I’d like to try something different with my blog posts, social media, and my conversations about music. I want to be more transparent about my process. In addition to sharing sweet gig pictures, photo shoots and music news, I’d like to also show how I am paying off college loans, what it’s like to work part-time as an artist, and my weekly personal goals. These things might help you the reader, and will certainly help me once I get them onto paper.
Some people might tell you that I work part time as a barista at the local hot spot coffee shop downtown called Uncommon Grounds, and that I play music on the side. But in reality I am building a foundation for my career in music, and in my spare time working at the coffee shop. My goal is to slowly turn the tables so that my earnings from music become my primary source of income.
However, I do challenge myself to stay creative while working at the shop!I perform several shows a month at local restaurants and bars and each week I provide piano accompaniment for my aunt’s improv dance class. Right now, I have $25,000 in college loans, and pay $100 a month for car insurance. Those are my only bills (that’s quite enough) but I’m lucky that while staying with family I pay my rent in help around the house.
A still captured from a piece I am working on with a few local dancers
How am I staying organized? Yikes…good question, it’s not easy. I’ve taken some great tips from a book called 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Instead of planning my days…I plan my weeks. Every Sunday I type up a list of goals, events and projects. Then I figure out what day(s) each task can be done. This way I never need to worry about whether or not I will finish my goals for the week, and I also never wonder what I am going to do for the day. Prioritizing goals used to be my biggest struggle. “What should I work on today? Should I write, practice piano, work on the album, network, work on the website, etc.” Of course, schedules are not meant to be followed robotically and often things get moved around when stuff comes up. But even so, I’m cool with this.
Right now, my biggest project is my newsletter (which may have brought you here). I’ve spent a few months compiling a list of emails from all those whom I love, care about, or respect and in return they will get a newsletter every two weeks with the link to the latest blog post, news about the recording process for my album Wandering Man and a new YouTube video…. so without further ado, here’s my first video from the new series “Live from the Attic”
This series is about embracing imperfections. One take recordings are full of little mistakes…I even sang a wrong lyric in the second verse. I care more about the overall performance and less about minor blemishes. I mainly consider myself a writer, so this is helping me feel more comfortable calling myself a performer as well. If you like this video then please share on Facebook, Twitter, though email, etc. I’d really like to gather a community around these newsletters and YOU are key to helping me do so! Any help is appreciated, I view this series of videos and blog posts as my first step towards a sustainable career in music!
Set up before video shoot
P.S. I’d like as much feedback and interaction as possible, please feel free to give me your thoughts on what you liked or what could be improved. And if there is any way I can help YOU in return, let me know.
Love,
Loveday