I once read that an artist needs 1,000 true fans to sustain basic needs with some level of grace. I'm excited to sustain my life through my music, and I have a healthy understanding of the work involved. I know I have a ton of work to do. But 1,000 true fans.... that seems achievable, right?
What is a true fan?
I'm a true fan of one artist in particular- singer-songwriter Gregory Alan Isakov. His music has had a tremendous impact on my life and art. He sings truth and it hits my heart in the deepest places. I'm incredibly blessed to know Gregory, to have opened for him with my band, and also to have been called up mid-set to play a song the last time I saw him play. He is kind and generous, enthusiastically supporting new artists and songwriters like myself, and donating money he makes on songs to non-profit organizations he believes in. There are many other artists I love and support, but as far as true fandom goes, I'm in it for the long-haul with Gregory. I go to every show I can. I tell friends about his music. I'm getting to know his fanbase on different social media sites. His music feeds me, and I want to do my part to support him and make sure he gets fed. If you're in Austin, lets all go see him at The Parish on September 25th!
This week I got my 1,000th follower on Instagram. True confession- I'm super into Instagram. I started posting on a whim 19 months ago, and slowly built a following. I hovered around 200 followers- friends of mine- for the first year and a half. And I kept taking pictures. And then something shifted two months ago. I started to give more, and I started to get more. Hitting the 1,000 follower mark is a milestone, and it came from daily attention. I am SO THANKFUL to all you swell folks who follow me, like my pictures, and leave kind comments. You give me hope, and I'm excited to keep giving back... soon with the release of my recorded music!
I've learned that following my dreams means showing up every day and working hard. Its not glamorous, folks. But I'm crazy happy to be doing this. I hope you are doing what (and who!) you love today. Happy Pride, happy Jewyear, happy everything. Lets keep fighting the good fight, in our own little ways. This world needs all the love we can give. <3
What is a true fan?
I'm a true fan of one artist in particular- singer-songwriter Gregory Alan Isakov. His music has had a tremendous impact on my life and art. He sings truth and it hits my heart in the deepest places. I'm incredibly blessed to know Gregory, to have opened for him with my band, and also to have been called up mid-set to play a song the last time I saw him play. He is kind and generous, enthusiastically supporting new artists and songwriters like myself, and donating money he makes on songs to non-profit organizations he believes in. There are many other artists I love and support, but as far as true fandom goes, I'm in it for the long-haul with Gregory. I go to every show I can. I tell friends about his music. I'm getting to know his fanbase on different social media sites. His music feeds me, and I want to do my part to support him and make sure he gets fed. If you're in Austin, lets all go see him at The Parish on September 25th!
This week I got my 1,000th follower on Instagram. True confession- I'm super into Instagram. I started posting on a whim 19 months ago, and slowly built a following. I hovered around 200 followers- friends of mine- for the first year and a half. And I kept taking pictures. And then something shifted two months ago. I started to give more, and I started to get more. Hitting the 1,000 follower mark is a milestone, and it came from daily attention. I am SO THANKFUL to all you swell folks who follow me, like my pictures, and leave kind comments. You give me hope, and I'm excited to keep giving back... soon with the release of my recorded music!
I've learned that following my dreams means showing up every day and working hard. Its not glamorous, folks. But I'm crazy happy to be doing this. I hope you are doing what (and who!) you love today. Happy Pride, happy Jewyear, happy everything. Lets keep fighting the good fight, in our own little ways. This world needs all the love we can give. <3