Formula Indie Sessions – Interview with Mark Klaver
What is your earliest memory connected to music?
My earliest music memory is riding home on my sixth-grade school bus when I wrote a song called Let Me Be Me. I showed it to my mom as soon as I got home, and seeing how proud she was is a moment I’ll never forget.
How did your passion for creating music begin?
Music has always been my way of expressing myself. My dad was an incredible drummer for over 30 years, and my mom was a singer-songwriter, so music was always part of our home. Writing songs became the way I made sense of my own thoughts and emotions.
What’s the story behind your current music project?
Right now my focus is consistency. I’m releasing original music consistently because I believe showing up every day is how you find the people who genuinely connect with what you create. My goal isn’t just to grow numbers—it’s to build a community of listeners who feel understood through honest songwriting and eventually develop a core fanbase of true supporters.
How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?
I make acoustic pop that’s built around storytelling. If Ed Sheeran and honest diary entries had a baby, that’s probably the closest description. My songs are conversational, vulnerable, and meant to feel like a real conversation.
What is one thing you’ve learned that completely changed the way you make music?
I stopped trying to sound impressive and started trying to sound honest. The more vulnerable I am, the more people seem to connect. Authenticity will always outlast perfection.
What tools, instruments, or software are essential in your creative process?
My acoustic guitar is at the center of almost everything I write.
Which indie artist or song are you loving right now?
I’ve been listening to LUZ a lot lately. I’ve also always admired Ed Sheeran for his songwriting and unforgettable melodies.
How have your personal experiences influenced your music and artistic vision?
My music is heavily influenced by relationships, self-doubt, hope, and learning to embrace vulnerability. I write for people who care deeply, overthink, and sometimes wonder if they’re enough because I’ve been there too.
What emotions or messages do you hope listeners take from your work?
More than anything, I hope people feel understood. If someone hears one of my songs and thinks, ‘I’m not the only one who feels this way,’ then I’ve accomplished what I set out to do.
What’s the most important lesson music has taught you so far?
Being vulnerable isn’t weakness—it’s courage. The songs that scare me the most to release usually end up connecting with people the deepest.
What is a dream venue or festival you would love to perform at?
Coachella has always been a dream. Performing there would be an incredible milestone.
If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be and why?
Ed Sheeran. His songwriting has always inspired me because he has a way of making deeply personal stories feel universal, and that’s exactly what I strive to do in my own music.
Where can our listeners follow and support your music?
Spotify, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and all major streaming platforms. (Insert your links before sending.)
Looking toward the future, what’s your dream for the next chapter of your musical journey?
My dream is to build a loyal community of people who genuinely connect with my music. Success isn’t just about streams or followers—it’s about creating songs that become part of someone’s life and building a fanbase that grows with me.
What do you hope listeners will discover about you along the way?
I hope they discover that I’m exactly the same person on and off stage. I wear my heart on my sleeve, I care deeply about people, and I believe vulnerability is one of the strongest qualities a person can have.
