My Top 6 Pieces of Advice for Artists: Kevin’s Parting Words (The DIY Musician Podcast, Episode 337)
After 17 years at CD Baby and 15 years hosting this DIY Musician Podcast, Kevin Breuner has a big announcement: He's saying farewell to both and looking forward to a new adventure in his music career.
Where's he headed? What did he learn from his time at CD Baby? And what's his top 6 tips for musicians who want to make a life in music?
We discuss all that and much more in this episode:
00:00 Intro
01:07 Kevin’s big announcement!
04:03 Learning from listeners
05:37 My top advice for musicians
06:30 “Things I’ve never shared about my musical journey”
07:15 Crying Emoji Disclaimer: We guarantee tears
08:08 “All my hopes and dreams came crashing down”
12:25 “There should be no stopping you”
13:58 A music career is a beautiful mystery
14:24 You never know what someone is putting on the line
15:41 Dealing with stage fright
19:22 If you want to grow, you have to be uncomfortable
24:00 Making a fool of yourself at auditions
26:01 Getting tough honest feedback
26:57 “No one will believe in your music more than you”
30:54 People need social proof because music is a mystery
31:28 Fans are waiting for permission to enjoy something
33:07 You have to learn to so no to distractions
35:12 Keep the small dedicated time sacred
35:57 Say no to other musicians too
36:57 When everyone’s having fun, you’re working
38:40 There’s a difference between the dream & reality
40:10 You might not know what the dream requires
41:30 Success is WORK, not the end of work
43:33 Dreaming smaller is NOT failure
46:01 It’s not about being “good,” it’s about doing something people care about
49:06 It can be tough to know WHERE to put the work in
50:32 The biggest reward you’ll ever receive: Someone being moved by your music
57:08 What’s next for Kevin’s music and music career journey?
57:41 Working with Chris for 17 years
58:47 Chris gives a shout to Kevin’s initiative and achievements
01:02:48 “Things are never gonna be the same again”
01:04:36 The next chapter in Kevin’s career
01:06:08 The DIY Musician Podcast will continue!
