By what age does a musical artist need to become established in order to be successful? 18? 29? 35? Does it matter? Should it matter? Does it matter to you?  

While large segments of society may worship youth, artists worship truth. Rather than racing against time, they find their groove at each stage of life and let themselves express and reflect all of the phases, not just the early ones.  Of course, youth sells and most popular music is developed to be sold to 18-25 year olds, but none of that means that a songwriter or performer needs to stop growing or letting their music change to reflect their evolving point of view.  After all, one of the gifts of musicianship is that you get to play at any age and there is no real limit on how long you can continue to develop your musical expression. With age comes experience and with experience comes the potential for wisdom. With wisdom comes the opportunity to make music that is built to last and to cultivate creative habits that are sustainable.  

So sing your song, find your groove and listen to this SOS episode in which new models of artistic and musical sustainability are explored. You might find a way to stay Young At Heart without needing to stay Forever Young. 

 

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When a show is filled to capacity, the marquis reads “Sold Out.” When an artist loses their authenticity in order to please a supposed market’s taste, we say that they’ve “sold out.” How can you “Sell Out” without “selling out?” Do we ever have to compromise our authenticity to achieve commercial success? How about achieving both? Listen in and discover your own answer to the important question: “Who am I making my music for?”

 

 SOS Episode #7: The Artist's Dilemma: Being Sold Out With Out Selling Out: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download