My Fellow Creatives (You're Doing a Good Job)
I have concerts lined up this fall.
Selling tickets.
Playing private events.
Selling albums and merchandise.
etcetera...
Sometimes I get massive support.
Sometimes I don't.
It can be a grueling journey sometimes, trying to make this life a full time career.
But if you love something, and you're called to it, you find a way.
You also don't complain and fault the general public for not supporting you.
I know it's tough sometimes, and often frustrating when people decide at the last minute not to come to a show.
I know it can be demoralizing when someone comes to a show, watches you pour your heart out, only to give you their critiques and complaints rather than affirm you.
I know it can be tiresome to do all the marketing, booking, managing, and promoting only to have some shows flop.
But this is the life we chose.
This is our lives.
Yes, to the general public, it's good to support your local/underground artists.
But artists, we have to understand that they don't have to, and we are owed nothing.
That doesn't change the fact that you're working hard (and doing a great job, I might add). They're response to you doesn't necessarily have anything to do with how well you're doing. Remember, people are also about optics these days.
I remember Anderson Paak performed at a huge festival after he blew up, and at some point, he said to the crowd that he and his band performed the exact same setlist the year before, except there was hardly anyone there to watch them.
Now that he's big, there are people like me who have been following him since before and are happy. There are also people who listen to him because they see that millions of others listen to him.
It's a tricky game. Play it to the best of your ability without compromising your ideals and values.
You're doing amazingly.