Trying to make it as a musician without getting depressed?

[paradiseengineering]

Hi there!

I am trying my best every day to make it as a music producer/ artist. I feel like its hard to be completely satisfied with myself if I don´t have a big following and im not making a big impact on people with my music. 

At the peak of my following 2 years ago I had 12.000 monthly listeners on Spotify, now it is down to 3000. This bums me out and my recent music hasn´t been streaming so well. Using social media like Instagram is a big part of promoting myself, but always seeking validation is so draining and stresses me out. 

I just turned 26 and I feel my time is running out. Im working HARD but this is a field that depends on your creativity. The reason I make music is because its the most fun thing in the world and I want to give wonderful euphoric feelings to people trough it. Music has given me so much and I feel it is my duty to give back.

I wonder if anyone can relate or have any advice on how I can make it  doing what I love, without totally messing up my mental health?

Thanks for reading

[Roy]

Perhaps you are putting too much pressure on yourself to "make it" which can affect your mood and enjoyment of the actual process of music. So when results don't pan out to whatever expectations you laid out you get "depressed".  But is the process not supposed to be fun and euphoric like you said? Consider changed your relationship to music as not something that has to "work out" by having X followers or results, but back to that enjoyment and euphoria of giving back music to the world, regardless of the conditions.

You are 26, so what? Music is not a sport where if you were an athlete your time WOULD be running out. However luckily for you music is transcendental, so there are no rules or guidelines I think you need to contemplate and rediscover that fact if you are to change your relationship to it.

Do you work fulltime or go to school and make music as a hobby? With such a creative endeavor like music it should be relegated to free time where you have the space to be creative and get to enjoy it, rather than something you "need" to do because you're on a timetable.

 

[flowboy]

10 hours ago, paradiseengineering said:

The reason I make music is because its the most fun thing in the world and I want to give wonderful euphoric feelings to people trough it.

Cool, so why do you need many people to like it then?

[freejoy]

11 hours ago, paradiseengineering said:

Hi there!

I am trying my best every day to make it as a music producer/ artist. I feel like its hard to be completely satisfied with myself if I don´t have a big following and im not making a big impact on people with my music. 

At the peak of my following 2 years ago I had 12.000 monthly listeners on Spotify, now it is down to 3000. This bums me out and my recent music hasn´t been streaming so well. Using social media like Instagram is a big part of promoting myself, but always seeking validation is so draining and stresses me out. 

I just turned 26 and I feel my time is running out. Im working HARD but this is a field that depends on your creativity. The reason I make music is because its the most fun thing in the world and I want to give wonderful euphoric feelings to people trough it. Music has given me so much and I feel it is my duty to give back.

I wonder if anyone can relate or have any advice on how I can make it  doing what I love, without totally messing up my mental health?

Thanks for reading

I'm not sure what your trying to do, I mean like singing, playing a instrument, or what but you'll have to touch some kind of emotions with your music in your target audience.

Are you really any good? If not polish up your skills.

Maybe it's more of a marketing thing.

Giant advertising companies depend on creativity.  Creativity comes most of the time when a person is feeling good and playful. These advertising companies pay their creatives very good to play! They get lots of freedom and toys and games to play because it helps them be more creative.

So try to have fun.

Relax and try not to let it drive you crazy. 26 is young, especially since you'll probably live a very very long time.

I wish you lots of success!

[SgtPepper]

Maybe you feel like you are not doing enough?

Are you in a city with a strong music scene? are you collaborating with other artists? Do you perform? I think engaging in these activities will increase your chances for success.

Edited April 8, 2021 by SgtPepper

[Entity]

Hey!, music is about channeling, if you think about views prior or in the middle of a proyect, you´ll be caught by the mind, great artists create and perform with a silenced one, they just enjoy the moment without expectations. Just have fun and drop your heart in your creations. Followers crave for cristal clear channels. Also, musicians are ageless.

[Jordan A]

Hey there, 

I want to be a musician as well. I am 29 but it seems like you are further along on the process then I am. Congradulations on having 3,000 listerns on Spotify, that's pretty awesome! I've been playing drums with different artists since I was 17, but I am just now starting to put out my own music. So I dont think I'm necessarily I am in a position to give you advice, but I can share my own feelings. I actually think it would be dope to put out good quality music at an older age. The enternainment industry is always glorifying the youth, but if a musician isn't relying on "getting discovered" I dont see any real reason why someone's artistic career can't take off later in life. This isn't an excuse to be lazy about it, but I think it can be helpful for us to see that we can be patient. Hopefully that helps. I am not sucessful yet myself yet, so I'm not really talking from experience, but I still think patience balanced with ambition is the key. I'm inspired by you, good luck!

[Thought Art]

Music has become a pleasure for me. I doubt ill ever make it lol. There is more to life it seems as I mature and grow. 

[Space]

@paradiseengineering I think if you're going down the music route you need to niche down a lot. Also consider the question, are you just making music for yourself, or are you making it to fullfill and purpose, service or need? Could you make music that people are looking for? For example music for youtube videos, or music for video makers in general, or maybe share your music in an educational way? I see lots of independent music producers on youtube just showing/educating people on the production process. 

[diamondpenguin]

On 4/6/2021 at 3:52 PM, paradiseengineering said:

Hi there!

I am trying my best every day to make it as a music producer/ artist. I feel like its hard to be completely satisfied with myself if I don´t have a big following and im not making a big impact on people with my music. 

At the peak of my following 2 years ago I had 12.000 monthly listeners on Spotify, now it is down to 3000. This bums me out and my recent music hasn´t been streaming so well. Using social media like Instagram is a big part of promoting myself, but always seeking validation is so draining and stresses me out. 

I just turned 26 and I feel my time is running out. Im working HARD but this is a field that depends on your creativity. The reason I make music is because its the most fun thing in the world and I want to give wonderful euphoric feelings to people trough it. Music has given me so much and I feel it is my duty to give back.

I wonder if anyone can relate or have any advice on how I can make it  doing what I love, without totally messing up my mental health?

Thanks for reading

@paradiseengineering Yea honestly dude, people listen to artist's music long after their dead, and listen to good artists in their 50's. It's not about age, it's about musical skill and marketing. Those are the two critical things you need to master to get big, and the it's really hard I know. You really got to love the process of creating music. That's the key, and that's passion. Because passion is love, and love always wins in the end! Passion defeats all foes!

[Arcangelo]

On 4/6/2021 at 4:52 PM, paradiseengineering said:

now it is down to 3000.

Think about the time you only had 100 followers.

3000 is a lot of people. Congratulations!