a thin line, thick skin, steel resolve

it is an amazing, and odd thing this: making art and parading it before the masses. those who do it for the sake of the art-form--to contribute to the canon, to elevate it, to expand the boundaries governing the genre--often feel frustrated by the efforts of entertainers and industry folk whose primary motive is bottom line. may pimp and prostitute the arts for bucks and fame and leave a plethora of mediocrity in their wake.

to borrow from a source of inspiration and lend it to this context, think J5 and think thin line. artists walk a very thin line. paramount is the expressive voice finding life on their canvas of choice--paint, movement, stage, mic, sp1200. it is the world, and life, filtering through your perception, beliefs and integrity that finds voice in your music. but, like any voice it yearns for the receptive ears. the ears that are sympathetic love the music, the lyrical content, the feelings evoked, the little piece of soul that is on offer for embellishment of their cypher. but, the artist needs to eat too. and the message needs to reach. therefore, we need to find a balance (like atmosphere), we are looking for a balance: while i am no advocate of formulaic musical composition, we still need the right formula: artistry in terms of music and lyric, some bumpability, some funk, the head-nod factor and quality control. believe me when i tell you a touch of mass appeal will not hurt your career, your music, and if your head is on right and connected to your heart and soul, it will not hurt your integrity.

even with all the right ingredients, there will be folks who don't feel it, can't understand it, don't like it, and use words like crap and poopy and ain't real, to describe it. let your skin be thick and your armour impenetrable. stay focused on the voices of you calling as the resonate from your soul throughout your being--do not cross them, undervalue them or deny them, or they will dissipate and be lost.

you need to be detached from self enough to remain untouched and undaunted by the non-constructive criticism of naysayers. you need to be attached enough to that inner voice the driving catalyst in your artistic endeavours, to steel your resolve.

you got music (visual art, dance, theatre, writing) to make. make it. do it for yourself, and humanity. an unheard voice is a lonely.

--what I will tell my sons, when they receive their first negative feedback.


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Tallis