Making music can often feel like a lonely, uphill endeavor. As a singer-songwriter, I become tempted to start thinking that what I create is synonymous to my worth and identity. Social media is simultaneously a valuable career tool and a pitfall for mental health. Asking friends to come out to shows feels like burdening them unnecessarily. Guilt creeps in as I ask myself how making music is doing any good for anyone.
Though I believe in the redemptive nature of God and the value of imitating and glorifying Him by exercising creativity, I am human, and I often forget these truths in the battle of the daily grind. And these are the moments I am reminded of the importance of community. If you have musician friends in your life, you can be part of that loving community to them. Here are some practical ways you can support them.
1. Listen To Their Music
I’m starting with the obvious, but it’s really the number one way you can support your musician friends. It is easy to be supportive in words, to tell your musician friends that you’re praying for them, to wish them good luck. But nothing means more than to let them know you listened to that new single and to give them feedback. Streaming is the most common way people listen to music nowadays, but it also notoriously pays artists very little (Spotify pays artists $0.006 per stream). Therefore, if there are ways to purchase their music, such as vinyl records, special editions, or on iTunes, I’m sure it would be much appreciated.
2. Like, Comment, Share
Social media has its flaws, but it also serves as a valuable platform for musicians. It’s the place where they can gain new listeners, share exciting news, get feedback on new material, and grow their career. A very practical way to support musician friends is to not only like their posts but to also leave comments, which triggers the algorithm to boost the post’s visibility. Share their songs and videos to expose them to possible new fans among your own followers.
3. Attend Their Shows
We live in an age where streaming has mostly replaced buying music. Therefore, playing shows has become one of the more important ways that musicians hope to make their careers financially stable. It’s also the space where musicians can connect with listeners in a face-to-face, meaningful way and see their songs come alive.
Unfortunately, with the spread of COVID-19, many musicians have had their shows and other events canceled. Although it is absolutely necessary for public health in our current circumstances, it has presented many artists with financial difficulty. If you have recently purchased a ticket for a show, instead of asking for a refund, you could consider giving it back as a donation. As musicians find other ways to perform for audiences through videos and live streaming, show them love by sending them a “tip”, buying their merch, or contributing to their upcoming projects.
4. Remind Them Of Their True Identity
The temptation to merge career with identity can exist in any field. However, I have noticed that it looms more heavily for those whose work involves creating. Creating is inherently a very personal activity; it is common for musicians to consider a song to be an extension of their very being. Therefore, the response it receives, whether positive or negative, can be falsely tied to their sense of self-worth.
Remind your musician friend that her identity is separate from the things she creates. Encourage her with the unchanging truth that she is a child of God. Tell her that she could stop making music, but that won’t stop her from being loved, accepted, and welcomed by the Father.
5. Remind Them That God Is Working
One of the most difficult aspects of making music is not being able to fully see its fruits. Sure, there are stream counts, views, likes, etc., but relying on those numbers can feel stifling and discouraging.
Remind your musician friend that God is working in ways she can’t see, and that she can trust Him to redeem and use her work to do good. A song could reach and positively impact a stranger that she may never meet or hear from. It may have encouraged and inspired someone else who is also striving to make music. If her work has uplifted you or helped you through a difficult season, let her know. Someday, we will all see the fruits of our work and how God has used it, but for now, we trust and have faith that God is working.
I can confidently say that any achievement I’ve made in my music career would have been impossible without my community of friends rallying around me and encouraging me to keep going. If you are a friend of a musician, I hope you know the immeasurable impact you can have on his or her success and well-being, especially in a time when many of them are losing work and income. I encourage you to walk alongside them and continue to empower their creative minds and spirits.