Friends,
This thing we call ‘life’ is in constant motion - past, present and future. And anyone that says
it doesn’t get tough sometimes isn’t being truthful. For too long it seems, I’ve been laying
low, just trying to absorb it all. The pandemic, the current state of our world, what’s real,
who’s real, and who is not. And all the while, trying to balance things together - as a mom, a
colleague, a friend. Can anyone relate? One thing I’ve come to realize, though, is you either
sink, or you learn to swim.
I’ve been writing a huge catalog of new songs from my home studio ever since things shut down. After losing my corporate day job, and all of my performance gigs to the pandemic in 2019/2020 I needed a way to channel my struggles - and put my faith in the idea that maybe it was all meant to be. Everything changed in an instant, and so did I. Miraculously, I'm here, and it's time to dive back in.
I’ve been contemplating this move for a while now, as I feel compelled to start releasing my music and concepts out into the world. I’ll be telling my story through new songs, writings and other mediums. I've always felt a deep connection with music, and performance art, and I honestly feel that as we navigate the ebbs and flows of the life experience, we're really not alone. Music connects us. As Nina Simone said "It is an artist's duty to reflect the times in which we live."
I’ve spent the better part of the last few years studying, practicing, and building on new
perspectives. I’ve also begun teaching music on the side, and it's been one of the most
rewarding experiences I’ve ever had. I don't know if anyone else out there can relate, but
this industry can be really, really challenging. It takes time, patience and a whole lot of
mental energy to do it well. One is never really done learning. I’ve struggled internally at
times, wondering if all the effort I’ve invested so far has been worth it. I’ve questioned my
own identity and have wondered why I feel so drawn to songwriting. Am I really any good at
it? Am I mentally strong enough? I've often had to pause the process, address myself
honestly, and ask - what is the message I am trying to convey?
I've come to the conclusion that if my career can be to help someone learn and grow, to
simply entertain, reflect, or to bring joy and a sense of belonging to one’s world, I guess
that’s what I feel called to do. The only thing I’ve promised myself moving forward is that I’ll
do it with intention. I can’t tell you that everything is polished right now. I can’t tell you I know
exactly where it’s going. But either way, this ship is going to sail, and it seems all I really
need now is the wind to my sails.
Will you join my Patreon?
My PLAN:
Whether it be fresh audio concepts, visual explorations, poetry, or fully-realized original
studio recordings, you all will be the first to discover them. As they say, the sky's the limit.
Maybe we can build wings on this ship and sail the "Disco Sky," I'm up for suggestions. Your input is important to me.
LONG TERM GOALS:
I'd love to focus more on music production and writing. I like to tell my friends I'm a "hustler,”
as I really do all sorts of things on the side to keep bread on the table - media design, video
editing, lessons, photography, etc. One of my goals though is to build out a team of expert
DIY entrepreneurs, including designers, photographers, business experts, creative directors
and such. You get the idea. It takes a village. While I love doing all this myself, it does take
away from my music, and inhibits my personal creative output at the same time.
RISKS:
Stepping outside my front door is a risk. Life is full of them. What I'd rather focus on is
exceeding my goals, whether I make it or not, while reflecting on what's worked in the past
and what hasn't. While my 2017 crowdfunding effort was a success (still immensely grateful to you all), with this project, I hope to expand the concept further in a more sustainable way.
Subscription-based support offers me the incentive to stay true to what feeds my soul while
requiring me to be accountable to those who believe in me enough to contribute. I’m really
excited about the opportunity to engage with you all on a regular basis, and I hope our
upcoming exchanges of creative ideas and artistic explorations will be inspirational for all of
us as we continue to make our way, together, through this little thing called ‘life.’
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