In the modern music industry, independent artists often joke about wearing multiple hats. For Kelly Vargas, it's not hyperbole—it's her daily reality. On any given day, the New York-born, LA-based artist might be producing a track in the studio, teaching music lessons, managing her release schedule, or crafting the creative vision for her next music video. And she wouldn't have it any other way.
"I wear so many hats. I act as my own manager, my own label. I'm not signed with a label right now, currently, and I have that fascination behind the business side as well as with the production and also the teaching and the creative side of it," Vargas explains. For this Costa Rican American singer-songwriter and producer, being multifaceted isn't just a survival strategy; it's a deliberate approach to building a sustainable, fulfilling career in music.
The Intersection of Skill and Strategy
With classical and jazz vocal training under her belt and a degree from the Berklee College of Music in music composition and music production, Vargas brings serious technical expertise to her work. But she's learned that success as an independent artist requires more than just musical excellence. It demands knowing which hat to wear and when.
"I balance it honestly with honing my skills, knowing what I'm really good at, keep increasing those skills, keep going at them, going towards them and then just really putting myself out there and knowing what is best for me, what rules best for me," she says. The questions she asks herself are practical and pointed: "Am I going to be a songwriter for an artist that day? Am I going to be an artist that day—and that's for my artist project. I'm releasing my next song. Am I going to be a teacher for that day and teach boys piano guitar lessons? Am I going to be the producer, right?"
This constant evaluation and pivoting might sound exhausting, but for Vargas, it's energizing. "I'm very skillful and I like to just explore all those different sides of me and those different hats that I wear all the time and just keep increasing them at every single moment that I can."
Where Teaching Meets Creating
One of the most distinctive aspects of Vargas's career is how seamlessly her roles as teacher, producer, and artist inform each other. Rather than treating these as separate career tracks, she sees them as interconnected parts of a cohesive whole.
"A lot of them actually are very similar. I approach them differently in very certain aspects but they all reside within the music industry," she explains. Her commitment to teaching ties into it all by helping her stay connected to the fundamentals while remaining an active industry professional.
"For me being a teacher is so important to also be in the creative aspect of it. If I'm teaching my students, beginners or intermediate or advanced, to be also a working professional is super important for me because my mentors, when I was their age or when I was with teachers, were also professionals in the industry when I went to Berklee," Vargas reflects. She's paying forward the inspiration she received from her own mentors who balanced teaching with active careers.
Production as a Creative Language
Perhaps nowhere is the intersection of Vargas's skills more evident than in the studio. When she walks into a production session, she doesn't just arrive as a vocalist or songwriter. She brings her full technical vocabulary to the table.
"When I'm in a studio session and I'm coming into top line, sometimes I'm coming in saying, can I get a synth line that's a little bit more saturated with reverb, and then I can get these vocals stacked. I'm already acting as a producer along with the top line in the songwriting," she explains. This fluency in production language allows her to communicate her vision precisely and collaborate more effectively.
"A lot of them are intersectional and they really do coexist together. So, that's what's really great about being multifaceted and just wearing so many hats is just knowing how to keep growing as a person in the music industry." For emerging artists wondering whether to specialize or diversify, Vargas's experience suggests that breadth of knowledge can be a powerful advantage.
Authenticity in the Age of Content
In an industry where social media presence can make or break an artist, Vargas has developed an approach that prioritizes authenticity over perfection. But she's also refreshingly honest about the challenges.
"I've struggled with keeping it consistent. The biggest thing for me is just posting like every single day or at least like three to four times a week," she admits. Her affinity for strategy helps her focus on what works: "For me, just consistency is key. Knowing how to incorporate my everyday life into my content and also into my music and then just being more open to the audience that I have and being more vulnerable tends to be a really good route for me with content creation."
Her content strategy mirrors her artistic philosophy: that transparency builds connection. "The more you are open about how you created a song or how production was made and how these lyrics were created, what's the aesthetic behind the cover art, being open to go behind the scenes with them is engaging. Along with my everyday life, just making sure I incorporate that as much as I can."
The Creative Director's Vision
Scroll through Vargas's Instagram or browse her website, and you'll notice immediately that every detail is intentional. Her cover art is intricate, her visuals cohesive, her aesthetic distinct. To achieve this, Vargas serves as her own creative director, orchestrating every aspect of her visual identity.
"There's a team, there's a photographer, there's an editor. I credit everyone all the time and I always make sure that, you know, for the idea, I'm my own creative director," she says. While she collaborates with photographers and videographers who sometimes contribute creative direction, the core vision originates with her. "It's easy for me to translate that over to content creation because I'm the one that's wearing the hat of the vision that I see for my cover art. This is the vision that I see for the videos."
This level of control over her artistic presentation isn't just about aesthetics—it's about ensuring that every element aligns with her identity as an artist who blends R&B, pop, and Latin influences while writing in both English and Spanish.
A New Chapter in Sound
Vargas's multifaceted approach has culminated in her most prolific year yet. With her fourth single of the year released recently, she's pushed herself into new territory. Specifically, deeper into Spanish-language music that honors her Costa Rican American heritage.
"It's probably the most amount of music I've released in one year ever. Along with it being like fully…my third Spanish titled song that I've released ever, but it's probably the most Spanish that I've thrown in a song before," she says with evident excitement. "I am, you know, Latin American first generation, closer to American. So to be able to bring that side in my music is just really exciting."
The track, a collaboration with Colombian producer MAGH (@heymagh), had been brewing for nearly two years. "We collaborated on this track for almost two years. And it's been a while for us to release just because there's been so many songs to be released. And then this one was kind of on the back burner. But then finally, he and I were like, we're really happy we finally get to release the song."
The Multifaceted Path Forward
For independent artists navigating the overwhelming demands of a DIY career, Kelly Vargas offers a compelling model: embrace the multiplicity. Rather than seeing teaching, producing, managing, and creating as competing demands, she's built a career where each role strengthens the others. Her technical training informs her production work. Her teaching keeps her grounded in fundamentals. Her production experience makes her a more effective collaborator. Her creative direction skills translate seamlessly to content creation.
"So, ultimately at the end of the day, I approach them a little differently, but they really do intersect a lot together," Vargas concludes. In an industry that often demands artists choose a lane, she's proven that the most sustainable path might be building your own multi-lane highway.
Kelly Vargas's latest single “Verte” is available now on all streaming platforms. To stay updated on her music releases, behind-the-scenes content, and upcoming projects, follow her on social media at @kellyvargasmusic.
Check out clips from our Rising Star Live interview with Kelly on our social media.
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