Music: Business or Passion Project? (Patreon)

This week will be the release of the first single from the upcoming EP, Old Friends in the City. This is my first official Spotify release as a solo artist that is not a collab. This is also my first time working with Kumusika as a distributor, hoping to achieve two things: (1) reach a new market of Filipino listeners, and (2) learn more about music as a business.

But at the mention of the word "business," I can't help but feel a bit inauthentic. Am I a fraud - a sellout, if you will - for  thinking about how to sell music? (What an odd place to be discussing this - a place where I sell subscriptions for exclusive content. On that note, thank you enough, dear patron, for supporting this pursuit. I am constantly thinking of ways to make sure you aren't shortchanged with the support that you give.)

I'm not writing to give a final answer to the question - though I wouldn't complain if I unexpectedly reach a conclusion in the course of typing. Instead, I'm here to be honest about the fact that I'm still figuring it out this whole business versus passion project thing.

One thing is for sure. The struggle between contentment versus greed plays a big part in this. Lately, I have been so concerned about selling this new record and worrying about the future that I forget to be grateful for the present. I am earning while pursuing my passion. Whatever struggle comes from that surely is a good one. While it's true that there is a business side to music, I should be on the lookout for greed.

I don't want the patrons to support a greedy and ungrateful schemer under the guise of a musician. Greed can cause a musician like me to obsess over getting more streams so that I could have more income that I don't really need. This would hurt my music immensely if I wrote for clout rather than love. Greed can cause me to focus on quantity rather than quality - and in that respect, I think I have given in somewhat. For that, I apologize.

Greed is getting in the way of me enjoying this week and seeing this as a success, regardless of the numbers, because working with the friends I love is already a success. Learning a bit more about marketing and promotions through my current distributor is already a success. Having a clearer vision for the next record is already a success. Enjoying this EP with people who support me is already a success. What more could I ask for? I have already won, and everything else that will come my way is just a bonus.

I don't need to go back in time when "things were much simpler," when music was a passion project rather than a business. Business is obviously good. It keeps things going. And why would I throw the progress I've made as a musician by rewinding? Instead, moving forward, I should continue throw out greed, committing to never let it tarnish the music I make. When greed is out of the way, then music can be both an honest business and a true passion project.

Yeah. My heart feels lighter.