Social proof in music is almost as important as the performance itself.

Leadership Evolution

A2: The biggest evolution from my December 2023 show to this R&B show in July 2024 was my leadership.

When I first did a band in my early 20s, the priority was too much on the music — 85% music, 15% everything else. That imbalance led to struggles.

Now, for this July show, I put 85% of my time into non-music things — logistics, trust, marketing, leadership — and 15% into performing piano.

That shift made all the difference.

Trust and Team Dynamics

A2: Leadership grew the most. Making sure the people I work with trust me, feel confident, and are supported.

It started with Robert. Originally, we had a December 2023 show that didn’t happen. But I wanted him in New York, and he agreed for July 6th. He also brought colleagues, which expanded the musical range — two female voices, two male voices, plus a band.

The core elements were there: piano, guitar, drums, high end, low end, vocals. Anything extra was icing on the cake.

Curating the Setlist

A2: Originally, the plan was an A2nelito instrumental show, covering FILMHOP catalog, covers, or a DJ-style set. That didn’t happen.

Instead, we leaned into familiar R&B songs — Alicia Keys “Fallen,” Silk Sonic “Leave the Door Open,” “Killing Me Softly,” Destiny’s Child “Say My Name” — to give the audience social proof and engagement.

I also did all video editing and promotion myself — hands-on, because I know that effort pushes things further.

Reflection on Leadership

A2: Leadership was key. I had to reconcile my past mistakes — losing people due to my priorities or approach — and commit to being a better leader.

The affirmation from Robert and the team via text after rehearsals confirmed I was on the right path.

Robert pushed me to step fully into the music director/executive producer role — giving me confidence to lead not just this show, but future projects.

Collaboration and Mentorship

A2: Robert is a fantastic vocalist — gospel, R&B, soul influence. We had a friendship before working together. That friendship was critical for a strong creative collaboration.

By spring 2023, I proposed a December show (which became July). I told him: give me your price, and we’ll make it happen. Despite changes in the band, schedule, and show dates, he stayed consistent and supportive.

A2: Beyond Robert, I’ve been developing other artists. Leadership growth also means empathy for personal life, not just musical output.

It’s not about “you didn’t send me stems” or “you missed rehearsal.” It’s about understanding their lives and guiding them.

This includes producers, singers, and songwriters. Activating talent, helping them see their potential, and developing their work is part of the mentorship mission.

Leadership Philosophy Today

A2: My approach: if someone is talented, show them their potential, help them channel their life experiences into music, and guide them.

Previously, leadership was “Kobe/Michael Jordan-style” — strict, results-focused. Now, it’s empathetic, holistic, and growth-focused.

These relationships produce better results, better music, and better long-term collaboration.