I am a songwriter, so I get to create for a living. I write in the hopes that an artist will license (or "pick up") one of my songs and release it. On any given day, I will have what's called a 'cowrite' with one or two other people; we spend a few hours writing, rewriting, and polishing a song until we leave with a completed piece. I have always loved the songwriting process, and though I still love performing, walking into a room with nothing and leaving with something is the most rewarding part. I get to tell stories in music for a living; I have the best job in the world.
My most meaningful achievement would have to be my album. I recorded and released an album ("New Plaid Shirt") about four years ago. It was a ton of work, and a massive learning curve: finding the right producer, becoming a publisher, copywrite, production, digital release, etc. It's now out there, and I could not be more proud.
The greatest lesson I've learned in this industry... I live by the mantra "If nothing else, it's a huge compliment!" There are a lot of empty promises in the entertainment industry, so I try to take them as compliments until they're officially something more.
The best piece of advice someone gave me is to live like you've already made it. If you treat songwriting like a job, or performing as a job, then that's a business people are going to want to work with. People want to work with someone who takes it seriously, shows up on time, and is reliable. So act like it's your job, and like you're already wildly successful. The rest will follow.
The future is now.
Life is about a collection of experiences, and finding someone to share those experiences with.
Photos by Anthony Goto
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