216. How to Make an Impact with Your Music While Staying True to Yourself with Cayla Brooke and Beth Matthew

This week, I'm bringing back in my two Community Managers from our free Facebook Group, the Female Indie Musician Community. What we will talk about is something that is so poignant right now because of the pandemic. We need to feel realigned with our purpose and our passion for our music career. With what I am doing for musicians, I wouldn't have stayed this long if I didn't love what I do and if I'm not that passionate about what I am doing. I've always encouraged my Academy members to keep a reminder of wonderful testimonials that fans have given them about themselves or their music so they can use that as a reminder if they're not feeling motivated enough. But the key is really to have your passion for music deep in your soul, deep in your heart and deep in your belly because pursuing music is not that easy. 

Beth has been singing and playing the piano since she was a child but she has tried to push it to the side. She kept having this urge to pursue it and later in her life she eventually decided to listen to it and pursue her music. Knowing your passion is really about knowing what you love, what you're good at and what the world needs. After figuring that out, you need to find out what you can do that people can get you paid for if that's what you like. It would be wonderful to have our passion, profession, vocation, and mission all rolled into one. In pursuing it, there will always be some aspect that you need to learn and get help with but whatever it is, there's always hope to do what you're created to do which is your purpose.

Cayla wanted to perform since the age of three. For her it's like a curse and a blessing at the same time. If you don't follow it, that nagging feeling stays with you and you know that you are on the wrong path. When she started her career, she just wanted to sing and take every opportunity to do it. Later on, she discovered that she didn't like the performances she did at restaurants and bars during that time and that she was looking for something else. For a long time, she toured the show about Eva Cassidy. When she gets off the stage, she felt great and happy and she knew she was doing what she wanted. One night she just realized that she was done with that part of her life and it was time to write and sing her own music. Then afterwards, she found herself needing to speak infront of people. As we grow, we need to rediscover ourselves, rediscover our purposes, learn something new towards our new purpose and following the opportunity when it arrives. We should learn to not be afraid to pivot when needed. We should not regret what we did in the past because you learn from them. 

Some experiences would help you figure out that that's not you. Some would make you feel alive. Following your intuition since it's usually good and usually right. Before Beth turned 50, she knew she wanted to do more with her music. She didn't have fans or a website. She had an opportunity to record her album in Nashville and she did. She had the time of her life, she felt good about herself and learned a lot. Another thing is she had a desire to move to Connecticut from North Carolina. That's when she had the chance to be seated next to her now-husband and they eventually got married. Understanding what your values are, what makes you alive and what makes a difference in our lives to is really important. 

We might let what other people think prevent us from living our purpose and passion but living through what's feeding our soul is what will really make us happy. Your passion should also be aligned to what's really core important to you just as being a voice to people who are voiceless. Your core message comes out in your music because you can't help it and that's who you are. 

Our Music With A Conscience has a lot of songs that were written by people about really amazing themes. You will hear a lot of different viewpoints from those songs. It's so important to hear different point of views instead of just the one we believe. Just like what was in the Netflix documentary, "Social Dilemma", we may have a tendency to stick to our own views and it is important that as musicians, we are critical thinkers and we should not lose that. Just like those artists included in the Music With A Conscience Series, you have the power and you have the mission to get your message out there and make an impact to the person listening to you. Don't be afraid about negativity on social media. Get your music out there and share your message through music. Your purpose is stronger. With your music, you can make a difference.