Dear Women Song-Writers / Performers: You don't need the Industry anymore.

It is safe to say that it has been an amazing year for women in music. Between the Times Up Movement, Me Too, and the fact that Lorde, Pink, Kesha,Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Kelly Clarkson, Camila Cabello, Halsey, Dua Lupa and Cardi B (just to name a few) all have wonderful music out confirms the fact that women are doing very well right now in the music industry.

The Grammy's president loves to differ however. It's funny that recently he has backtracked on his initial statement about women needing to "step up" to be nominated for more grammy's, The huge backlash he received is well deserved, and sadly reflects how tone deaf the music industry really is.

It brings up the huge elephant in the room that everyone needs to be talking about. Technology has become not only so advanced but also incredibly accessible for everyone. Which means, we are more connected now more then ever for the first time in....ever. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. All have become important tools for the entertainment industry to use to keep their artist in constant communication with the fans, and that has completely changed the game. 
Amazon music, ITunes and Spotify have made it easier for the consumer to not only listen to their favorite artist, but also purchase their singles or whole albums if they choose.

Buying music in the traditional sense is not what it used to be. Tours have become a better source of income for these artists, and now the music has become the afterthought. So the big question is, where does this leave the music industry powers that be?  Do artists really need them as much as they keep telling them they do? The answer is simply no.

Prince, Mj, Radiohead, Bjork, Madonna, have all had their frustrations with the industry, with some of these artists named here gone on to either creating their own labels or just going to smaller more independent labels. You would think with the supposed millions of dollars you could potentially make from the bigger labels, why would they bother going smaller, knowing that it might end up being smaller income for them. The answer is a simple one: artistic freedom and control.

The sad reality of the big labels is that these artists don't have the freedoms that we would all like to believe they have, They can say they are the boss, woke, whatever the case may be, at the end of the day the label gets the last say on almost everything. There are some exceptions, but that is more rare then we all might realize. At this point, I feel the shift is changing, and I feel it's something bigger then just the tone deaf issue of the Grammy's only have 9% of the nominations going to women.
I feel we also need a change in power, and labels at this point have too much power, and have brainwashed these performers and song-writers into thinking they truly need them.
Which is not the case at all.

There are plenty of independent labels or even the possibility of starting their own label if they really wanted too, that could not only give them the creative freedom they truly need, but it would also take away the desire for newer artists to think they need to work with the bigger record labels to be relevant.

My advice to all the singer-songwriters, performers and all over badass women in this fucked up industry:
1.No matter what they keep telling you, you truly do not need them as much as you think you do.

2.Music has become easier to access for your fans, the big box way of purchasing has all gone the way of online, so there is no need to worry about getting your music out there.

3.You can still make records, just use your own money, or find a more independent label who will give you the freedom I know you desire and you deserve.

4.You can still tour! That's where all the money is anyway, just focus all your efforts there if you want too. Even if the venues are a little smaller and the productions are little less grandiose, you truly don't all those bells and whistles.

5.And if you truly worried about not making money from doing this huge shift, just understand this. Whatever you do, the fans will follow. I was so upset finding out that Dr. Luke will still profit off of Kesha's album Rainbow, and I don't want another Dr.Luke to profit off of all your hard work.
Or better yet, why don't you all come together and form your own label! Can you imagine the power you would have?! I think this idea, not matter how big it seems, is the answer in many ways.

Whatever you choose to do, just know the fans will follow! You will never have to worry about that! As long as you keep giving us the amazing music we love then we will always be there to support!
Just know that no matter how many things this industry will say to make you feel lesser then, know that it's bullshit and you don't need them as much as they need you! Let's show the world how badass you all are, and let's give the power back where it should have always been, to the artists. 

It's what the industry deserves. 

xoxoxoxox----Nerdychick

The Hidden Brilliance of Drew Monson.

Normally I don't listen to many new artists, since at 34 years old I am basically an old fart and all new music sucks big donkey balls.
But, I am proud to announce that youtube star Drew Monson does not suck big donkey balls.
He is, in fact, incredibly talented, and if you are not listening to his music than you are missing out.

I remember I found him via Shane Dawson's channel, and I thought he was funny, but I always had a feeling that there was more to him then he let on.
So I started watching his channels ( his main one and a music channel with all his original music and covers) and I never realized how honest he was about his life, which is pretty refreshing for a youtube personality.

Sometimes his videos were a burst of sunshine and love and other times I found myself crying when he was talking about his struggles with depression. No matter what he was doing or talking about in his videos, he has always stayed true to himself and I have nothing but respect for that.
It's hard that we live in an age where are whole lives are dictated by the glossy falsities of social media.

This world does not like messy, it does not like real, it does not like us to just be our fucking selves. That is why Drew Monson is truly special in that way. He goes against all that, and just posts whatever songs or videos he wants.

I love the fact that you have no idea what you are getting with him.
You don't know if he will say something incredibly funny, something that makes you think, or something that makes your heart ache.

This is what makes not only him brilliant, but his music as well.  

xoxoxox----- Nerdychick.

Please check out his Spotify channel! 

Or buy his music On Amazon Music or Itunes! 

Check out his youtube channels too of course! 

His Main one:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK4lZM1dC6jEDzEhwPYvqMw

His Music one:
https://www.youtube.com/user/thepophefakes

It's okay to not be okay...... (a thought)

In about a little over eight months from now I will get to relive the worst day of my life from four years ago. September 1st, 2014, the day my Father passed. September 6th, 1983 is also my birthday. That was one of the most surreal experiences of my adult life thus far. Seeing my dad pass, and then five days later "celebrating" the day of my birth with my family and three kids.
To be honest, at this point I don't even remember what we did. Everything since September 1st has been a huge blur of life, sadness, confusion, job, kids, etc.....tonight I was treating myself to one of my many midnight mindless video binges on facebook.
I am obsessed with scrolling through videos of puppies, kitties, food, comedians, you name it, I watch it. Most of the time its light hearted, only once and a while do I come across ones that really speak to me. 

"It is okay, to not be okay."

Ugh......

I know that sounds like some low budget hallmark card with a kitty and damn heart on it, but the reality of that phrase hit me like a ton of bricks. In this world of social media, and expressing ourselves 24/7 to people who may or may not even truly care about me, I have stopped thinking about the obvious. That if your sad, angry, lost, it's okay. It's okay to feel those feelings, it's okay to say that sometimes life's sucks big donkey balls.

It's. Okay.

Having someone who was not only your father but your best friend pass while trying to make sure the kids are alright about being heartbroken over the death of their grandfather is no easy task.
I have seen over time, that the time I needed to properly grieve kept getting put on the back burner, Honestly, I think I was too afraid to be messy, to yell, to be angry in front of the kids.
I was worried that I would confuse them or make them sad, but I have only found that almost four years later that all of those pent up things I never let out in the first place have manifested into coming out into other ways that I didn't plan.
My kids now get mood swing mommy. and that is never what I intended through all of this.
I kept lying to myself all these years that I was okay, that time heals all wounds, blah blah blah bullshit. But the reality is that I was too scared to simply say that nothing was okay, I am never going to fully be okay, and this IS okay! 

So I sit here now, still having a broken heart after all these years, time does not fully heal, it just tries to patch once and while, until my heart just rubs raw again. But that's okay as well.

If you come away with anything right now I hope that it is this. 

Life is hard, sadness is sometimes essential to get us to the next moment, and that is okay. 

It will get better, but for now, it's okay to just be who you need to be in this moment. 

Let's not hide, let's not think we are an inconvenience to other people, because you are not! 




If we're not okay being a little broken, then we're never going to have the hindsight to help fix others, 

and that is never okay. 

xoxoxox

----Nerdychick.