I just released the first album I've ever produced, mixed, and mastered myself (a dangerous feat for anyone considering the attempt) and much of what I learned during the experience was kept in the obscurity of my own room. My writing process is deeply rooted in reality: I jot notes all day, I record voice memos during every epiphany, and I use a rule of threes to map my song POV. Oftentimes that process is thwarted by perfectionism which leaves a wake of "song drafts" in my iTunes library that never see the light of day.
Today, I am sharing some of that process with you in regards to the opening song, "BELIEVE," from my acronymic release BLENDR.
BLENDR is a collection of memories that paint the picture of my decision to become a full-time artist, which in the same breath, is the story of how I quit my job.
Belief has been the cornerstone of my success because it is the path that many of my opportunities walk on. Belief begets belief, and I loved the idea of kicking off the album with that theme.
Version 1 of "BELIEVE" came out like this:
I eventually scrapped the song because I fell out of love with the guitar sample and started liking the idea of a faster, more energetic song to kick off the project. I wasn't captivated to listen to six more songs with the after-taste of this version, so into the trash can it went.
Which led me to Version 2 of "BELIEVE" which has much more energy:
Ultimately, I felt that the vibe of the project had swung more pop than I intended and I settled on a version of "BELIEVE" that I think services the more indie approach to this story, while also maintaining the energy to carry an audience into the meat of the project.
Today is another great day to do what you love, even if it ends up in a sea of forgotten mp3s.