Meet Whitney Antwine | Music Producer Mars In Gemini””

We had the good fortune of connecting with Whitney Antwine and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Whitney, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
Authenticity & Community, equally. We are nothing if not ourselves, which requires an ongoing practice of deep self-discovery partnered with unconditional self-love. I’m still “in practice”, but I also believe we all are. Authenticity provides the ability for us to connect and build communities that serve purpose – both as artists, and as fans of the art of creating and listening to music.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Performing live will naturally strain anyone’s voice, but years of on-stage vocal projection paired with vocal cord paralysis (a type of Vocal Cord Dysfunction) makes performing live almost impossible; becoming the catalyst for leaning into production and songwriting, and ultimately creating Mars In Gemini.

Currently fueling my daily routine is a passion project I haven’t actually announced yet, but I guess the theme here is to walk through the doors that open – so why not?!

Mars In Gemini officially debuts Summer 2024 with the release of “All Y’all On Mars”, a full-length album of original beats showcasing a hand-selected group of independent artists spanning Electro-Pop, Hip-Hop, Latin Crossover, R&B, and more. Excitement level: Over the Moon. I’m genuinely beaming with pride knowing I’ve worked this hard towards something that doesn’t benefit me and my husband financially (yet).

Independently producing this project has personified the grueling reality of 5 to 9/9 to 5/5 to 9 – which means the hours before and after your regular-paying “9 to 5” are spent honing your skills, learning the fundamentals, and saving up as much as you can from those paychecks to buy one more piece of equipment or plug-in. It can be expensive when you’re broke, tedious when you’re distracted, and require patience in the hours you have none. It can feel isolating when you’re editing and arranging tracks while the rest of the house is asleep, and frustrating when you spend hours planning and creating content only to get the bare minimum from the algorithm. What’s important to remember is that everyone is going through the same thing – the line in the sand separates those who surrender and those who persevere.

Another huge challenge to general success is growing your core circle, especially considering how much harder it is to connect over social media versus meeting other artists in person. Performing original music for the first time in a live setting was encouraged by my good friend and fellow artist, Myloh Remora, who then introduced me to another incredible friend and artist, Oddy. Together, the three of us have formed an incredible synergy that motivates and satiates our “flow state”. The biggest lesson is, not just knowing, but accepting that success isn’t linear, isn’t identical, and definitely isn’t a solo mission. Artists need more than fans, we need advocates. Building up the people in your corner only ignites more of the same energy, and when that energy sparks and the fire is lit – words don’t exist to describe that feeling.

If there is any thumbprint I can leave behind, I hope it’s that I always led with authenticity, pushed creativity, and that I was an advocate for the arts.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Now that I live in funky town Fort Worth, I can’t help but find myself bragging on how much fun it is to visit areas like The Stockyards and other cool pockets of the city. Living here with my husband has been such an incredible experience with top tier restaurants, museums, and overall accessibility. We’re actually entering our second year as season ticket holders for the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Niko and I both grew up with strong backgrounds in the arts and have made a pact to continue nurturing that passion by incorporating it into our social routine. For anyone visiting or new to the area who is struggling to decide on what to do or where to go, you cannot go wrong with finding some live music (and lucky for you, it’s the heartbeat of the Metroplex). See below for a few of my favorite spots in the Metroplex!

Live Music:
Fort Worth – Tulips, Magnolia Motor Lounge, White Elephant Saloon, Second Rodeo Brewing
Dallas – Double Wide Bar, Louie Louie’s Dueling Piano Bar, Lee Harvey’s, Armoury D.E.

Dancing:
Fort Worth – Billy Bob’s Texas, White Elephant Saloon
Dallas – It’ll Do Club

Dive Bar:
Fort Worth – The Boiled Owl Tavern, The Rabbit Hole
Dallas – One Eyed Penguin, Armoury D.E., Addison Point

Karaoke:
Fort Worth – A Great Notion, Sarah’s Place
Dallas – Addison Point, The Goat

BBQ:
Fort Worth – Goldee’s, Ribbee’s, Heim, Panther City
Dallas – Cattleack, Terry Black’s

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My parents made a point to raise me and my brother to comfortably express ourselves creatively, and articulate and share our feelings with each other – I would never be who I am today without my parents. My brother Marcus was the first to start producing, writing, recording, engineering and performing original music for himself and local artists. In 2022, we finally sat down in his studio and decided to try and write something together. That moment turned into “Snippets”, my first single as a solo artist, where he encouraged me to follow my innate passion and talent for music, and invest in my own home studio. Even sweeter, my husband Niko has been my biggest fan since we started dating in 2017. He’s been so generous in supporting my passion and interest enough to listen to every beat, even as they’re in progress, and in digging up old music theory books from his college days. I’ve never known a greater love and never imagined a greater partner.

I was also blessed with incredible teachers in the arts starting in elementary school through my college experience; but, the support and encouragement I received from my high school theatre director, Michael Hollomon, and choir director, Allan Andrews, helped shape a skill that would push my corporate success before any pursuit of music – presenting with confidence through routine preparation and visualizing the path to success. Public education was the foundation of my falling in love with the arts, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of public educators.

I will never forget the day I finished reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. I felt like my eyes had opened a little wider and I cracked part of the code to believing in yourself. Favorite quote: “To realize one’s destiny is a person’s only obligation.”

Bonus shoutout to Timbaland, Big Boi & Andre 3000, Esther Dean, Erykah Badu, Pharrell Williams, and Rick Rubin for crafting some of the most iconic moments in music that continue to feed my passion today. Thank you!

Website: www.marsgemini.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/heyimwhitney/

Other: Stream music by Whitney Antwine across all major streaming platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Deezer, and more)