NHT Blog

The pressure to constantly produce content and perform can lead to burnout and mental health issues.  Time management strategies and prioritization techniques are critical tools to succeed as an indie music artist without compromising your mental and physical health.  Let’s face it, you love making music, or videos, or writing, or whatever creative pursuit you find yourself in the midst of.  Or maybe it’s that you used to love it.

In two months, it will be ten years that I have been publishing a blog every Monday here on the website.  As I say quite often on my weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast, I have a “bizarre mental rolodex” of past guests that I’ve interviewed on that show.  And similarly, I have a rather good inventory somewhere up in my brain too of past posts that I’ve put up.

We’ve reached a sad point in society when the old expression “too good to be true” is a prevailing thought when a potential opportunity comes your way.  As fast as technology is changing and the good guys are trying to help us combat the bad guys, there are still countless folks out there with bad intentions who are trying to stay ahead of the game and con you (and me) out of your (our) hard earned money.

In case you aren’t aware, I live in Tampa.  Let me clarify that earlier this month I went to Miami for four days and three nights, so, despite what I think we might have in my part of Florida, I saw really bad traffic there.  Furthermore, I travel to Los Angeles for business (I was there in March and will be going back in September), and that is where traffic is really, really bad.  And yes, I’ve also been to New York City (as recently as this past November), and it’s the east coast version of that bad L.A. traffic up there.

Over my ten-plus years of hosting the weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast, I’ve had the opportunity to have some guests on who have been on “American Idol,” “The Voice,” “America’s Got Talent,” and “The X Factor” (including one guest who won “The Voice”).  These folks have talked about their experience on the show, what they learned from it, and what they’re doing presently.

My brother will see a movie trailer and grimace and say, “I don’t need to see that movie.  I already did – when it was called” and he’ll say the title of a film that he felt was exactly like the one he’s seeing a preview for.  It’s kind of funny and I get his point, however, they ARE two different films and WILL have their differences.

Indie music artists, I’m sorry to say that you’re only as good as your latest single. Well, wait, let me give that some context before you start throwing rotten eggs at the screen.

I’m reacting this week to the song “Internet Women” by New York City-based and Cleveland-born rock singer/songwriter Dan Miraldi.  With this new release of his, I am reminded that he had submitted a song that I liked and wrote a positive review of back in December.

Not every indie music artist is at a point in their career where they can be thinking about aligning themselves with a charity yet.  That’s completely understandable when you’re starting out and/or looking at the rising costs of gas and rent and other basic living expenses.  To all of a sudden take off a percentage of your earnings to give away is tough to make peace with if it’s going to add to your struggle.  You certainly have to make an informed decision.

It’s always an exciting time when a recording artist puts out a new single or an EP or a full album.  And authors get to have the same experience when their book gets released.  In both cases, it doesn’t matter if it’s the first or the fifth.

It amazes me how many people AREN’T regular email users these days.  My gosh.  I’m on at least my Now Hear This, Inc. email SO much each day, that I don’t know how people can seemingly go days without checking their email.

Yes, I know, there’s a lot of junk.  There are a lot of spammers.  It can quickly and easily get to a point where you get discouraged from checking your email, as a result.