When I was growing up, people used to tell me, “Don’t wear your heart on your sleeve.” “Christine, don’t be so sensitive”, or “Don’t be more sensitive than you are”. I carried that around with me for several decades. It affected how I saw and held myself, and contributed to how I began to protect my heart from others.
Except when it came to music. With music, I found safety, a container for all of the emotions and feelings I tried to hold at bay. I threw myself into my music and it became an outlet for me to heal. Making this album and the launch has been a roller coaster ride, but a good one!
Reading the recent review by Jazz Weekly really struck a chord. It’s touching to me that Jazz Weekly and others like The Alternate Root, parcbench.live and Don Crow at Nashville Blues Society are picking up on, “Heart and voice on sleeve”, the emotion that is throughout the album. AND ME!
Every one of us has had that “someone” who tried to squash our dreams. I am reminded of Kate Winslet being told by her drama teacher to settle for “fat girl parts”. And look where she is now!
Last week, when I first saw “Hard Habit” was charting at #10 on The Roots Music Report’s Top 50 Americana Country Song Chart, there was a part of me who thought, at first glance, it might have been an advertorial. Because I don’t have a gazillion dollars to pour into PR, because all of a sudden, I am keeping company with Chris Stapleton, who is #1 on the list and was on SNL a few weeks ago, because I don’t have brand recognition (yet 🙂 ) you can see where I might be going with this…
But I am not going to. You know why?
“Hard Habit” is getting out there because it’s got heart and legs…it’s got all of my heart poured into it and it shows! Yes, a huge PR budget will help get the song out, but it can also be lifted by the people (you, my musical family) and by my faith that this was all co-created with Spirit.
I remember when a famous music producer (I won’t name) bagged on “Hard Habit”, and when another radio promoter said it was “too different”. But with God’s grace, I kept going.
I’m not sharing this to prove them wrong, but to share with you, my music family…we are worthy!
Without having to prove ourselves to others, whatever gifts we have to share with the world are important. It is important by the sheer fact that we have created it and put it out into the world.
So please don’t forget, the next time you put your heart into something and “someone” puts you down …
You are worthy. You matter. Don’t listen and keep going!
Go shine your light this week.
And if you need some inspiration, here’s a video to get you going. Soul and Bone is my ode to rising from the ashes like a phoenix.
Until next time-
Love,
Christine