Dear Kara, what’s up? I’m typing this letter to you after an intense week of writing new songs in the studio with some of your favourite producers. How cool is it that this will actually be your job?
Turn down Minnie’s album for a minute and stop whatever you’re doing and just listen. I know your attention spam is that of a nat but I won’t be long, I promise.
I just want to say I can see the struggles you are facing. I can see it in your eyes that you feel a sense of not really belonging or ‘fitting in’. I can feel it in your soul that you spend all your minutes, hours and days dreaming of being outside that classroom, performing to an audience full of people singing along to your music. And I know you can’t tell your mates because they’ll laugh at you and dismiss you as a dreamer.
I know you hate the school you’re in; its so tough and why the hell are you learning about longshore drift for the 5th time when the only ‘sure’ in your life is that you’re not going to be the next big Geographer. Don’t worry, Mum will soon realise. She’ll take you out and put you in a school where they embrace you for being different and creative. It will bring out the best in you and set you on your path to becoming the very best version of your musical and personal self.
In the meantime, I want you to think about something: As you go from audition to audition trying to secure that ‘singing role’ in a production whilst you’re up against hundreds of other hopefuls just like you, have you until now sat down and tried to breakdown your fantasy and ‘dream job’ into sections and then match that up with the reality? Have you set about trying to separate the two worlds – the one where you are on stage, mic in hand, spotlight on you, stood in front of a roaring audience waiting to see you perform – from the one full of hard work, early starts and late finishes? Have you really considered the competitive and gruelling task of actually ‘breaking’ as a musician?
I would question: Are you up for being so dedicated that, having little money, struggling and facing huge competition on several levels is as much a part of your career as working alongside some of the most talented people in your industry?
Of course you are. We both know how much hustle you’ve got in you to give this career a go, as we know, with unequivocal certainty, that this is the only path for you.
Don’t worry about feeling uncertain and lost some of the time; embracing your failures and struggles will be the MAKING of you. You’re going to lose and gain friends along the way, learn about love, loving yourself first, and then boys…hmm…compromise, patience and dedication ft heavily here. Learning it’s nowhere near as smooth as the fairytales suggest; very bumpy in fact…but hey at least it will make your songwriting all the more powerful! Every cloud…
If I could give you some advice it would be this: Never allow the negativity of others to wash over your enthusiasm and drive. Please never let people get you down. There will be people that just don’t get it, others trying to discourage you…you won’t quite understand why, but it will strike a little match inside of you that will bring you so much motivation to prove them wrong. Later on in your life you’ll understand that everything happens for a reason. Your work ethic brought on by a negative situation will be the reason you do so many amazing things you’ve always dreamed of doing.
Being played on the radio, performing at Glastonbury, seeing you and your Hagrid hair on a magazine cover, doing your own headline tour…you’ve got this and SO much more to work towards. There will even be this huge new programme that you become obsessed with, called Love Island, that will play your music. Yup – you’ve got it all coming girl. But what I also really need to add is: never forget the importance of staying as close to Mum and the rest of the fam as you are now. They’re going to be your stabilising force when you’re feeling overwhelmed and unsure from this crazy, amazing, weird and wonderful journey that you are about to embark on.
You better still be listening! I wanna leave you with this: Do your best not to overthink EVERYTHING. Be a warrior not a worrier. Stay humble, curious, keep working hard, and never lose faith in yourself and this journey that you’re on…the rest will follow – I promise.
Oh and one last thing…*spoiler alert*:
A manager will come into your life that believes in you and your project as much as you do, and you will feel so friggin blessed!
Love you, for being you!
Kara
(PS even when everything feels like it’s going pear shaped…keep going! You’ve got this!)
