Today we’d like to introduce you to Chad Short (aka Biig Red Couch).
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started writing poems and songs in Middle School. I was probably in 8th or 9th Grade when I heard Lil Wayne’s “Mr. Carter” featuring Jay-Z. That’s when music, hip-hop, and poetry really started to take hold. I went to college at UMBC and earned a B.F.A. Degree in Acting. On the first day of classes I met a dude that liked to make beats and record. We formed a duo and started making music almost immediately. We had great chemistry and it gave me a platform to tell my stories without being judged. He produced and I wrote. During and after college, I worked in and around Baltimore City – restaurants, bars, dispensaries, wherever I could to make enough money to pay the bills and continue creating. My acting degree helped me make theatre in the real world, and as a founding member of “The Hallucination Project,” I participated in three Charm City Fringe Festivals as a part of strong, talented, connected ensembles. Venues like Ottobar, The Crown, 29th Street Tavern, Fish Head Cantina, Club Chuck, and Wharf Rat helped me connect with the City and its culture, build my creative network, and make lasting memories. In the Summer of 2018, I decided to start pursuing music on my own. It had been a minute since I collaborated with anyone, I was a little lost after leaving school, and I thought creating again would help me sort out my issues, deal with heartache, explore my wanderlust, and feed my hunger to do more. I started sitting in my car after work, for hours, lucky enough to have beats to write to, given to me from friends and collaborators. Mika, a Baltimore producer, is responsible for most of my sound as a solo artist. I kept building, kept pursuing truth, kept striving to tell my life’s story through narrative, on and off beat, through rap and poetry and spoken word. I had to sit down and be honest with myself. To get to where I am now, I had to push against all the negative self talk that tried to hold me back. Today, I have released three full length projects and two EPs, have helped form a hip-hop collective with four members in the PNW, and I perform live often.
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?
It has not always been smooth. The first struggle was getting started and dealing with doubt. Will people get it? Will they like the songs? Will they even listen to the songs? What if I’m a fraud? Consistency, practice, and community helped a lot with this and it took time. Things don’t change overnight.
There’s also struggle in everything outside of music. Making reels, posting consistently, engaging with people on socials. These days, content creation is a necessary part of making music if you want to build your audience. As an independent artist, I’m responsible not only for my voice and music, but also for my “aesthetic,” hooking the listener, making connections, and relatability.
Lastly, I self sabotaged my progress for years by self-medicating. I was dreaming about doing instead of doing.
I have been sober since October 2024, and it has completely changed my life for the better.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a teacher by day, line cook by night, artist all the time.
I teach 6th – 12th Grade. Theatre, Fitness & Wellness, and English.
I have cooked in kitchens most of my working life.
I coach kids in Fitness – circuit, calisthenics, free weights, nutrition, etc.
I treat music like a fourth job, trying to stay as consistent as possible with reels, music videos, posts, BTS, and writing new songs.
What sets me apart from others is my versatility and work ethic, especially now that I’m clearheaded and focused. I like to say yes. That doesn’t mean I say yes to everything, but a certain level of busy is comforting. I keep a positive attitude most days, and I’m patient, two things that are essential for working with kids at school. My honesty shines through, and so does my integrity. I don’t make music about anything I don’t know. The stories I tell are only mine.
I am most proud of three things, creatively. The first is that in the Summer of 2022, my full length play, SQUIDSBURY, got produced by Truepenny Projects. SQUIDS ran for a month at The Mercury Theatre on Charles Street in Baltimore. The second is the recent release of my full length album, LAZI BOI, a story about my time living in Halethorpe. I had two parties celebrating LAZI BOI’s debut and it meant so much for me to share with my community. You can stream that album wherever you get your music. The third is the creation, execution, and release of my FAT BOI music video alongside Lynnette Cabrera and her creative team at Equinox Productions. You can find that music video on my YouTube channel.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
When most think of a mentor, they picture someone older with years more experience and notes to give on how to live life right. As a creative in my 30s, I find moments of mentorship in folks of all ages. In order to stay in the know and get the pulse of the world as it is now, I talk to the youth. In other scenarios, I’ll seek out an elder. People my age are so important to me, too, that’s where I feel the most at home.
Look for people that move with the type of energy you admire. The types of people you spend the most time with is the type of person you end up becoming.
Be aware of who you let in, but don’t build your walls too high. Trust people and hold them accountable. Ask for honesty and feedback.
For networking, I have found a couple online communities that are really supportive. Look for the right ones that make you feel safe and seen.
Find people who are creating like you are, share your work with them, and come up with new ideas. Let people push you to the edge of your comfort zone, and then keep going. Try the scary thing because it will get easier. Talk to people! And, more importantly, listen to people.
Pricing:
- biig red couch on Bandcamp – mostly pay what you can to purchase my music. Low required fees. Bandcamp purchases are the best way to support independent artists.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.biigredcouch.com/
- Instagram: @biigredcouch / https://www.instagram.com/biigredcouch
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@biigredcouch
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/biigredcouch
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0ppkZa3t6Z8qGVBabxVX2d
- Bandcamp: https://biigredcouch.bandcamp.com/
