About a decade ago, I landed a record deal and a songwriting contract – a dream come true for that sensitive teenager who just wanted to make songs. Little did I know, I was about to embark on a rollercoaster ride through the music industry that would challenge my identity as an artist and reshape my understanding of what it means to be a musician.
When we released my first single to radio, the label put me through media training. They taught me to keep conversations focused on my record and to tie my songs into whatever the radio stations were promoting. For instance, my single "Freedom Like This" would be brought up around the Fourth of July, even though it wasn't remotely patriotic. It was all about keeping things exciting and on-brand.
At first, I struggled with this. Was I selling out? Was I betraying that teenage dreamer who just wanted to express himself through music? I was trying to find the meaning of life in a song, but the industry wanted me to be "hot" and...
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