Dare to Be Seen - Personal Transformation Through Music

Do you feel pulled in a million directions, overwhelmed with too many things to do and too little time to do them in? What if there was a way to be productive as a musician while staying sane? In this interview with productivity coach for music professionals Suzanne Paulinski we explore ways to slow down and prioritise self-care while getting things done. 

DISCOVER

[03:09] Suzanne's story: how she became a productivity coach for musicians

[09:45] What if you don't know what you want?

[14:22] Are digital vision boards better?

​[16:16] Feeling like you've wasted 2020?

[19:14] Advice for the overwhelmed

[22:24] Do what you love and you'll never work again. True or False?

[24:24] How to stop getting distracted by shiny object syndrome

[30:44] What causes lack of motivation and what to do about it

[36:04] Is a paper calendar better or worse than an app?

[30:44] What is productivity? Suzanne's Paulinski's definition

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What is a music producer? In this interview with female producer Rosie Bans we discuss what music production is and why there are so few women in music production.  

DISCOVER

[14:10]  Producer vs mixing engineer

[17:18] How to find your style as a music producer

[19:08] The importance of life experience as a songwriter

[20:30] Why aren' there more women in music production?

[25:00] What is Fase?

[37:51] Collaborations within Fase

[40:31] Rosie's struggle with her own demons

[41:50] The turning point: write what is in you

[46:20] Rosie's projects

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Can music really be a vehicle for social change? Can the immigrant experience be re-defined to become a positive and enriching force in society? Discover how social activist and singer-songwriter Diana Gameros has embraced both her Mexican roots and her American life using her experience as an undocumented 'alien' to change the way illegal immigrants are seen in the USA.

[03:00] Episode's Preview

[18:55] On being 'bicultural'

[24:42] Diana's own experience as an undocumented immigrant

[35:28] How Diana's love for music emerged

[39:28] Kindness can come from the most unlikely places...

[47:10] To be successful at music you need to be living a good life

[50:42] Using music to process loss

[54:49] Diana Gameros sings a cappella live!

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How do you effectively market your music so you attract your ideal fans? PR and Music Marketing Coach Diane Foy shares her roadmap.

DISCOVER

[03:41] Diane's story: how she became a PR Coach

[09:41] The importance of figuring out your WHY

[13:15] Phase 1: Clarity

[17:30] Phase 2: Confidence

[20:01] How to overcome limiting beliefs

[21:30] Phase 3: Captivate

[24:54] How to construct your story if you are an introvert

[26:09] The dangers of oversharing

[28:14] Phase 4: Competitive Edge

[31:30] How to find your Fan Avatar

[32:48] Content Creation. Anyone overwhelmed?

[35:11] Who's your ideal audience?

[36:11] How to engage your audience on socials in a way that actually works.

[38:03] How not to get overwhelmed by the social media machine

[45:14] When you should not hire a publicist

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Do you have one single focus or do you have some many interests you find it challenging to choose what to concentrate on? How can you be a jack of all trades and still excel in your chosen disciplines? Ask multidisciplinary artist Shaina Evoniuk! As an aerial violinist, gymnast, yoga teacher, arranger and composer and she will show you how she does it!

DISCOVER:

[03:06] Episode's Preview

[09:00] What to focus on when as a multi-disciplinary artist

[23:56] Is it difficult to say "I am an artist"?

[31:04] The role of the artist in society

[32:35] The challenges of being a professional performer

[34:16] How to deal with injury as a musician

[37:36] Computer fatigue anyone?

[42:12] Advice for musicians starting out

[45:12] Shaina's plays live!

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Scotland-based singer-songwriter Lizabett Russo merges

her native traditions with elements of contemporary jazz, avant-garde

folk and world music, a range of influence effortlessly spanned by her

powerfully versatile voice. The BBC have championed her work -

featuring her on both BBC Radio 3 and Radio 6 as well as the BBC stage at

Latitude Festival. She has also toured extensively around Europe,

Canada and Asia. Musically Russo's influences are wide ranging. 

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Is it possible to fall in love with discipline? And how do we regain motivation when we have lost it? Artist and Creativity Coach, Singer-Songwriter and multi instrumentalist Elisa Di Napoli aka Elyssa Vulpes talks about how to fall in love with self-discipline and harness your motivation to accomplish your goals as a musician and performer long term.

[01:01] Is discipline a dirty word?

[03:17] The obedience mindset vs the self-discipline

[04:56] Have to and want to

[05:35] Self-discipline is your friend

[06:24] What if you don't feel like it?

[08:03] Is your strategy wrong?

[09:40] Is your goal really your idea?

[10:40] The importance of monitoring your progress

[11:31] Learn from what worked

[13:08] Not motivated? Ask yourself this. 

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How do you carve your artist identity? Do you need to choose one genre and stick to it? And how do you convince your fans to back you up no matter what direction you go in?  Sex positive Singer-Songwriter Rachel Lark knows how to thread the line between comedy and 'serious' music and has harnessed her knowledge of economics and funding campaigns to get her fans to support her through Patreon. Discover how she does it!

[02:13] Episode Preview

[11:59] You are either a serious musician or you are a comedian

[15:36] How the song "Fuck my Toe" changed Rachel's life

[16:28] What makes a song funny?

[17:53] How to talk about serious stuff during a comedy routine

[21:33] Don't wait to be comfortable!

[22:47] Stop trying to please your fans!

[23:44] How to navigate fan relationships on Patreon

[29:21] Thinking of Starting a Patreon? Do this first!

[35:32] How to build trust with your fan base

[36:10] Can you use Patreon to break away from a Capitalist view of music?

[37:36] Is Collective Capitalism the answer?

[40:02] All about "What's the Point"

[44:44] Coming soon: the journey of a woman trying to find sexual satisfaction

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Why do you procrastinate and what can you do about it? Artist and Creativity Coach, Singer-Songwriter and multi instrumentalist Elisa Di Napoli aka Elyssa Vulpes talks about the function of procrastination and ways you can successfully get past it so you can move forward with your creative work. 

[03:10] What lies behind procrastination?

[05:33] Does procrastination keep you safe?

[06:50] The benefits of procrastination

[07:50] The costs of procrastination

[12:27] Why getting used to rejection is good for you

[13:42] Flip the fear and let go of the outcome

[15:50] The three questions you need to ask yourself

[16:43] Beyond procrastination 

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Do you feel scattered, pulled into a thousand directions and alienated from who you really are?  What if there was a way to leave the hustle behind and align with your deeper self? Discover how singer-songwriter extraordinaire Kendra McKinley has tapped into a well of creativity to live a more joyful and abundant life.

DISCOVER:

[01:53] Episode's Preview

[09:23] Are dreams messages from our subconscious?

[12:42] The relationship between nature and creativity

[17:25] The power of silence

[24:05] The natural world as an extension of artistic vision

[25:34] You are either a god or you live in the gutter.

[27:10] Music is not a commodity

[27:48] On being a hustling musician

[31:20] How losing my instagram account saved my creativity

[34:36] How the music video for Dirty Laundry was made

[45:30] The inspiration behind Dirty Laundry

[49:32] The difference between female vs male film crews

[59:32] "Bloom" live version

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No good at writing lyrics? Can't come up with new ideas? Feel like the ideas you have aren't good enough?  Artist and Creativity Coach, Singer-songwriter and multi instrumentalist Elisa Di Napoli aka Elyssa Vulpes introduces two essential practices that'll get your lyrical juices flowing and help you write better lyrics for your songs.

[03:48] What do you struggle with the most with lyric writing?

[04:52] What is sensory writing?

[06:10] Show or Tell

[06:48] An essential daily practice that will transform your songwriting

[10:14] Sensory Writing exercise

[14:29] Why sharing your unfinished writing can be beneficial

[16:02] Writing through a lens exercise

[21:36] Summary of practices

[25:21] Elyssa Vulpes's Song: Where Have all the good guys gone?

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What do bicycles and music have in common? If you are passionate about fitness, music and the climate this episode is for you! Creativity Coach and Singer-Songwriter Elisa Di Napoli aka Elyssa Vulpes talks with Singer Songwriter Heather Normandale about how to be a creative eco warrior!

[02:36] Episode Preview

[06:42] Why failing is essential

[13:44] Is Western Music more important than the rest?

[23:56] Bike tours are the answer!

[28:42] Lost your job? Tune into creativity. 

[38:44] What is better? Professional producers or self production at home?

[44:48] Benefits of Lockdown. Love wins!

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What is the difference between a professional musician and an amateur when it comes down to practicing your instrument? Artist and Creativity Coach, Singer-Songwriter and multi instrumentalist Elisa Di Napoli aka Elyssa Vulpes talks about how to practice so you get results and become a better musician.

[05:52] Common reasons why beginners fail  

[07:47] The 3 essential elements that make you a pro instrumentalist

[08:30] How to practice so you don't get overwhelmed 

[11:49] Why Invalidation can kill your motivation

[14:32] Your North Pole Star can help you stay on track!

[18:24] Use fear to help you drive your practice

[22:22] How to find time to practice in a busy life

[25:35] What makes your practice efficient?

[30:57] What do do when you are stuck in a rut

[31:58] Is Discipline your ticket to freedom?

[35:06]  How to effectively create new habits. 

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Do you feel overwhelmed with the fear of rejection? Do you get overwhelmed when confronted with racism or your own negative thoughts? Kofy Brown knows how to keep on moving and keep your spirits high even when confronted by these challenges. When you know how to deal with your 'trash thoughts' you can learn to trust and invest in yourself. Join us and find out how Kofy does it! Kofy Brown, an Oakland, CA musician, singer and songwriter has been a pioneering force in the Bay Area’s hip-hop soul/rock scene. The new record, Child of Providence is a delicious and eclectic assortment of songs, rendered by her incredibly tight band, the KBB (Sean Leahy – Guitar, Bryan Dean – Bass, Tony Providence – Drums, Julie Wolf – Keys and Vicki Randle – Percussion and vocals). Kofy is also drummer / singer in Skip The Needle and bassist / singer in Sistas in the Pit.

[02:22] Episode's Preview

[15:15] What it means to be a professional 

[19:20] Are young musicians not vulnerable enough?

[31:15] What is it like to be black, gay, a woman and an underdog?

[34:50] An empowering way to deal with Racism

[36:39] How to live a great life even if you have negative thoughts. 

[54:36] Live Performance 

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What does it mean to be an authentic musician? Why should songwriters be embracing authenticity? What is authentic music? Artist Coach, Hypnotherapist and Singer-Songwriter Elisa Di Napoli aka Elyssa Vulpes talks about how to be authentic and why this matters. 

• [02:02] The Conflict between your inner guiding voice and the pressure to conform
• [03:02] Why it does not matter if your music is super niche
• [04:08] Why is making authentic music is terrifying and satisfying at the same time
• [05:05] Where does creativity come from?
• [05:44] Why being inauthentic is alluring
• [06:22] Why sticking to genres and fads is setting yourself up for failure
• [07:10] Fitting in vs Belonging
• [08:17] When being inauthentic is OK
• [09:24] Why self actualization is not optional
• [10:40] Grow or die?
• [11:33] Is grit more important than talent?

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In this Bonus Episode we listen to the original compositions and songs by the guest songwriters of the Dare to Be Seen podcast during series one. 

[02:18] Briget Boyle - Salty Tears

[07:06] Caro Bridges - Vancouver Waltz

[12:27] Sarah Irvine - December

[12:54] Esther Swift - Art 

[24:04] Ariel Wang - Moontide

[28:35] Fiona Liddell - Nukular

[33:41] Humbird - 48 Hours

[35:59] Josephine Sillars - Is it love

[41:19] Elaine Ryan - Beautiful 

[45:26] Deborah Shaw - I think I have just shot my horse

[49:03] Liz Barak - Ballad to the North Wind

[53:15] Ceiti - Flower Child

[57:52] Elyssa Vulpes - Mercy

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Liz Barak shares her journey as a Berklee-educated international mixing engineer dedicated to women's empowerment!

Discover

• [02:23] Preview
• [10:13] Liz's project and how she empowers women musicians worldwide
• Inner guidance vs External Expectations in creating music
• [28:58] Sexism in the industry: getting fired as an audio engineer because of gender
• [27:33] Why there are fewer women guitarists and drummers than women singers

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Aurora Engine is a harpist singer-songwriter / electronic musician living and working in Leith, Edinburgh. She is also a pianist, composer, and music technology enthusiast. 

In this episode:

07:05 Why to be successful you need to be BOTH an extrovert AND an introvert  

14:24 The link between perfectionism, impostor syndrome and intelligence  

27:54 Women's representation in Electronic Music 

31:00 Sexism within bands 

36:16 What it's like to be a single mother AND a musician 

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The truth about Sync, Music Licensing & Co-writing. Chat with Elaine Ryan, a singer-songwriter based in San Francisco. 

In this episode: 

16:38 Sync Courses - Co-writing, Writing for a show

34:14  How to find a producer

40:07  Sync Advice for those starting out

43:16  Dispelling Confusion about Sync licensing

50:19   All about Vampiric narcissistic lovers

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What role does feminism play in music? How does being a woman affect leadership within a band? Josephine SIllars talks about these issues and explains why ‘branding yourself’ can sometimes be problematic for an artist.

Josephine is a musician originally from the Highlands but now based in Leeds, UK. Having been based between Glasgow and Edinburgh for the past few years, she gained recognition performing with her band 'The Manic Pixie Dreams'. After receiving support from Help Musician’s UK, she is currently working on a new EP titled “Desperate Characters” due for release this year.

Feeling down because you cannot tour? Humbird shares how she stays resilient and offers alternative strategies that can help you thrive during challenging times. 

Do you feel nobody is listening to your music? If you obsess about how many likes you are getting on social media and worry nobody really cares, there is a way out and it's NOT online marketing! Find out how to free yourself from comparison anxiety and turn around self-criticism with one simple technique. 

What if you are an under-represented musician? Feeling guilty about being privileged? The Answer is Advocacy. In this episode, we discuss issues around inclusion and what it really means to be an artist. 

Creatively Blocked? You don’t have to suffer alone! Harpist and composer Esther Swift shares how to stay creative at home and not get overwhelmed with admin. 

Can you defeat lockdown by writing a song a day? What if we used creativity to bring play into our daily lives? Find out how Australian born, UK-based Sarah Irvine uses songwriting to tell stories and find joy even in the hardest of times. 

Are you scared of being judged when you perform on stage? You are not alone, and this is not something you have to live with for the rest of your life. Find out what to focus on when all eyes are on you. 

Can creativity be the driving force in your music career? What if I told you that it was possible to create a music business that put the performer in the driving seat? Find out what it is like to be part of a growing community of artists that instead of competing, collaborate, and support one another. 

Ever wanted to know what it's like to sit around a campfire and discuss music and life with a talented up and coming female indie singer-songwriter? This is a teaser of things to come, with excerpts from the first three episodes, including interviews with fresh new female indie talent from California, Australia, and Scotland.