In The Glow Of The Lowlight

by Cari Cole

Yes, being in the limelight, is an ultimate dream. A superstar lifestyle, fame, wads of money and an awesome creative fulfilling career – what singer-songwriter-artist-band doesn’t want that!? If you are reading this, you (or the artist you manage) probably are so psyched that you spend every waking moment focused on that one goal and think nothing of spending endless effort, cash and muscle in getting your music heard and jumping through the hoops of fire to the big time. Every day, unknown artists get their break and you could be among the ones that do!

But truth be told, we all know that landing in the fame-lane takes a lot more than hard work – it takes connections, guile, savvy, being-in-the-right-place-at-just-the-right-time, and good old fashioned luck. The exciting part is that everyone’s got a shot, but most won’t make it all the way to the top (you know – law of averages). But it’s a great ride along the way and ya never know!

But, the news is that there is another lane that might come through for you because..

…being successful in music is not solely reserved for those in the fame-lane!

No, the limelight is not where all the action is…

It’s also in the lowlight.

Attaining mid-level success or just barely making a living at music is pretty freakin’ fantastic! Because, unless you’re a shameless narcissist or want the spotlight on you every second, in the lowlight, you don’t have to deal with the swarming paparazzi, the bad reviews, the long tours away from friends and family, and the fact that every move you make is fodder for the tabloids’ distortions and the public’s unforgiving eye.

The lowlight, when you’re a music creator-maker, is not less important or exciting – it’s just less obvious. Think for a moment about the hundreds of thousands of artists out there making a living at music. There are a lot of mid-level artists, who are not yet a household name, who put out records and make enough income to actually do music full time. You just haven’t heard of them unless you are a fan or have stumbled upon them. I see so many artists who are focused on being famous – as if that’s the only way to be successful – that they miss the opportunities along the way that could actually spawn their careers – or at least prove successful in moving them ahead to the next steps.

Just last week, I spoke with one of my students – who is an awesome singer-songwriter – and she told me she was leery of giving her song away to a more famous artist. I told her that she should be so lucky! When we looked at the reality of what could come of that – how if a big star made her song famous (and they can do it faster than she could) how it would pave the way for her career. And the song is never lost to her – she can record her own version on her record, and since the song is already famous, people would buy her version too.

Look, I was like that once too – the artist card definitely trumps all – but it’s downright stupid to put all your eggs (songs) in one basket. A producer friend of mine, Jeff Coplan, once said to me about being successful in the entertainment industry, “When the train comes, get on it.” He pontificated that one never knows when the train is coming or what train it is – but to immediately hop on board. The opportunity to make music for a living is the goal – and that, truly, is do-a-ble, but not if you don’t notice the train when it comes.

What about the songwriters you wouldn’t recognize if you bumped into them? Like the guy who wrote Jewel’s first record with her – what’s his name? And the thousands of songwriters signed to publishing deals that you’ve never heard of – with successful songs on the radio. And then there’s the semi-famous songwriters that we have heard of that are scooping up a small fortune – like Kara DioGuardi who rose to household fame after being a judge on Idol – and Dr. Luke who pens hits for the female hotties of Hollywood — Katy Perry, Ke$ha, Kelly Clarkson, Avril Lavigne, Miley, Pink, etc. But you probably didn’t know his name unless you caught the piece on him in New York Magazine last year or have friends in the biz.

I think the most interesting part of this conversation is the effect it could have on you – the emerging and pro artist – what you will do with this inspiration of information? Will you let it fill your sails or have you not hoisted them up to catch the wind?

Just watch out for your Defense Mechanism (everyone has one – kind of like the blind spot thing). Matter of fact, it’s built in. It waits for any sign of danger or the unknown and it pounces – on you. It keeps you down, down where it’s comfy and safe, death to a superstar.

And when ya think the limelight is too far of a stretch down the road, aim for the lowlight to get you in the driver’s seat and moving forward. You might get a song in a film or in a TV show, or you could get a publishing deal – or one of your songs could be recorded by a famous artist. That catapults you a step or two ahead, and perhaps you’re on your way to the top – or further up the chain – or just makes you immensely satisfied! Ya never know…

Truth is, the world owes you nothing, but you owe yourself everything.

Stop being reasonable – go make the best freakin’ music you can and get it out there in whatever way comes to you. The world is waiting.

PS – I’ve invited a very special guest to speak at my very exciting upcoming Step Up to the Spotlight 3-day Event in November (Nov 11-13th)!! She’s someone who’s creating substantial success in the lowlight and she’s going to inspire you. A great example of a success story from someone out there carving her path, embracing her music and the industry on her own terms – and winning – in the glow of the lowlight. More details coming very soon!