Always Dreaming

We are one week away from the release of Dreamland. After all this time, after hundreds of hours of work, the day is less than a week away.

It’s a surreal feeling when you get close to the end of a big project. You walk out of your last day of final exams, or you deliver that huge presentation at work, or you close that monster deal and the feeling that comes afterward is a mixture of joy, accomplishment, and relief.

At this stage, I am ready to be “done” with this album. In much the same way that you feel “done” with an exam when it’s over. Pass or fail, you are proud of yourself for having gotten through it. Whether Dreamland goes on to be a huge album or not, I am proud of myself and of the team for pushing through to the end. Album’s are big undertakings, especially as an independent musician when you are financing the entire project yourself.

Music is a funny thing. If I look back at all the money that was invested in the creation of this record I would probably flinch at the figure (which is why I haven’t tracked it). I am not anticipating on making enough profit on the back-end to justify the project financially. Fortunately, I’m not making music for the money. I’m just doing it because I love to do it. This is my passion. It’s what I love to do when I have free time.

Lots of people have asked me why I would spend thousands of dollars creating an album that will get released on streaming platforms where listeners can consume the music for free. Why would you dump money, energy and time into something that probably won’t pay you back?

The reality is that most of us have hobbies that take time, energy and money from us. These hobbies don’t offer financial reward, or even profitability. They exist to bring us joy and fulfillment. I know many people who spend thousands of dollars per year playing golf, or going scuba diving, or traveling the world. You don’t even think about the fact that you’re spending your hard earned dollars on something that won’t generate a return. You instead think, “this is what I’m working so hard for.” I’m working this hard so that I can have enough money to spend on things I enjoy doing.

And that’s what music is to me. It’s the thing that brings me the most joy in life. It isn’t about making money or even breaking even. It’s about something else entirely.

As I’m writing this, I’m sitting in one of my favorite sushi places in Austin, Texas. I probably come to this place once a week at least. It’s my little hideaway where I can eat and get some work done… They also have fantastic sushi. Coming here often reminds me of a documentary I once watched on Netflix called Jiro. The film featured one of the world’s best sushi chef’s (Jiro) who is regarded widely as the grand master of sushi. During an interview Jiro said something so profound that it made me truly appreciate the artist that he is:

“Once you decide your occupation… you must immerse yourself in your work. You have to fall in love with your work. Never complain about your job. You must dedicate your life to mastering your skill. That’s the secret of success… and is the key to being regarded honorably.”

-Jiro Ono

The goal of Dreamland was never to make money or even to achieve fame. The goal of Dreamland was to get better at my craft, to get better at recording, to become more masterful as a recording artist and musician. It is about showing progression as an artist. Dreamland is the next building block in what I hope will be a long line of albums to come. Dreamland is about continuing to prioritize the things that bring you alive. It is a love letter to the dreams that lie within us.

One week from now, on April 29th Dreamland will be released to all digital platforms worldwide. On that very day I am heading back into the studio to begin working on the next album. While it is important to celebrate the victories, to me it is about much more. It is about pushing yourself to be the absolute best you can be at your craft.

So instead of hosting a CD release party, or a listening party to celebrate the release of Dreamland, I am going back into the studio to begin working on the next album (which already has 13 songs written). It is about never giving up, never stopping, never resting on your laurels. Dreamland is done, and now it is on to the next.

I hope you hear my progression as an artist when you listen to Dreamland. I believe it is a big leap from my last album, Bedroom Lullabies. The production value is higher, and I have learned a lot as a recording artist during the creation of this album. I feel as if I’e grown immensely as an artist and as a person because of this album. There are many moments of pain, anguish, healing and growth cataloged in this album. But, throughout it all is an unwavering commitment to the pursuit of dreams, no matter what life throws your way.

We are one week away from the release of Dreamland… this chapter of my music and life is coming to close.

But I am just getting started as an artist…

See you in Dreamland.