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Aron’s Journey From Music to Code: How Creative Skills Translate to Tech Success
What happens when a musician decides to trade melodies for algorithms? For Aron Emilsson, a graduate of Le Wagon Amsterdam’s Web Development bootcamp (now AI Software), the transition from music to tech wasn’t just a career change, it was the perfect harmony between creativity and code. His journey proves that creative professionals don’t need to abandon their artistic background to succeed in tech. Instead, those skills become powerful assets in building digital solutions.
Q: What made you decide to swap a career in music for one in tech? Was there a moment that made you think, this is my next chapter?
A: “I’ve always worked on music alongside something else. For a few years, I was running a daycare while my music career was going well, and when I finally tried focusing on music full-time, the passion actually started to fade. When your whole life is just music, your world gets small and the inspiration dries up. I realised I needed something outside of music to keep me creative. About two years ago, I wanted to build my own music portfolio website and was planning to hire someone. Then I thought, why not try learning it myself? Once I started diving into Web Development, it grabbed my interest right away.”
Aron’s story reflects a common experience among creative professionals: the need for diverse experiences to fuel creativity. What started as a practical need, building a portfolio website, became the gateway to an entirely new career path.
Q: Why did you choose Le Wagon to make that leap into Web Development, and what made it stand out compared to other learning paths?
A: “I wanted something intensive where I could learn with like-minded people, but I didn’t want to commit to a three-year computer science degree. Le Wagon felt like the perfect middle ground. It was hands-on, fast-paced, and exactly the kind of environment I needed at that point. And honestly, I don’t regret that decision for a second.”
For career switchers, the decision between self-teaching, university programs, or bootcamps can feel overwhelming. Aron’s choice highlights what many professionals seek: structured, intensive bootcamp learning that delivers practical skills without the time commitment of traditional education. You can learn more about our methodology here.
Q: How did the hands-on, project-based approach at Le Wagon shape the way you learn and think as a developer today? What specific technologies did you master, and which have been most valuable in your new tech career?
A: “The biggest thing I got from Le Wagon was a solid understanding of how everything actually works and connects. We started with the fundamentals – HTML/CSS for structure and styling, then JavaScript for interactivity, and SQL for databases. Learning Ruby and Ruby on Rails gave me a strong backend foundation.
Q: How did your journey evolve after graduation?
A: Right after graduating, I kept going. I took a React course to level up my front-end skills and then built my own music portfolio website with everything I learned. That project really helped me connect the dots and figure out the type of developer I wanted to become.
Q: How do you bring your creative background in music into your work as a Web Developer today?
A: Music trained me to spot patterns, think in structure, and keep going through trial and error, which is basically the same mindset you need for coding. I also care a lot about design and user experience, probably because of my creative background. Building a website feels a bit like producing a song. You’re layering ideas, shaping the flow, and trying to make someone feel something when they interact with it.
Q: What would you tell someone from a creative background who’s thinking about learning to code but isn’t sure they can make the switch?
A: “I’d say go for it. Coming from a creative background is actually a huge advantage, because you’re already used to experimenting, solving problems in your own way, and sticking with something until it clicks. You don’t need to be ‘technical’ from day one. If you’re curious and willing to put in the time, you’ll be surprised by how quickly things start making sense. And you don’t have to give up your creativity at all. Coding just becomes another tool you can use to bring your ideas to life.”
For anyone hesitating about a career change into tech, Aron’s advice is both practical and encouraging. The skills that make someone successful in creative fields, persistence, experimentation, and pattern recognition, are exactly what make great developers.
Aron’s transformation from musician to Web Developer illustrates that career changes don’t require abandoning your past – they require building upon it. His creative background didn’t hinder his tech journey; it enhanced it, bringing a unique perspective to problem-solving and user experience design.
Whether you’re a creative professional seeking new challenges, a career switcher looking for in-demand skills, or someone curious about combining technical and creative work, Aron’s story proves that diverse backgrounds create stronger developers.
At Le Wagon, we believe that every student brings valuable experience to their coding journey – it’s just a matter of learning how to channel those skills into building the digital future.
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