Local musicians can sometimes face an uphill battle when it comes to getting their work out into the world. From the logistics of recording and publishing music to marketing themselves, a lot of work goes into being an independent artist. Another difficulty is being taken seriously as an artist—something singer/songwriter Carson Ferris knows only too well. As a young person, only 13 years old, he worries people won't give his work the same credence as those older than him, but his work speaks for itself.

The Provo native remembers being interested in music at an early age. "The first musical thing I ever really did was guitar lessons," he said. "I started taking those when I was six." He was reasonably nervous to perform so young, but he realized how much he loved it, and the rest is history.

Ferris performs his music with charm and ease, entrancing listeners through not only the subject matter of his songs, but the well-produced sound and his unique voice. You can find him posting fun videos of his latest hits on his social media profiles, the beautiful Utah scenery providing a perfect backdrop.

His most recent single to release, "Crazy," is a love song. "What does a 13-year-old know about love?" you may be asking yourself, but Ferris addressed this when the song came out back in June. "I wrote the song 'Crazy' when I was 11 years old after being challenged to write a love song," he explained. "I was unsure how to write a love song, so I decided to write about my love for music and what it's like to be trying to make it in the music industry as an 11-year-old."

"The song has a more crunchy, rock vibe than some of my other work. In the song, people are saying it's crazy that I think I could ever be with the girl I like, that I'm too young, and stuff like that. But the song is actually about my passion for music and how I'm determined to make it as a musician, no matter what anyone says. The song is an anthem for anyone who has ever been told they're too young, too inexperienced, or too anything to achieve their dreams. It's a reminder that if you have a passion for something, you should never give up on it, no matter what obstacles stand in your way." Spoken like a musician well beyond Ferris' own 13 years.

"Crazy" was preceded by another hit from the young songwriter at the beginning of the year called "Speed Limit." Once again Ferris dug deep and wrote a catchy, yet meaningful song about feeling the burnout of everyday life. "'Speed Limit' is very personal in a lot of ways," he said. "I don't always feel this way, but sometimes I do get overwhelmed trying to make it as a musician who also happens to be a kid."

Ferris took a simple idea and turned it into an introspective track that's relatable for nearly everyone. "We were driving in the car and I was looking out the window, and thought, 'You know what? I should try to write a song based on the title first,'" he said.

"Before then, I'd mainly started with a melody and sometimes a concept, but never really a title. We just drove by a sign that said, 'speed limit 25 miles per hour.' I'm like, ''Speed Limit.' That would be a good title.'"

There is no stopping this kid when it comes to turning a great concept into a song. Not only does he have fantastic ideas to turn into music; he's also heavily supported by his family, and has the opportunity to work with local producers and record at local studios like Provo's own June Audio.

Ferris has plenty of songs in the works, so there won't be a shortage of music from the songwriter anytime soon. He also doesn't plan on putting a stop to writing and recording music.

You can catch him belting his heartfelt tracks on all of his socials, and it's more than worth it to give his material a listen, because Ferris will only get better with time.

CarsonFerris.com
Instagram: @carsonferris