10 Ways to Make a Deeper Impact with Your Art, Creativity and Music (and no, this post was not made with AI)...
Helping the Anti-AI Luddites Get Left Behind...
I’ve been sitting in the sunshine in my backyard all day today, in a very contemplative place. For good reason too, as there’s so much noise surrounding tech and AI and all the ways we creative business owners are going to get left behind in the wave of this AI “revolution”.
But that’s just it, it’s just noise.
Now, I suspect you’re skeptical… You probably think I’m just writing for likes and exposure and clout…
And, if you’re thinking that way, this article is exactly what you need right now.
Why? Because the way we are in one is the way we are in many (if not all), and that line of thought stems from a scarcity or “lack” mindset. That sh*zzz will carry over into other areas of your life.
(ps. You’re also not gonna like me very much throughout this read because I will likely call you up on all the BS you’ve been stuffing down…)
Now, where was I…
I’ve had such an outpouring of requests for an old article I wrote when I first figured out the difference between performative vs. purpose-driven acts of service, I thought I’d take some time to create an updated version. There have been a lot of changes since the last one…
Think of me as Mad Max, your fearless leader, and this article is your crusade to a better, more fulfilling way to live (and earn) your livelihood outside of the matrix.
Real Talk
Step 1: Forget the gurus who tell you you’re going to be left behind…
Fcuk em. They’re playing a finite game. One in which they think in order to win, someone’s got to lose, like in sports and competition. Life’s not like that, nor is business. And especially not in such an intimate business like your creativity.
if you’re having a hard time understanding that you’re playing a different game from these sharks, understand this: Every business cycle has what is known as the Diffussion of Innovations. If you’ve done any sort of research into starting a business or launching a product, you’ll be familiar with the terms, innovators, early adopters, for consumers who are first in line ( the people that camp out overnight on Boxing Day to be the first in lines. Then there’s the early majority, late majority and the laggards. These folks jump on the bandwagon only after the innovators and early adopters work out the kinks… if at all.
Trouble is. This is a model used to describe the consumer market, and without sounding delusional - because yes, I understand you need to eat… but I’d invite you to explore that concept when it’s contrasted with creatorship. Which are you really in control of?
To Consume or to Create? The Illusion of Control
If you’ve heard Rick Rubin talk for even 3 minutes, you’ll understand this concept immediately. If not, think of it this way: in your life, you have 3 categories of control.
The First? Things you’re in complete control of (even if you don’t like to admit it). This includes what time you go to bed, what you do throughout the day, the people you associate with, what food you decide to eat or not eat… all the things you decide to do or not do.
Second? The things you’re absolutely unable to control. The weather, what someone else thinks, feels or says, or how many times you hear the Backstreet Boys on a road trip with your friend who’s a superfan… and in charge of the music… all of that is completely out of your control.
The third and often overlooked area is the stuff that falls under your influence, not direct control. This is where most people I talk to get hung up. They stress over things that are either out of their control completely or things they have limited influence over. Granted, it’s a bit grey, and maybe that’s a source of confusion for some, but here’s how I look at it.
We worry about what others think, yet we can’t control that. We worry about how we appear to others. Again, that’s on them. We worry about whether our work is received the way we intended, and again, it’s that kind of stuff that you have influence over, rather than control over.
For example, I can write a song from my heart and send it out the world and hope that it lands for someone. That’s my influence. Putting good sh*t into the universe. Whether it’s received is out of my control. All I can do is influence that by releasing the tune into the wild. Which brings this all together…
What is truly in your control?
Is chasing Spotify playlist adds, stream counts, and Instagram likes things you can control, things you can influence or things you have zero control over? 🤔
When I asked myself, “What am I actually in control of when it comes to my art?” I got really clear about intention. Music to me serves a very spiritual purpose. It’s functional, it’s intentional, and it’s transformative. That said, when I create music and release it with those three in mind, I’m in control.
Here are five creation hacks to make music mean something more intentional for you to consider if you’re ready to break the matrix. Steal this list and consider other ways to implement these hacks in your quest for making music full-time.
Make music for the sake of making music.
Create from a deeply personal place.
Think less, feel more.
Push boundaries and be bold.
Collaborate.
Now, with all that out of the way… here are 10 Ways I’ve Learned to Make a Deeper Impact with My Music (and 10 ideas to spark your creative genius too)
Start making music for brands, not fans. A caveat on this one is they’ve gotta be aligned. I for one, connect with health and wellness brands that live, eat and breathe the same lifestyle I value.
Offer commissioned or “custom” songs. This is a super fun way to bring more humanism in the AI era of custom song generation for things like anniversaries, birthdays or even life’s works. I love making songs with and for my friends who would be hard pressed to call themselves “artists”.
Learn more about the therapeutic and healing nature that music can provide. Then partner with people who care. I’m talking hospitals, healers and heart-centred humans. A caveat here is that to be most effective, an artist has to know what makes music so dang powerful, and in my experience, many have no idea. The frequency and the intention can make or break a song as a healing tool, and lucky for you, I teach that. Inquire here if you’re interested in getting paid for making music that matters. Let’s chat.
Live sound installations. Think bougie busking. Art galleries and community spaces thrive with live performance. Ambient and alluring. LFG.
Host songwriting sessions with your fellow musicians. First, private in your own home and for bonus exposure and entrepreneurial reps, move ‘em out in public. See what happens when you drop a few restrictions, like a 20-minute time limit, only using the theme provided by a stranger on the street and writing in a new genre you’re unfamiliar with.
Private fan subscriptions. There are 400,000 different digital communities to choose from. Some of my personal favourites I’ve used are Grouped, Substack and Skool… it really depends on what you’re looking to provide. Start with building an email list. That’s a non-negotiable for me.
Teach. It might seem obvious, and… why not get paid to work on your own craft and teach the next gen how to transmute their emotions through music? Better yet, find the “closet musicians” like I have and start a quiet revolution of artists with something real to say.
Skill share. Offer the skills you have accumulated in your career (think production skills, graphic design, photography, email marketing, copyrighting, etc) for a trade in energy, either time, talent or treasure. Yes. Sell your unique skills. People want that. People just like you.
Make it more than the music. Think outside the box when it comes to your merch. Create memories. What can you do to really express your creative spirit? Package that new breakup single up with all the love letters you wrote to your ex and sell the sh*t out of the story. That’s what people want. The story. BTS content, but like, real, y’know?
License your music to generate passive income. I’ve done this with apps, coaches, brands, studios, restaurants, corporate offices… You name it. What the eff, right? I know, it sounds like a whole different reality from paying for curation, chasing TikTok likes and that damned algorithm. I offer this service for artists who are making powerful music. If you think that’s you… Let’s chat. —> Book a time this week.
Final Thoughts
In my experience, chasing Spotify streams, Instagram trends and the herd mentality of what you “need to do” in order to be discovered in the modern era of music completely dilutes the essence of humanity and what it means to make a creative impact in the world. That’s where I’m at, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Throw a comment on the post, share this with your creative pals and let’s have an open conversation on where you’re at with music these days.
Thanks for being here. ✌️