Guest Post from Lyra Star
In all honesty, I never would have imagined myself living in Los Angeles. I always thought of it as a big, smoggy city where everyone gets plastic surgery and is overly concerned about their appearances and trying to make it big. Now that I have actually been here for a little over a year, I can see why people make the move. This is a place full of creative energy, and being constantly surrounded by so many talented individuals all working hard to follow their dreams and do what they love is an inspiration more than anything else.
Of course, it has been a struggle, especially financially, but I am also discovering that putting lots of hard work and money into your craft is the only way to thrive. I am constantly learning new things and meeting all sorts of amazing people… from time to time, it gets extremely overwhelming, but it really is one of the best places to be for someone that is passionate and driven and willing to put in the work to create art.
One of the best parts about being here is that there are always events going on in the music world and otherwise, and there are constantly opportunities to network with other like-minded individuals, watch inspiring performances, and hear stories from people that have been pursuing their art for years and years. I can only offer up what I have learned in the short amount of time being here, but I am hoping it will be helpful for some of you out there.
First and foremost, meeting people in person and attending events in person is one of the best ways to go… showing up is huge, especially in a city where there are so many different things going on all the time. Finding events that you genuinely enjoy attending is key, and then maybe one day you will be on that stage or those people will come to your show. It’s also an opportunity to find other musicians to collaborate with, producers to work with, or just make new friends that are excited about similar things. I have watched singer/songwriters form amazing communities here.
When I first arrived in this city, I was just constantly trying to find opportunities to play live shows, and I discovered that many venues are pay to play and that it’s hard to get people to come out to hear you play as a solo artist in a city where there is so much going on. As a new person in a new city, the best thing during my first year here that benefitted my career was going out to shows and meeting other artists, musicians, and people in the music industry (like producers, directors, etc).
Because of connections I made, I am now preparing to release a lot more content this year (I have shifted my focus to creating and releasing rather than playing a ton of live shows), including new songs (singles seem to be the way to go now rather than full length albums) and a music video. I have also started joining Facebook groups and communities where I can connect virtually with other artists as well as writers and bloggers. I try to stay as active as I can on social media, mostly on Instagram (that is my platform of choice), and I keep up with other singer/songwriter artists to see what they are doing, where they are getting press, etc.
It’s a process, but I truly believe that if you love what you do, feel strongly about your craft, and are willing to put in the time and the work that it takes to get out there, you will find some level of success. I’m in a much better place than I was a year ago.
Lyra Star is a singer-songwriter from Nashville who conquered the trek out to Los Angeles to chase the dream on the West Coast. Focusing on her inner-most self, Lyra is creating a magical, ethereal listening experience for listeners to enjoy.
