Episode 263
Embracing Change in Creative Endeavors
The central theme of this podcast episode revolves around the profound connection between artistic expression and personal surrender, particularly in the context of the speaker's musical journey. We delve into the creation of the album titled "if in case you feel the same," which began in 2016 and faced numerous delays due to external pressures from the record label. The speaker recounts the moment of clarity when they resolved to release the album amidst a global pandemic, asserting that the music was "looking for a fight." This decision led to unexpected recognition, including being invited to perform on "The Tonight Show" shortly after contemplating a career shift. Ultimately, the conversation underscores the unpredictable nature of artistic endeavors and the importance of remaining open to the possibilities that arise, even when one considers stepping away from their passions.
Takeaways:
- The creation of art is an evolving journey that often involves significant delays and challenges.
- The album 'if in case you feel the same' was conceived in 2016 but released amid a pandemic in 2020.
- Artists frequently navigate the complexities of their relationships with record labels regarding release decisions.
- Music serves as a powerful medium for connection, often leading to profound conversations between artists and their audiences.
- Surrendering to the unpredictability of a creative career can lead to unexpected opportunities and recognition.
- The act of making music embodies a sense of service, aiming to resonate with listeners on a deeper level.
Companies mentioned in this episode:
- Jimmy Fallon
- The Roots
Transcript
You could be this in love, or you could love something this much, and at no point does it turn bad.
Speaker A:And, like, what an incredible thing, you know?
Speaker A:So, you know, me personally, I've just been making music a long time.
Speaker A: I started making this album: Speaker A:It's an album called if in case youe Feel the Same.
Speaker A:If you get a copy of the album in the middle of it, we wanted to have a mirror there, but the label was like, it's gonna be too expensive, and we can't do it.
Speaker A:And that does.
Speaker A:And I don't believe.
Speaker A:I don't believe it's too expensive.
Speaker A:What I hear is, we don't want to do it.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:But nonetheless, they put this, you know, sticker that's supposed to mimic a mirror.
Speaker A:And the whole idea is that as soon as people looked at it, they could see themselves in it and it becomes interactive.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A: you know, I started making it: Speaker A:So it's.
Speaker A:It had been done for two years, a year and a half, before it came out.
Speaker A:And the label kept asking me, you know, like, can we push it back?
Speaker A:Can we push it back?
Speaker A:I'm not really a patient person.
Speaker A:I think the way.
Speaker A:The way forward is kind of always the way, you know, and if something is supposed to be in your life that was left behind, I trust that it will show back up again.
Speaker B:That's interesting.
Speaker B:I totally understand what you're saying.
Speaker A:And so, you know, we put this out.
Speaker A:They kept asking, you know, push it back, Push back.
Speaker A:And I was like, okay.
Speaker A:Finally, I was like, give me a date.
Speaker A:We're not moving it, or we are not moving this the date.
Speaker A:And we had picked June 26 as the date.
Speaker A:And wildly enough, we didn't know it at the time, but it was gonna be in the middle of a pandemic.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:And, you know, when I was, you know.
Speaker A:So when we found out that it was gonna be coming out in the middle of the pandemic, you know, the label was like, I think we should push it back.
Speaker A:And the label manager was like, I don't know that.
Speaker A:You know, And I was like, no.
Speaker A:I was like, this album's looking for a fight, and it has one, so we'll get out, you know?
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And it did really good for a couple months.
Speaker A:Like, the people that, like, love my music, that have been with me on my journey, they're, like, excessive fans.
Speaker A:They're not, like, passive.
Speaker A:Like, you know, I have a couple albums that when people.
Speaker A:When I'm out and about and like, hey, can I talk to you?
Speaker A:About to be loved.
Speaker A:It isn't like, yo, I like that song.
Speaker A:They want to sit down and have, like, a long, deep conversation about it, you know, because it's.
Speaker A:It's really meant something to them, which is, like, such a gift.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:But, you know, it hasn't really broken through to get to the other side of the echo chamber, really.
Speaker B:Right, right.
Speaker A:And so, you know, at the beginning of the year, what makes this so interesting is beginning of the year, like, I had made a lot of music over the lockdown and January 3rd, I'm writing down my goals and intentions for the year, and one of them is to look for a new career.
Speaker A:And it didn't mean that I was quitting.
Speaker A:What it meant was I was finally, ultimately, whenever you're making art, whether people believe it or not, you're signing up for a conversation, Right?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And a lot of times artists don't think that way.
Speaker A:They think that it's all about themselves.
Speaker A:But none of my.
Speaker A:None of my favorite songwriters have ever taken any credit for the songs they've written.
Speaker A:They've all said it just came to me.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And the ones that, like, really inspire me, there's some sense of service that comes to it, you know, like when I listen to Stevie Wonder records, he was trying to capture people.
Speaker A:People's imagination with the wonder of God.
Speaker A:And I mean, God, like, however you want to define God.
Speaker A:I mean, you can't listen to songs in the key of life and those.
Speaker A:I mean, I think he was trying to be a middleman between everyone's higher power and people on Earth.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:I think he was trying to get as close to God, but not so far away from the people that it wouldn't translate back to those who he was trying to lead.
Speaker A:Which is mind blowing.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And so, you know, I know this is like, I'm just.
Speaker A:I don't riffing.
Speaker A:But the thing that's interesting is, is when I wrote this down, like, look for a new career.
Speaker A:It was me really surrendering, like, hey, I might.
Speaker A:I'm like, maybe I've done my part here.
Speaker A:There's other things I enjoy and I can go on and, you know, do something else.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, send it to.
Speaker A:I wrote kind of a long list of things to do for my management the next day.
Speaker A:Like, a lot.
Speaker A:And honestly, I was thinking this might be where they're like, okay, peace.
Speaker C:See you later.
Speaker B:See ya.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker A:And Jimmy called, and they called me back, like, three hours Later.
Speaker A:And they're like, hey, can we all jump on the phone?
Speaker A:I'm like, sure.
Speaker A:They're like, we're not at, you know, I get on the phone, they're like, we don't want to talk about the list of things to do.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker A:Like, okay.
Speaker A:And they're like, jimmy Fallon heard your song and it's become like his anthem and crazy.
Speaker A:And they want you to come.
Speaker A:You're going on the Tonight show on the 26th, and the Roots are going to be your band.
Speaker C:It's like weeks away.
Speaker C:That's crazy.
Speaker B:Do you remember how you felt when that, that call came in?
Speaker A:It was yesterday.
Speaker A:I mean, like, it was today.
Speaker A:Like, there's.
Speaker A:Yeah, I don't.
Speaker A:I don't think.
Speaker A:I don't think you can.
Speaker A:I mean, it was such a true place of, like, there was no reluctance in my surrender.
Speaker B:Right, Right.
Speaker A:It was like, truly, like, okay.
Speaker A:Like, I think I'm going to truly, like, think about what's next.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:It doesn't mean that I, like, listen, the only job I've ever wanted is to make music.
Speaker A:And it's the only job I've ever.
Speaker A:And I've treated it as such, you know, I've treated it like it's the only job I have.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:But, you know, so when I got it, yeah, I.
Speaker A:The.
Speaker A:The place of, like, where you're at to let something that is so significant to you go.
Speaker A:And then the next day you get a phone call that, you know, Jimmy has been jamming to your song before I knew it.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So let that be encouraging to people because you don't know who your songs are being listened to, like, who's listening to them.
Speaker A:And it's huge.
Speaker A:And I think, you know, it was certainly life changing, but playing on late night shows, I've had a lot of friends that do it, and it doesn't really.
Speaker A:Sometimes people think that, like, it moves the needle, and a lot of times.
Speaker B:It really doesn't, especially these days.
Speaker A:These days.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:People go on there and play and it's a really cool, like, bragging point or something, but it doesn't really, like, change someone's career, you know, like, like.
Speaker A:And you know, what this story has done, and it's really all credit to Jimmy.
Speaker A:What he's done is he's made it something much bigger than that, you know?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:The story is incredible, though, because, I mean, you come from.
Speaker C:And it happened in such a short span of time too.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:Like, one day you're saying, okay, I'm ready to move on to something else.
Speaker C:And this isn't just like, I give up.
Speaker C:This sucks.
Speaker C:This is like.
Speaker C:It sounds like you're at peace with this decision.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker C:You come into the new year, so you've trou.
Speaker C:You've reflected on where you are, what you've accomplished, and now you're saying, what's next?
Speaker C:You say, okay, I made up my mind.
Speaker C:This is what I'm gonna do.
Speaker C:And all of a sudden, the very thing that you love, that you're sort of walking away from, comes back and grabs you and says, not yet, Thad.
Speaker A:It's a resounding note.
Speaker C:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker C:Like, you're not leaving me.
Speaker C:That's.
Speaker C:I feel like Doriki would be familiar with that concept 100%.
Speaker B:I'm drawing a lot of parallels from his story.
Speaker B:It's beautiful.
Speaker A:Tell me about that.
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker B:Well, just as much as I've tried to run from music, music has always forced its way back into my life.
Speaker B:I was always reluctant to performing and singing, and even when I tried to run from it, it punched me in the face and forced me on stage all the time.
Speaker B:I've tried to run from it multiple times.
