Being an artist is the greatest gift in my life and I am grateful each day for the ability to not only create, but to also have that work reach many people and provide great meaning to those incredible people that are on my professional team and my personal squad. However, it often seems like if an artist doesn’t have Grammys and millions in the bank, they are met with scrutiny and doubt. I’ve been on a one-track path for the greater part of my life, because I believe to be an artist, you cannot have a plan B. You have to go all in and really live and breathe for your craft and aspirations.
I think a lot of people get consumed with the outcome and have no patience or respect for the process. Other careers don’t seem to be met with as much of that. For example, you cannot be a lawyer without going to law school and learning the law and putting in the hours. You cannot perform a surgery without years of school and refinement under your belt. In that way, you cannot win a Grammy or play stadiums without learning the craft of writing good songs, and spending hours and years in the studio, and in the rehearsal hall perfecting them live, and in meetings doing market research to see where your art can have the most positive impact. However, this artist development aka grad/law/med school for artists is often not respected or taken seriously by others because it cannot be measured by conventional standards. As an artist, you cannot let that deter you from believing in yourself and putting in those development years and paying your dues. The only one that can possibly stand in your way is you and you are much too badass to do that, right?!