An Interview With Edward Sylvan
I’d say that my main focus is a representation of those who struggle with mental health issues. I want these folks to feel heard, less isolated, and find my music as something relatable.
As a part of our series about music stars who are making an important social impact, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing AP Tobler.
Annapurna “AP” Tobler is a multi-instrumentalist musician, singer, and songwriter based in San Jose, CA. Often described as a “grunge poet,” AP writes music with heavy riffs and complex themes, holding mental health topics as vital influences in her songwriting. AP aims to share her experiences with anxiety and depression by crafting songs rooted in grunge and alternative rock, with hopes that these thematic elements will speak to listeners who are going through similar experiences.
AP’s musical journey began with the discovery of drums at the age of 8. She explored the sounds and composition of grunge, hard rock, metal, and jazz through her studies, adding guitar and bass to her instrument studies in the years followed. AP has been gigging regularly since a young age, performing at high-profile music events such as PASIC, Sweetwater Gearfest, and touring with the School of Rock AllStars. She drums professionally for local bands and performs with the dynamic Street Drum Corps.
AP began writing and recording original music in 2018 and has released 5 singles to date. She draws heavy influence from the 90’s grunge, alternative, and punk scenes in her work, citing Nirvana, Green Day, and Weezer as significant influences. Her versatility as a multi-instrumentalist has allowed her to compose and perform all tracks for her songs. AP’s most recent project is a 5 song EP released in Summer 2021, just after her 16th birthday. The EP is a collection of AP’s strongest feelings and emotions during the writing process, with each track showcasing her vulnerabilities and encapsulating pieces of her soul.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit of the ‘backstory’ of how you grew up?
Thank you for this opportunity! I grew up in San José, California. I’ve been homeschooled my entire life, which has given me lots of time to focus on my music. I started playing drums at the age of eight, shortly followed by guitar at nine, and I got my first bass for my tenth birthday. I began writing original music when I was twelve.
Can you share a story with us about what brought you to this specific career path?
As a little kid, I had a lot of energy and needed a way to get that out. I really wanted to do karate, or some form of martial arts, but when my mom told me I couldn’t hit other people, I turned to bashing drums. As for the writing aspect of my career, I find it to be quite therapeutic. I struggle with both depression and anxiety, and I think writing is a really good coping mechanism.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you in the course of your career? What was the lesson or take away that you took out of that story?
When I was 13, I was invited to sit in with the Sweetwater Allstars at Gearfest. When I sat down to get the feel of the kit I’d be playing on, there was a man sitting at the kit next to me. He introduced himself as Steve, and we talked a little bit about drums. A few minutes into the conversation I realized that I was talking to Steve Ferrone of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. I mispronounced his last name, and he didn’t correct me. He told me he heard that I was a badass and said that he had to go. His final words to me before the show were, “don’t mess this up!” It was awesome.
What would you advise a young person who wants to emulate your success?
Authenticity is the most important key to success, in my opinion. If you’re authentically yourself, people will tend to like you. Everyone’s got their own quirks and interesting things about them, and that’s what people love.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you explain how that was relevant in your life?
I’d say it’s probably just that there are no shortcuts in life. You’ve gotta get through all the tough stuff, which is annoying, but it’ll be worth it. Most of my music is written about this tough stuff, which allows me to process it and move forward.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
I’m grateful for so many people who’ve helped me throughout this journey, but my first thought is my parents. They’ve been so incredibly supportive and loving towards me, and have always been by my side helping me reach my goals. Even today, each family member has a role in bringing my music to the world. My brother creates my album art, my dad makes all the music videos, and my mom helps manage the business side of things.
Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview, how are you using your success to bring goodness to the world? Can you share with us the meaningful or exciting social impact causes you are working on right now?
I’d say that my main focus is a representation of those who struggle with mental health issues. I want these folks to feel heard, less isolated, and find my music as something relatable.
Can you tell us the backstory about what originally inspired you to feel passionate about this cause and to do something about it?
I personally struggle with anxiety and depression, so I know firsthand how much of a toll it takes on a person. I don’t think anyone should have to battle these thoughts alone.
Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and take action for this cause? What was that final trigger?
I was just sick of feeling like my mental health issues were something to hide or be ashamed of. It’s really unhealthy to bottle up all of those feelings and really helps to write music and to talk about them.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
I don’t have a story of a particular individual, but I have had people message me saying that my music has helped them through tough times, and thanking me for helping them to not feel alone. I’m really glad that my music can resonate with people in this way.
Are there three things that individuals, society or the government can do to support you in this effort?
For individuals, I think making a point to check in on your friends is a really easy and helpful thing to do. For society, working to end the stigma around mental health topics. Finally, for the government, more accessible mental health care would be extremely beneficial for a lot of people.
Fantastic. Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or an example for each.
- Do not take yourself too seriously. I used to think I was expected to be perfect and cool and would get mad at myself if I ever made a mistake. I now realize that it’s much better to accept my inherent ridiculousness.
- You don’t have to fit into a particular mold. In the past, I was super focused on labels and felt like I needed to conform to just one, such as being a metalcore drummer. It’s become apparent to me that fitting into just one area isn’t really my style. The music I write draws from grunge, rock, metalcore, and even some blues.
- Social media success ≠ general success. While social media is a necessity for musicians, my goal is not to be social media famous or viral. That doesn’t mean you should neglect social media entirely, but definitely put more focus into honing your craft and making good music.
- You don’t need a traditionally pretty voice to be a good singer. The goal is to impart emotion and connect with your audience. You don’t have to have a naturally beautiful singing voice to sound good.
- Do not overcomplicate the writing process. Play what works in the space you have and don’t do things just because they’re possible. Cater to the music, not to your ego.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I hope my music can spark conversations about mental health issues, and work to help end the stigma around these topics.
We are blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Politics, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂
Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez! She is smart, funny, and inspiring. She does a great job of shining a light on the needs of the mental health community, as well as so many other communities in need.
Thank you so much for these amazing insights. This was so inspiring, and we wish you continued success!
About The Interviewer: Growing up in Canada, Edward Sylvan was an unlikely candidate to make a mark on the high-powered film industry based in Hollywood. But as CEO of Sycamore Entertainment Group Inc, (SEGI) Sylvan is among a select group of less than ten Black executives who have founded, own and control a publicly traded company. Now, deeply involved in the movie business, he is providing opportunities for people of color.
In 2020, he was appointed president of the Monaco International Film Festival, and was encouraged to take the festival in a new digital direction.
Raised in Toronto, he attended York University where he studied Economics and Political Science, then went to work in finance on Bay Street, (the city’s equivalent of Wall Street). After years of handling equities trading, film tax credits, options trading and mergers and acquisitions for the film, mining and technology industries, in 2008 he decided to reorient his career fully towards the entertainment business.
With the aim of helping Los Angeles filmmakers of color who were struggling to understand how to raise capital, Sylvan wanted to provide them with ways to finance their creative endeavors.
Music Stars Making A Social Impact: Why & How AP Tobler Is Helping To Change Our World was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.