It’s ironic that this song was released on Valentine’s Day since it deals with sensing that something is wrong in a relationship.
But, wow! It's a hit! I was still in the first verse of “So Sweetly” by Jesse Felder and was already thinking, "I want to add this to my OWN personal Spotify playlist." While it's not something I went through, the message is still so powerful that it touched me anyway. In other words, it did what a song should do (made me feel something). Bravo!
In fact, it made me wonder what could possibly be coming in the chorus!
The lyrics are very well articulated by the artist, which is so crucial if you ARE going to hook someone in by them understanding what you’re singing about. I don’t know who did the mix on this song but it’s clearly someone that’s a pro.
If there’s a video for this song but it’s not already on CMT, country music fans should demand that it be added to their rotation. We can feel the heartbreak in this track and I know there’s a natural next step of telling the story visually.
Get your tissues ready because there are going to be tears shed listening to this one for sure.
Having success with a song the way that I’m describing that Jesse Felder has done with me is a formula that every artist should hope to execute in that it’s part of forming new fans. Here’s what it looks like.
I hear the song. I like it. I wonder who it’s by. I Shazam it or look at the display of the device I’m hearing it from. Then I start looking up the artist somewhere and – here’s the payoff – I then want to hear more of what they've done, so now I start diving into their catalog and listening to more. Soon I’m on YouTube. Then I’m on the artist’s website. The longer that all of this continues (hours, days, weeks, months) the more I want to see this person perform live. Now I’m looking up the dates and locations for their upcoming live shows. And then when that happens, the artist is starting to generate revenue through ticket sales and merchandise. Please drive ahead.
For the uninitiated, that’s how it works. While, yes, it’s certainly easier said than done, that’s the cliff notes version.
But to come full circle, remember that this has all transpired because of something I heard. As they say in Nashville, “It starts with the song.”
Ask for the feedback. Listen to what people are telling you at your live shows. Read what they are writing in the comments on social media. Go live on Instagram or YouTube or Facebook or Twitch and perform a song or two that you want to get your followers' thoughts on. They’re the ones you’re making the music for (yes, yourself too, I know, but, you get it) so invite their input.
Don’t put the cart before the horse, though. If you’re already thinking about what you’re going to buy when fans get to the end of that process I described a few paragraphs up, you’re being very presumptuous. The reward will come but you must be patient and trust the timeline.
I have been helping independent music artists from around the U.S. for close to 20 years now. What questions or challenges do you have in your creative pursuits? Let’s hop on a call and talk about them so you can keep moving forward and enjoy what you do. I welcome the opportunity to share some confidential insights with you.