Your image as an artist is cringe 🧑🏻‍🎤

Back in my 20's, I went to a lot of therapy.

Growing up a closeted kid in a super conservative Texas religious environment came with a bit of baggage. (who'd have thought?!). 

I was asked by my therapist one day why I dressed like I was a 65 year old man bank teller. (ouch)

She helped me discover some deep seeded issues I had with feeling ashamed of being a young man.

My whole life I always admired older men and women, with all the maturity and life experiences they gain. They seemed to possess so much more stability than my peers. And I think I always just wanted to be taken more seriously. (probably not an uncommon problem for the youngest of four).

Most artists are constantly working to look younger.

Which is just a different side of the same coin....

The Shame-coin. (oooo! a new crypto-coin name!)

Whether you're trying to look older or trying to look younger... it's honestly cringe-worthy.

After this realization I made changes. I started finding elements of being my age that I loved. And I bought more appropriate clothing, and allowed myself to look less "fixed up", if you will. I found myself giving myself more love, and saw life in a new and fresh way. Enjoying the ride of my 20's and 30's, instead of looking forward to something out of reach. 

I'm now 47, and I have still never had botox in my forehead.

Loving yourself at the age you are helps you love other people more.

And that little cloud of love builds your confidence.

People are naturally drawn to confident people and what they have to say through their art, and repelled by someone trying to "be" something they're authentically not.

Case in point.

I got this email yesterday from Spotify.

Oh Kesha.....   ....  noooooo, Kesha...

I still have great memories listening to Ke$ha when she was all over every pop radio station. I've always loved her voice, and she had some kick ass songs. She came into our culture with a bang. I even went to one or two of her concerts and had a blast. The girls got talent, no doubt. 

She's almost 40 now. 

What if instead of throwing her crotch at the camera, she leaned into a new image of an experience growing, powerful woman? What if she didn't try to sexuallize her image anymore, and stand on her talents instead?

Wouldn't that be more appealing?

What if she had a new "Joanie Mitchell, Stevie Nicks or Robyn vibe" now, and embraced growing older while exploring a new sound to explore? 

I'd be super interested in hearing what that could and would sound like!

But this album cover just comes across as.... well.... cringe.

Look Like a Teenager, Sound Like a Draft Folder

There’s this idea floating around that being an artist means you have to look the part. Hair. Clothes. Poses. A curated identity that screams I make music, even if the music never shows up.

The priorities are are all flipped.

What if we just got better at what really our audience wants?

What if we concentrated on our craft, and less on our "identity", and whatever that means.

I guess the older I get, the more authenticity means to me. In music, and in lifestyle. 

Am I the only one feeling this way?

Zion

BTW, I run a tiny community of music makers called On the Hook. Once a week we get together over a zoom call, I provide a few samples and a "game". Everyone goes off and has to make something within an hour. Then we connect back on Zoom and listen to each other's stuff. If that sounds like something you'd be interested in checking out, you can try it for two weeks at no cost here: https://www.onthehook.games/