I wonder how often life rewards outcomes while overlooking effort.
I've never wanted to make music simply for the sake of making it.
My mission is to write music that empowers and uplifts people…
…and I need to give every song the best possible chance of succeeding, if I want to help as many people as possible. So, quality of production matters and achieving that quality requires investment. A beautifully produced song has a better chance of being heard, being placed and ultimately reaching the people it might help.
But sometimes the vision outgrows the resources available to realise it.
As my current project is coming to an end, I started looking at funding opportunities again. I was surprised to find that some criteria focused on what I had earned, or how many streams I had during the previous 12 months.
This was where I began to notice the difference between progress and proof.
For over a year my focus has been on recording music, not releasing it. I have built a body of valuable work, yet my low earnings and low number of streams for the past 12 months make me look as though I've done very little, and make my work appear worthless. As a result of this, I can’t apply for some funding opportunities. Ouch!
Low Income and streams numbers over one particular 12-month period don't capture the reality of the hard work going on behind the scenes, but that's a limitation of the funding system. It shouldn't be a reflection of the hard work someone has put into their art and growing their career during that given time.
Franz Schubert earned very little from his art during his lifetime, despite being one of the most talented composers of his generation. If he needed funding in today’s landscape and were unfairly judged in the same way I am currently being judged by funding organisations, can you imagine missing out on his art simply because his income didn't prove his art’s value?
The music industry is ever evolving and the funding metrics used to measure success seem to change year by year. Should the value of the music then also change when the funding measurement system changes?
I’ve invested everything I had in my music career and I don’t have a plan B. Without a publishing advance, songs’ cuts, sales, significant stream numbers, sync placements or funding, from 2027, I won't have the resources to continue producing music to the same standard I’ve been able to achieve for the past 5 years. I don't know how I'm going to bridge that gap yet.
Can a mission survive uncertainty?
Well, a story doesn't unfold in the first chapter, and a bump in the road isn't the end of the road.
I’ll have to find a way to keep moving towards my mission until my resources catch up with my ambition. So, I’ll keep writing. I’ll keep looking for doors to open for songs’ cuts and sync placements that can sustain my music career. In the meantime, I'll keep believing that things can change and better days are ahead, because I refuse to let my mission depend entirely on the resources I have available at any given moment.
After all, where there’s a will, there’s a way…
Podcast
The Consu Narrative is inspired by and expands upon the themes explored in Consu's blog. Although not narrated by her, the conversations are rooted in her stories, reflections, and creative vision. Through warm and thought-provoking discussions, two hosts explore the stories behind the music and the life experiences that make us human, delving into meaning, purpose, challenges, and the ongoing journey of self-discovery.