8 Seasons of an Artist’s Career
As many of you have probably heard me say before, an artist who is serious about a long, sustainable career will imagine themselves as the CEO of their own business. The thing about CEOs that many of us may forget, is that they are human beings. You are not a music machine simply built to pump out music 24/7 and perform 365 days a year. And you can’t be everything to everybody all the time. (Please read that again for the people in the back!) I believe the best leaders are the ones who recognize their own boundaries and understand when it’s time to pause, accelerate, pivot and evolve.
Think of it like the seasons of your career…here are 8 seasons you might find yourself in now or down the road (in no particular order). I want to remind you that no matter which season you are in, it is valid and you are worthy to be there. Don’t try to rush between seasons or try to be in too many at once. Let yourself be present and soak in the projects, the relationships, and the skills you are acquiring during each season as they will fuel you for whichever is coming next.
Songwriting for your next project. It’s time to create something out of nothing, how cool! Collaborate, write on your own, surround yourself with positive, creative energy.
Discovering your voice (literally and figuratively) and what you want to say with your music and your brand. Taking voice lessons and honing your skills as well as digging deep and becoming in tune with WHY you are making music and what legacy do you want to leave behind.
Rest and Recovery - Remember you can’t do ANY of this if your body isn’t taken care of. If you need to take a break, take a break. Listen to what your body is telling you.
Recording and making sure those song babies you worked so hard on sound the way you want them to be heard. Don’t rush this process!
Spending time with and/or growing a family. Believe it or not, it’s ok to want a family and be in music! Honor yourself and what is going to fill your proverbial cup. If family is important to you, don’t ignore that. There are always ways to make it work.
Touring - Hit the road and enjoy reaching your fans around the country/world in person! Hone your performance skills, meet and greet your fans and take pride in watching your songs be received.
Re-evaluating what you truly want and prioritize - It’s ok to change your mind. You may be realizing that your strengths are a little different than you originally thought or they have evolved to be something different. Honor that! Using your strengths combined with your intuition will lead to some pretty amazing opportunities, I guarantee it.
Growing and engaging with your audience - Touring is not the only way to do this nowadays. Use this season to get creative using social media. How amazing that you can reach millions of people from the comfort of your own home?! Don’t take this for granted. Interact, engage, create fun opportunities for your fans. And remember, be specific about which audiences you want reach.
Which season(s) are you in right now? Whichever it may be, I hope you are honoring and enjoying it. Stay present and know that even though you may want to be touring more, you are laying important ground work to be better prepared for road life. Or, if you want to be home with family, but you find yourself in the studio every day, perhaps you are just setting yourself up with lots of new material to allow you to take a pause and be home in the next season. It’s all a cycle that you, as the CEO, get to manage. You’ve got this one life so I hope you will choose to fill it with seasons that set you up to be your best self.