I AM AN ARTIST.

February is almost over. That’s wild to me. I feel like we just started this new year. I have a feeling this one is going to rush by as well. For any and all who are wondering, I am still pursuing music and acting. I’ve been trying to network more and write lyrics whenever I can. I bought a play to read and I printed out a couple monologues for me to learn but I feel like there’s something in the way. I feel blocked somehow from diving in.

I am not the type of person to give up, ever, especially when it comes to my dreams. I’ve wanted to do the same thing since I was a kid. I bet I came out the womb wanting to make music. I remember going into the kitchen and pulling out pots, pans, and spoons and trying to play the drums and create music. I didn’t know why I did it, I would feel something in that moment and I would just have to go with it.

I think it’s true that you yourself stand in the way of your dreams and happiness. I probably could have made it by now had I had a little more faith in myself but I’m working on it. A few things that I am figuring out when it comes to pursuing music:

#1. KNOW YOURSELF: You have to know who you are as a musician, vocalist, and as a person. You have to accept your personal sound (your voice, your music, and your style). You have to know what you are singing about and believe in it. You cannot care what people think about what you do. You have to have confidence in yourself and the art that you are creating.

#2. TRAINING: You have to learn the necessary steps to grow as an artist. You have to train both your vocals chords but also your body. Do your research on what works and what doesn’t work. How to better prepare yourself as an artist. You have to eat right and do your best to remain healthy. You have to figure out a set schedule to practice those warm-ups and building a set list, finding a rehearsal space, and so much more.

#3. NETWORKING: You cannot be afraid to ask for help. I’ve been following influencers on social media. I looked at mutual friends or suggested friends. I started looking at other people going down a similar path and seeing that they do in order to be successful. Sometimes it helps to follow people that live in your city that way you know some local spots that have open mics and it presents opportunity to build connections.

#4. POSITIVITY: This kind of goes hand in hand with #3. You have to try to remain positive while chasing your dreams. I don’t suggest this for everyone but I ended up starting fresh on my instagram and only following what really interested me. I started following people that posted poetry, empowerment, cool pictures, and a couple music artists. Sometimes it’s best to clean out your list and explore. It’s nice to get on instagram and one of the first things I see is something along the lines of “It’s monday, you got this!”

#5. MENTOR & DEVELOPMENT: I’m still working on this one. I need to find someone that can push me to the next level. I am starting to find my sound and I could use someone that knows how to develop an artist. Whether it’s during songwriting sessions or just promotion. There’s a lot that goes into artist development and it’s important to eventually establish a team.

#6. KEEP GOING: This is the last one. No matter how hard it gets, you have to keep going. I don’t have it all figured out yet. I’m researching and networking and trying to find someone willing to give me a shot to do something that I know I would be just incredible at. It all starts with you. Whether you want to be a singer, musician, writer, actress, dancer, teacher, and so on, all of these steps can still apply. There has to be progress in order to learn and to grow in your craft.

Don’t forget to take time out for yourself as well. If you make this journey all about business all the time, it takes the fun out of it. So take a break every now and then and just have a jam session with a couple of your friends or just go out and enjoy life. Keep yourself balanced to continue your progress and be happy.

I just wanted to share some of my thoughts with you. I’ve been aching to provide a new post. I kept writing and rewriting a couple drafts. This one came to me today. I hope this helps whoever is reading this. Let’s get to the finish line together.

Until next time,

Xo

Nina.