What does winning* the 2015 Illinois Dream Night Talent Search competition mean to you? 
It is a really cool milestone for me. It was such a great experience spending the weekend with so many talented musicians and getting to hear feedback from the mentors. It was a very humbling experience.
What inspired you to become a musician?
My dad, who has been playing in bands for as long as I can remember. I started getting up and singing with his band when I was 5 years old and haven’t slowed down since then.
What surprises have you encountered in pursuing your music career?
Having my song played on the radio was a really surprising thing. It was shortly after I released my first single and I started getting messages from friends saying they heard “Girl You Done Me Wrong” on the radio. It was one of those things that I will always remember.
What has been your biggest challenge to date?
I just put out my first record “Heartwood” at the end of March. That was a really challenging task, aside from the obvious struggles of writing, recording and choosing which songs to put on the release. There is so much more that goes into the process like picking album artwork, photos, liner notes and so many other things that go into it. Releasing an album is such a rewarding thing though. Being able to hold it in your hands at the end of the process is an amazing feeling that makes it worth every second.
What’s your process for writing lyrics and where do you get the inspiration for your songs?
My writing process is a thing that is really hard to explain. It varies with different songs but most of the time it all starts with just me and an acoustic guitar. My songs usually have to do with a specific time or event in my life, a time that inspires me. I write down lyric ideas every day in my phone notes, whether it’s one line or a full verse, it is a great resource for me. I will go back and build off of those ideas when I have downtime to write.
Tell us about your most memorable performances.
I got up to perform at age 14 at the Evanston SPACE with a Nashville Singer Songwriter Andy Davis. He was and still is one of my favourite artists, and to get to share the stage with him for a song was incredible. More recently, within the past year I have performed on the stages of the Chicago House of Blues and the Arcada Theatre. These are performances I will tell stories about for the rest of my life.
Anything else you want to share?
My latest release “Heartwood” is available on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, and CDBaby. Check it out!
*Tristan Bushman & DownFall NSB tied as the overall winners of the Illinois Dream Night Talent Search competition.
You can check out Tristan at https://www.talentwatch.com/artist/profile/tristanbushman