If you’ve come to my #SoundAdvice space looking for music advice, dialogue, and inspiration, then you’ve come to the right spot.
My hope is that you’ll use this space to maintain a positive attitude while navigating the music industry, connect with other musicians and music enthusiast to enhance your understanding of the craft, and expand your artistic community as you develop your own unique niche in the music game.
Whether you’re a novice in the field or not, one thing I know is that, as an artist of any sort, and especially one who carefully composes music for the public ear, it’s important to maintain a positive outlook in life — even if your music sometimes tells another story. With that said, let me jump right into my first discussion for this post:
Keeping it Positive.
Usually the last thing you want to hear when you encounter rejection in the industry is to “stay positive” ... especially when you’re feeling everything but positive. You would be surprised, however, how this universally available skill is essential for your success as a musician, since many of us are, as songstress Erykah Badu so candidly stated, “sensitive about [our] sh*t.”
“There is nothing worse than creating something you think is great, only to find out that not everyone feels the same.”
So, how do you stay positive when the world takes a dump on the “Sugar Honey Iced Tea” you’ve spent months, maybe years, brewing and birthing? You find the lesson.
Find the Lesson.
I’d venture to say that every musician has experienced the following:
Had someone tell them they weren’t great.
Performed a show that could have been better.
Got overlooked for a opportunity they deserved.
Throughout my career, I’ve experienced all of the above and learned some hard lessons in the process of my music journey, but looking back, I’m grateful for the tough times. I’ve learned that when negative thoughts start to form, you can find the lesson by:
1. Taking a brief moment of humility: this does not mean I’ll never believe the people who lacked faith in me, but I will take the opportunity to acknowledge any room for growth by evaluating what worked and what did not and using that data to inform future decisions.
2. Doing exactly what your naysayers said you couldn’t: After you given yourself some constructive criticism, it’s time to turn up. There is nothing more powerful than an artist who believes in their own talent. It’s crucial.
The world can tell you what you are, but what they say does not have to become who you are unless you believe them.
And remember, it’s okay to be sensitive, just make sure you channel those artistic emotions into your masterpiece instead of surrendering them to the gods of self-sabotage.
#SoundAdvice - "Turn the world down, and listen to yourself." -J.B
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