Before Sean Garrett was deemed “The Pen” by his colleagues, he was in your shoes as an up and coming artist. Although he worked hard to secure a record deal, ultimately his performing talents were shelved temporarily to focus on his writing and producing skills.

After being behind the scenes for a number of years creating chart toppers for Ciara, Brittney Spears and Beyoncé to name a few, Sean Garrett is bringing his talent back to the forefront as a performing artist.

I ran into Sean Garrett, who gave me some insight for up and coming artists to take their career from behind the scenes to having your name in lights.

Socialtik Mag: What are three things behind the scenes artists such as a producers or songwriters should do to become the headliner?

Sean Garrett: Perfect your skills, Work hard and stay focused!

SM: How was your recent transition from behind the scenes as a writer to front man as the singer?

SG: Because I started off in the industry as a performing artist, I was already familiar with the steps I needed to take to hone in on my craft.

STM: Was it easier to make the transition because you are a highly sought out producer?

SG: It’s easy on the back end because of the opportunities to work alongside top people. However, I still have to prove everything to the fans.

SM: What is the most important thing you have learned in the industry?

SG: There are a lot of folks that will try to discourage you from your dream but YOU have to show the world. Don’t let the world show YOU.