Introduction
Nobody accidentally falls into a music career. Being in this industry requires meaningful hustle, grit, dedication, heart, and a thick skin. I've received all kinds of feedback about my singing; honestly, it has left me with a huge question mark. My motivation has been tested and tried several times, but I shifted my mindset instead of dwelling on what others think about me. I use music to figure out who I am, who I want to be, and what I want to say to the world. My music is for me. I've read a few biographies of successful musicians I admire, and through those stories, I've learned that there isn't a clear path to a sustainable music career. The journey is truly unique to the individual; it can be long, brutal, and emotionally draining to the point where you feel like giving up. You must be relentless, you must believe, and you must continuously be improving your craft; experiment a little. So, given all of that, how does an aspiring artist stay motivated? I'm not sure I have a concrete answer, but sincerely, from my heart, I share how I personally stay motivated and the roots behind the things that fuel my motivation.
The beginning
All my life, I knew I wanted to be a professional singer and pianist. There wasn't a doubt in my mind, but my parents never supported it( I have no idea why this always comes up for me, but for some reason, this plays a massive role in my journey). I remember being in the middle of the grocery store modestly asking my father if I could take voice lessons when I was in elementary school. My father had a quizzical look on his face and asked me in a rhetorical tone, "You want to be a singer?!" I could feel the disappointment in his voice, which made me feel embarrassed for asking. I never answered his rhetorical question because I knew my father would be against it and call me a loser. He ultimately said it was a waste of money, so I never got the lessons. As the years passed, I spent my days finding creative ways to improve my musicianship by playing on my Yamaha piano, listening to my favorite artists, and paying extra attention to the music classes offered at school. Deep down inside, I was so jealous of the kids whose parents forced them to take piano and be in the musicals at school because that's what I wanted to do. In middle school, I was in choir, and I enjoyed it. It felt like I was taking voice lessons in school. I wouldn't say I liked the songs we had to sing, but it was free music education, so I powered through it. Eventually, my father pulled me out of the choir, and I had to take global studies. Now that I'm older, I find myself compensating for the little girl who wanted to sing. I compensate through my motivation, willingness to invest in myself, and relentless hustle. Fast forward a few years, and I started taking advantage of the internet.
It was about 2016-2017 when I casually started to pursue a music career. I'd post videos on Vine, Twitter, and Instagram, hoping someone would notice me, but I was still timid. I attempted to collaborate with a few music students at my college, and I tried to find opportunities to record or perform while balancing school. My parents were pretty strict about school, so I had to put most of my efforts into my studies. I had challenging classes from 8am to 4pm Monday through Thursday. On top of it all, I was a commuter student, meaning I did not live on campus, which made it worse. I started letting life get in the way but never lost sight of my passion and goal. Sometimes, I would go days, weeks, or months without singing because I had to fulfill other obligations. But I always kept track of what I truly wanted in life. This came naturally to me because I spent my whole childhood hustling music education, learning it wherever I could.
Fast forward to the present day, and I'm still hustling and grinding away, but this time, it's on my terms. Well, for the most part. I take piano and voice lessons online, work with a professional vocal instructor, take music classes in Minneapolis, and attend open mics. It feels different because I have more control of my life, and I'm starting to step out of my shell. Below, I share the things that kept my motivation alive and why I am relentless in my pursuit of music, starting with explaining my why. Understanding why I want to pursue a music career has helped me stay motivated because it drives my creativity and gives me a purpose.
1. Know your why
The soulful licks and smooth scats that dance in the room fill my body and soul with the energy they need to survive. I want to bellow along and sing out the happiness that lingers inside of me when I hear and create music. It's an indescribable euphoric warmth that makes me feel like I am worth a damn. Worth a damn to myself, worth a damn to you, and worth a damn to the world. I have a reason to talk to people, be around people, make connections, and add meaningful value to the world. This feeling drives me to continue writing, singing, and improving my craft. For so long, I had to put music on the back burner, making me feel like I gave up without even trying. Now that I am in a different chapter of my life, it feels like a breath of fresh air. I use music to heal the little girl inside of me whose dreams were crushed and figure out who I am. I use poetic lyrics to tell stories to connect with people. Singing and songwriting are how I enjoy life.
When singing and writing songs, it feels like time doesn't exist. Instead of begging for the time to go by so I can clock out of work, I'm begging the universe for more time to continue creating. I'm not interested in many things, but music has always piqued my interest. I love the feeling of getting lost in a melody and using it to express poetic lyrics or tell a story.
For me, I create music to tell my story and to relive the exhilarating high I feel when I am singing. It takes me back to the days I spent alone in my room as a kid, just singing. I create songs to heal the woman inside of me who never felt good enough to be in a space where I truly belonged. My mind is like a never-ending radio station with tunes bouncing around at all hours of the day! Although I create music for myself, I enjoy seeing people admire my work because it feels like I'm giving a piece of myself to the listener.
Motivation is fleeting without understanding your personal why. Your why is the catalyst for motivation and the lifeline that keeps your heart beating in your musical journey. Many people give up because they are enamored by the lifestyle and access they believe being an artist can provide. There's nothing wrong with being motivated by these things because most artists, big or small, are slightly motivated by the superficial benefits music can provide. It's not sustainable because music is a humbling career path, so you must dig deep to determine your intentions.
Remember your meaningful why, and again, let it be your lifeline because it will guide you throughout your musical journey and dictate how you choose to operate. I've made a personal connection to music, and I love the beauty of melodies. This keeps me going and is my personal reason for creating music. Singing and songwriting are cathartic means for me to tell my story and let my voice shine.
2. Passion
Finding your purpose and passion can be a difficult task in life. The fear of making mistakes or wasting time looms over us as we enter adulthood. Time moves fast, and unfortunately, music careers don't have timelines. You can't march into a record company's office, submit your demo, and hope you get the job. Honestly, I'm not sure how you would get past security! Instead, this is something you have to consistently nurture. You will spend a lot of time rehearsing, studying, writing material, promoting, and going to open mics without getting paid. And if you are like me, you will likely be balancing a day job and doing all of this on a limited budget.
If music isn't your passion, succumbing to burnout will be easier than taking candy from a baby. In the beginning stages, you can spend hours, days, or months working on a project only to yield little in return. With a pure love of the arts and the willingness to be consistent, burnout may never come to fruition. I enjoy the creative process of songwriting and playing around with my voice; it feels like I'm on a journey, but the destination is unclear until the song is created. With each song, I'm learning more about my style, what I want to say, and how I want to say it. I'm trying to make sense of the songs in my head and bring them to life. This is passion. It would be best if you enjoyed the expedition of the creative process because that's when our best work comes out.
Music is constantly on my mind, and to some extent, it dictates how I spend my time. Honestly, I don't leave my house unless it's for something music-related, my parents are getting food for me, or I have to run errands. I spend my time creating songs, practicing piano, studying, and practicing my singing. That's literally it. I'm not saying you have to be this extreme to exude passion. I'm simply sharing how my love for music emanates. I don't get paid to do any of that stuff ( yet), and that's part of the reason why it's a passion. It's a passion that I want to turn into a career. The unique caveat of pursuing a performing music career is you have to be willing to work for free or for little pay. This is where your passion comes in.
As long as I have my music, I feel okay as a person. Life is worth living; I have a purpose and something to look forward to. It's an opportunity to make friends and meaningful connections. Music is more than just getting up on stage and reciting lyrics; it defines my life.
3. Stable income
Without giving too much detail, I've experienced a point when I had no money to my name and was living paycheck to paycheck. Not gonna lie it was scary. It wasn't feasible for me to make a considerable investment or any investment into my music. I had to stick with uploading videos for the time being. Remember, I'm going at this alone with no support. This isn't an excuse, but girl, my rent has to be paid, and my body needs to be nurtured with nutritious food.
Having a stable income has allowed me to not worry about my next meal, making rent, and having health insurance. When these aspects of your life are a float, you can use your energy to focus on creating, not worrying. You don't need to be Richie McRich and rolling the Benjamins because I am certainly not. But at the same time, we can't get caught up in the rags-to-riches stories the media likes to sell us. There is always more to the story. Trust and believe! With a stable income, you can invest in classes, you can invest in better gear, and anything else you may need. I value having a stable income because it allows me to be self-reliant. I love networking with people even though I am shy. However, the challenge with networking is finding the time and a safe environment (if you are a woman, then you get what I am talking about) to meet people. So, instead of making the excuse of being unable to collaborate, I can buy a beat or take a lesson on how to do something and pay for studio time! However, I want to collaborate with other local artists in my city, so I must start working through my insecurities and fears. Again, these fears and insecurities stem from my childhood and how I was raised to view the world.
You know, I find it interesting how much my childhood and upbringing come into play when I talk about my music career aspirations. But here I go again! I grew up in a very strict and sheltered environment, so I am learning to unlearn some of the things I have been taught about people and navigating the world. It affects how I interact with people and often leads to me being misunderstood. My heart is always kind, open, and curious about others. I intend to support the music community, collaborate with other musicians, and sing my songs.
Music careers are an investment of time, money, and creativity. It may take a while before you see the return on your investment, so you need to have a stable income. In the beginning, you cannot rely on music to make a living unless you would like to teach. Earning money as a performing musician is about your name, but while creating a name, your bills must still get paid! I've read countless biographies of people selling rags-to-riches stories to appear more relatable. I'm sure there is truth in their stories, but people exaggerate to exude a little bit more flare. Every time I read these stories, many questions pop into my head, like how did you keep health insurance? How did you pay rent? How were you able to get a nutritious meal every day? How did you pay for studio time? These are the questions I'm always asking. This is why having a stable income gives me a rest of mind. I don't have to keep asking how I will survive; instead, I keep asking myself what should I create next?
4. Self-love and let go of expectations.
Love. Thy. Self.
I've learned that as an artist, you can't keep changing yourself to suit different audiences. It's exhausting; people will become confused about who you are, and most importantly, you won't know who you are. I share these stories NOT to whimper and whine about people not liking my creations but to show that people will say all kinds of things about your art. It takes a thick skin to stay motivated in this industry, and a thick skin develops through self-love and letting go of expectations. Be unapologetic about your art and damn good at what you do.
A few years ago, I posted a rough music video for my original song, "When Boys Get Mad." It was a video of me having a good time, frolicking around on a beautiful day and blowing bubbles. I had so much fun making the video and I was happy to post it. A few days later, I was met with a nasty comment from a random guy. He basically said I was a disgrace and my friends and family should be embarrassed that I posted the video. At first, I was taken aback because it really wasn't that serious. I'm just a small artist trying to find creative ways to make my music. I didn't want this to turn into a back-and-forth, so I didn't respond and deleted the comment. I was really proud of my song, and I knew how much work I had put into it. I understand how to stay classy on the interwebs!
Sometimes discouraging experiences happen right in your backyard instead of on the internet. It feels a lot more personal when you know that there is an actual face behind the words being said. Several years ago, I wanted to record some original songs in a professional studio. I did a lot of research and found a studio I felt comfortable emailing to book a session. In my submission, I explained who I was, included links to my singing, and explained what I was hoping to accomplish. Ultimately, the owner of the studio ended up rejecting me. They stated that my vocals weren't very good, so they didn't want to record me in their studio. After reading their email, I started to doubt myself. If a professional musician like them didn't think I was worth having in their studio, then who else would feel the same? I wasn't a professionally trained musician, so I learned through the feedback I received from those who were professionals. I didn't let their comment get to me too much. Instead, I kept training with the materials I had and recorded videos. It's totally okay if someone doesn't vibe with your style because that's the beauty of art. There's something for everyone!
I share these stories because self-love is a journey, and the experiences I have gone through in my life and in my music career journey have shaped how I feel about myself today. I'm still a work in progress, but I've let go of expectations and shifted my focus to defining my artistry and being true to myself. Having a personal connection to my music, along with my own style, influences how I react to negative feedback. People are entitled to their opinions, but they are not entitled to hurt your feelings. I've learned that criticism is okay; it means you're reaching a broader audience.
5. Get involved in your community
No matter how big or small you stand in the music scene, there is always a community willing to hear your material. I didn't know this until I started attending open mics. It was in July of 2023, the moment I attended my first open mic, that I realized how beneficial these were for musicians. For the most part, people are very kind and curious to know more about the artist. I'm curious to know more about the other performers as well. When you start to become a regular, people want to know your name, meet up with you, and collaborate. Sometimes, it's overwhelming ( in a good way) because I am so used to being in the background, forgotten and an afterthought. I was taught to keep my head down and not draw attention to myself. Girl, music is all about getting people's attention, especially if you want to make it a day job. I really need to get used to that. No more hiding in the background or being coy with the people. I gotta sing like the rent is due today!
Being in a community eases the grind of pursuing a music career because it gives you an opportunity to learn, meet people who share the same interests, and potentially make friends. I've yet to read a story about an artist who completely makes it on their own. There is an open mic I started attending regularly in St. Paul. It's held at a local bistro. The people are so friendly! The second time I attended, people started recognizing my face and saying hello to me. It felt so good to feel like I belonged somewhere! It warmed my heart to be remembered and to have people say hello to me like I was a dear friend.
Wow, if you made it to the end, God bless you! I had a lot to say in this month's post. It felt cathartic to write about my experiences and motivation. I feel like the more I post, the more I start to open up to you. Pursuing a music career can be a mysterious endeavor but if you understand your personal why, have a passion for it, have a stable source of income ( if you're an adult) until things pick up, stay true to yourself, have self love and get involved in your community, the joruney will be more enjoyable and your motivation will be sustainable. In my journey, I don't have any expectations other than to be always outdoing myself, do things that make me feel good and to add value. That my friends is how I stay motivated as an aspiring musician.
xoxo
Chanelmarie Brooks
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