Indie Music Industry – You Got To Believe In Yourself

“Whether you believe you can or you believe you can’t, you’ll be right everytime.”

The only thing that matters at the end of the day is the amount of belief that you have in yourself and the music you create

Let’s face it, without that belief, you don’t have a career.

I have been involved in the music industry for twenty years however, I’ve only really belived in myself over the past five years and in that five years I’ve achieved much more than the fifteen years preceding that.

I don’t remember that moment when I finally climbed up the top of a mountain and put my flag of belief into the summit but I remember the feeling of knowing that it was okay to be doing what I am doing and, most importantly, it was okay to be ME.

I can’t tell you how to believe in yourself, only you can do that but I can tell you that if you are lacking in belief then you are not alone.

We live in a world that is not overly tolerant to artistic endeavours. I mean just the other day I had someone ask me at a party.

Q – “What do you do for a living?”
A – “I am a musician”
Q – “Oh, that’s nice. So what is it that you really do?”

That really threw me back. I was initially insulted but I proudly answered that being a musician was my ‘real job’.

We as musicians are always being told that we:

1. Can never make a living out of a hobby
2. Need something to fall back on
3. Should go and get a real job.

If you do have a day job, fantastic.

I’m not telling you to give it up all I’m saying is that when you have belief in yourself and what you do any decision that you make is made for you only, not to please well meaning friends or family.

Be proud of what you do but don’t be too proud to not take advice from people that have trodden the path that you’re about to take.

Use this website/blog for instance to ask any question that you want. I will only give you encouragement because I have been there myself.

Always remember, no matter how many articles you read, how many courses you take, how many bands you play in or how many gigs you do, you can’t get others to believe in you unless you start believing in yourself.

Starting today, go and look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that you deserve to be a musician and that you are not going to feel guilty about it.

After that its time to go forth and ROCK (or country or punk or whatever you do)!!!

Until next time,

Corey Stewart
Orangutang Music

Keywords: indie music, music business, music promotion, music industry, music marketing, music management, independent music, corey stewart

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