DIY artist

This is all new to me, so sorry if I'm making it look too easy. But I just learned a few years ago that anyone could record a song. I thought you had to be discovered and who knows what other weird steps I thought needed to be followed. Then my cousin, whom you may know as Young Poet, asked me if I'd feature on his song. That was the moment everything changed. That first taste of the music making drug hit my tongue and there was no going back. I took up the ukulele to help convey my ideas and I went to the studio to record my first song "Real Life". After that I figured I could catch more attention with a video. So I planned out a storyboard, bought a costume, found some people to play extras, hired some high school kids in a media production class to shoot and edit, and within about 2 months we did it. My song was released video and all in 2016. It took another year to get into the studio again and I ended up going back a month later to do another song. Those didn't release until at least 6 months later. So timing- wise still slow going.

As Of...

Now I'm working on a mixtape that I started writing for in like October or November 2017. I'm finding now that everything takes much longer than I want or expect. I thought the mixtape would be easy and ready to go by March 2018, but I had to push back the release to May. Partially this is due to money (or lack there of). Its expensive to do this stuff, so I decided that it would be best to do everything right from the start so it didn't cost me later. I registered with the Copyright Office, BMI and royalty collection groups. So now that my music is legally mine I can keep going forward without worrying about if I'll get paid or worrying about someone stealing my music. Now, I have to worry about putting on shows and releasing the mixtape. I don't know anyone who wants to put me in a show, and my patience is a little thin, so I am booking a show. This is all in progress as I type so I still don't know if it will work out but I have the highest hopes.

For my show:

I will construct a set. I will figure out merch I will arrange my setlist. I will try to learn some moves and be creative about how I personally present my work. I will use lights. I will use sound. I will use props. I will market and promote. This will be a success.