I ask every new artist I work with the same question before we get into recording budgets, promotion plans, or photos.

Why do you want a music career?

I don't mean "do you love music." I don't mean "have people told you you're talented." I mean something more specific: what are you actually trying to build? Do you want to make your living from music? Touring? Write songs for other artists? Build a loyal fan base? Sign with a label? Make something that lasts?

"I want to be successful" isn't really an answer, because success means something different to every artist. The clearer you get about what it means to you, the easier your decisions get from that point forward. This matters because a music career can eat up an enormous amount of time, money, and emotional energy. If you don't know where you're headed, it's easy to mistake activity for progress. I see that happen constantly.

After many years of consulting with independent artists, I've seen the same heartbreaking pattern repeat itself many times. Talented musicians pour their hearts into great music, upload it to Spotify, and then wonder why nobody's listening.