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1. What's been the most defining moment in your career so far? Before starting to professionally produce and publish my songs earlier this year, I spent several years working and experi- menting on my own. I remember utilising various software which enabled me to discover my love for music. After gaining confidence, I publish my debut song No Hope Left, in March this year. Last month, a major highlight in this adventure was the streaming of my blues rock song Midnight Blues which made its way to Tennessee, USA and was played on WANT FM98.9. For me, getting known interna- tionally in such a short period of time is a big milestone, considering that I am cur- rently producing everything on my own. Apart from this, I also had other several contacts from abroad. This gave me confidence to continue in this adventure and encouraged me to find opportunities to grow also on a national level. 2.As a creative, how do you navigate the world and speed of social media? First of all, I believe that apart from my creativity as a musician, social media plays a crucial role in trying to put your name out there. As I am going through the process of creating a song, I usually post random snippets of my production dashboard and a small audio sample from the song being produced so as to keep the audience engaged and prepare them for the next upcoming project. Production and self-promotion go hand in hand. That being said, I re-iterate that I am a multi-genre music producer and this helps me engage with a wider audience. 3. Do you consider artificial intelligence a threat to your career, or an opportunity? If you completely rely on AI to do the job for you, you cannot say that you are an artist. That being said, using AI as a plat- form for ideas and inspiration to create something of your own, is an opportuni- ty. For example, AI can help you to de- velop ideas for samples, which you can then edit and develop to your liking. AI in the music industry has become the norm but one has to pay close attention not to overdo it as unfortunately this will take over the human element and undermine human talent. So, in my case, I believe AI is an opportunity since for now I create AI vocals to accompany my songs. This does not preclude any opportunities with local singers and I am already in contact for potential future projects. 4. How do you stay motivated and inspired, especially during tough times or when the work feels hard? I always try to brainstorm on the next project after I finalise the previous one. This takes place in the very limited time that remains after work hours and after spending quality family time, especially with my daughter. I admit sometimes you get stuck and run out of ideas but keeping in contact and networking with other people in the same industry helps you to regain motivation and inspiration when new ideas seem hard to find. What usually helps me is to listen to songs in the genre that I wish to produce. For example, I really love Linkin Park and through their music I managed to produce a nu-metal Linkin Park inspired trio-EP entitled Fractured which was released last month. This has received positive reviews. Sometimes it is not bad to step back in order to think and come up with ideas for new projects. 5. How do you balance your creative instincts with the expectations of your audience or collaborators? As I said, I always keep the audience engaged during my music productions. In fact, through social media I regularly ask my followers what they wish to listen to for the upcoming project. I produce according to their response. I remember asking if I should take a break from rock music and shift to electronic music in late April and by mid-May I produced a song Shattering, which was also met with positive feedback. Keeping audience suggestions in mind is a key to help build a rapport between producer and listen- ers. The more connections you have, the more you are open to absorb ideas to jot down in your notebook to refer back to. Seeing the audience satisfied with the final product gives you satisfaction to pursue producing music even more. With regards to collaborators (local singers), I believe that teamwork is key to put forward a satisfactory final product. 6. How do you approach a new project? Do you have a specific process or routine you follow? When I finish a project, I reflect on it to see what was done good and what could have been done better in order to make the next production better. For every project I pretty much follow the same routine. First, I think about the genre of my next song, this enables me to think of the 'story' I want to portray. Eventually, this will set your mind into writing the lyrics. After the lyrics are complete, the music is produced to accommodate the style in which it will be sung. Keeping the story in mind, I then proceed to the final stage which is the music video. So basi- cally, when you see the music video you will have a full final product, together with the lyrics and the music. I love being productive as I do not stop after I create the music, I also love the visual aspect of the project I produce. 7. Can you let us in on some of the future projects, works? For future projects I must say I am cur- rently experimenting on some pop tunes. Pop is a very basic yet vast music genre. Pop can be merged with dance or rock or even ballad. I am currently working on some instrumental tracks on different pop sub-genres with the intention of collaborations with local singers to see where this will take us. I must say collab- oration helps you to share ideas and get ideas in return. Working in a team is dif- ferent than producing alone but it offers a myriad of opportunities. Merging with music with an actual singer voice is dif- ferent than creating an AI voice and I am really looking forward to experiencing this opportunity. I will continue to broad- en my knowledge in music production as every step is a learning curve which I will look forward to. I always dreamt of creating music, and here I am today. maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 JULY 2025 CULTURE The Sacred Dance of Iwami Kagura: Dynamic Tradition of Japan PAGE 2 CULTURE Culture, Power and Education: Representation, Interpretation, Contestation by Prof. Peter Mayo PAGE 3 ARTS • TV • WHAT'S ON BY LAURA CALLEJA suggestions by email lcalleja@mediatoday.com.mt The Q & A JOHANN CARUANA 7 questions for... Johann Caruana is a Maltese music producer and songwriter who independently writes, composes, produces, and promotes his work. In June 2025, he released his debut EP Fractured, a nu-metal-inspired three-track exploration of inner turmoil and resilience. His single Midnight Blues gained international exposure when it received airplay on WANT FM 98.9 in Tennessee, marking his first breakthrough into the US radio market. MaltaToday is supported by Arts Council Malta I love being productive as I do not stop after I create the music, I also love the visual aspect of the project I produce.