By Cari Cole
In a slump? Plateauing with your music? You’ve been in it for a bit, this music thing, and you’re wondering how you can make an impact. Or maybe you’re hanging on by a thread wondering much longer you can keep doing this? Maybe you should go to massage school, or do web design. Or hey, maybe real estate to bring in the bucks after you’ve spent your fortune pursuing your music dream only to end up without a deficit ROI (return on investment.)
It’s not easy being a musician. You’ve got to not only be skilled and talented, but be a hustler. And it’s challenging to keep your spirits up with all of the pressure just to make a dollar? But you can’t stop. Because you can’t help yourself. Probably because you have killer taste, and you know you can do this. You know that you’re really only a song (or two) away from living the dream. All you need is that one song to break through…
So what now?
You might want to consider some fresh inspiration for your next project.
A musician is always evolving. Writing, recording, perfecting, tweaking ~ all the time.
But without songs that ELEVATE your talent and EXPAND your vision — your music won’t truly CONNECT with people in the WAY you want it to.
In my experience, an audience responds when an artist taps into their truth and communicates it— this is when your career takes off.
Maybe it’s time to seize the opportunity to refine your message, sound, and direction. There’s no better feeling than finding YOUR signature sound.
Here are 3 Ways to Hit Refresh & Rebrand Your Sound & Direction
1. Get Real
You’ve got to write raw, gutsy, undeniable songs if you want to make waves as an artist. ????Authenticity rocks these days!
Writing from real life experiences is a great start. What’s on your mind lately? What experiences are you wrestling with? Trying to overcome? What are you telling yourself these days that helps you get through the day? Write a song about it.
2. Why this music now?
A common question asked by A & R reps when helping an artist find their sound. Each song, each record has a reason. It’s not just random. And if it is, you need to dig a little deeper to get to the songs that answer that question. That needs to be woven throughout your record to get the core of your message on the page.
People connect to songs that deliver powerful emotions and stories. Things they relate to. You’ve got this!
3. Consider a new name and direction.
Sometimes when you’ve been out there for awhile, you can hit a plateau. Now sometimes this plateau is just a threshold of a new chapter about to unfold and you just need to hold on a little longer to push through.
But sometimes this plateau is begging for a rebrand. A new name, new direction, new persona, and style. Like Father John Misty’s rebrand from his singer-songwriter “sad bastard songs” as he called it. His rebrand was so clever the NY Times wrote an article about it (hit Google to read it.) But the point is, sometimes you can get stuck in a rut and it’s time for a whole new YOU.
I hope it helps you rule your neck of the woods this year and beyond!