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This year, 2009, I was in Nashville to be honored by the non-profit women in the arts music organization, Indiegrrl, for my contributions to the arts and music, with a lifetime membership, and I also spoke at their conference. It was truly a great 10 days. What will be your legacy? What will you leave behind? Will you have made an impact somehow? Will people remember you for something significant? Perhaps it will be your songs? Perhaps it will be your message? Perhaps it will be your contribution to the greater picture of the world. Who knows?

The Successful Artist Entrepreneur
**– the ins and outs of getting out there as an artist in the business of music.
The KEY TO SURVIVAL AND SUCCESS in the music business of TODAY is to be a unique artist, in charge of your own destiny. It means you need to be an artist entrepreneur.** In order to be powerful as an artist, you have to be very business artist. You need to be very self driven and business savvy. You don’t need to know everything about the business (you can go to experts for advice) but you are in control. If you want it to be life long, you have to be a visionary. You have to be able to think outside the box and “feel” it inside. A lot of inner work is required. So while you are working on your craft and techniques on the outside, you have to work on your mindset on the inside.

Become a Great Creative Explorer
How far would you go to change the world? Who do you work for? Someone else's ambition? Fame? Recognition? Material possessions? God? Our lives are not meant to be wasted on just maintaining our lives. By that I mean, working hard and spinning your wheels just to maintain the status quo you have built: house (mortgage), cars, social life, 9-5 routine. There is more to our lives!

Levels to Nowhere
Some people around me, like managers, producers and team members, believe that they have the authority and know how to say they “want to take me to the next level” as an artist. But I want to challenge this. Whilst it’s flattering that they wish to do something of the sort, I ask them, “and what level might that be?” If I were to attach my notion of success to commercial success or any kind of token reward, then I might buy into the notion that I need to go up a level or two to reach that success.

Networking and Touring for Songwriters - A Danish Perspective

I spent some time in Denmark and really saw how songwriters can network and feel empowered. Read about my tips and tool for songwriters. Click on above title)
Also, watch the video blog.

“DIT”: Defining the Music Industry together in this new era.
The cold hard fact was that Artists needed to become more in control of their careers and less beholden to the deep pocket, the stifling un-creative rigidity, and possibly (probably) get screwed, shelved, or bankrupt in the process. We all know, and knew then, that the "empire" was about to unravel. The indie artist quickly stepped up to the plate before a Major Record Company exec could write their next marketing plan. Where we’ve arrived at is a slow shift of a quagmire – that is, it is seemingly unmoving and we don’t know exactly what the next phase is, but at the same time, there are shifts happening where artists are becoming more empowered, and labels are starting to change their face in order to meet the new business models, working with and by the artists’ playing rules. It’s a really exciting playing field, and not just for indie artists: but for the labels too. Everyone has had to change the way they do business and now we are all on the same playing field with bat in hand… There is the overly used term “DIY” – Do it yourself. Sure, go ahead. But here’s my new theory. DIT: Do It Together. I am quite invigorated with the state of the music industry because artists and labels now have an opportunity to work together on a new future.

You are your own Island
You never know who’s going to be in your vicinity (or your own workshop, that’s one for me), and two, you are your own island. This means that even though you may want to "make it" somewhere else, or think that somewhere else is better than where you are now, don’t ignore the very real possibility that right where you are has the most magnificent, awesome opportunities and rewards. It’s like owning your own island.

When the going gets tough there's always enough
I didn't realize, until recently, that the definition of my success, including the glamour of the Hollywood music business, and yes even including the cool grass roots indie way of doing things in this music business, was really... a lie. I had lived for 20 years towards a goal that in the end is one big fat lie. There is no pot of gold at the end of this rainbow. This music business is rough, corrupt and illusive. It's all about who you know, how much money you have, and how sexy your dress style is. Whether you're a major artist or indie, business is still business. Fact. There is little room for true talent, raw ambition and a global mission for harmony in this music business, because it really is... a fashion business.

It All is all of me
Whether you do a lot, or you do a little, it doesn't matter. It's ALL of you. You can be a consummate artist, prolific in your writing, or you can be choosy and selective, outputting seldomly. You can work part time, or full time for someone else, and still be a professional artist pursuing your creativity. You can run several businesses, or none at all. You can do whatever you feel is right for you. It doesn't matter. There is no blueprint you have to follow. You are the master of your own destiny.

"The ultimate ingredient of an Artist, and a professional Artist.. is Passion. This is your fire and you should never deny it because your passion is the way to self realization."