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Post by lawrence on Dec 4, 2023 8:24:36 GMT -5
Lawrence, I am sure Jackie knows that the entertainment business is not easy, and dog-eat-dog among its characteristics. After all, she had to live through it as a young girl and teenager, and ended up suffering, both healthwise and mentally. Exactly. That's why I said, "It's apparent that competing in this "dog-eat-dog industry" is not her objective, Rather as she said, 'When I make music, my concern is always with my fans and myself. If I'm proud of the project and my fans enjoy it, that's the best I can hope for". Why should she continue competing? It's healthier for her doing what she's doing, not necessarily concerned with whether or not it's popular or with how she measures up with her supposed competitors, the young artists who are being promoted and getting the attention these days. Jackie said in her Instagram video introduction to Get Out of My Life, relative to her songwriting, "I hope that you'll join me in this 'therapeutic endeavor of mine". She had said earlier in April of 2019, following the release of The Debut, in an interview with USA Today, "....I just decided that I'm going to do whatever my heart tells me to do artistically. Whoever jumps on the bandwagon will jump on the bandwagon." Today, that translates to writing, composing and co-producing her own music. It's what her heart is telling her to do in a unique, deeply personal and painfully honest way....her "truth" as she describes it. This recent Talent Recap article gives an indication of the encouragement Jackie is receiving from her fans. It can also be seen in the comments on her videos of Behind My Eyes and Consequences. “Day in the life of a songwriter…wouldn’t have it any other way!” "The Instagram video finds Evancho intensely concentrating on crafting a song. She can be seen listening closely to tracks in progress on high-quality studio headphones and editing the recorded samples, tweaking levels, effects, edits or adding new elements." Jackie Evancho’s Fans Encouraged Her To Do What She Does Best
"After singer-songwriter Evancho gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at her creative process in the studio, writing and recording new pop songs, the responses on social media showed heartwarming support and encouragement from her loyal followers. Her fans clearly wouldn’t have it any other way either. The comments filled with praise for her talents and new music direction.": “Keep writing your songs. Only you can create and give voice to the beautiful thoughts in your head – only you,” wrote one user. Plenty then chimed in with simple messages like “Go girl” and “Work it Jackie.” While another encouraged “Keep creating your beautiful music, Jackie, and we’ll keep enjoying, and applauding, all that your amazing talents bring forth!” The outpouring of both encouragement and support shows fans sticking steadfastly by Evancho. However, their communal excitement indicates this is not just a youthful prodigy they enjoyed, but rather a lifelong artist they plan to continue following wherever her musical gifts take her." talentrecap.com/jackie-evancho-shares-what-a-day-in-the-life-of-a-songwriter-is-like/
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Post by geb on Dec 4, 2023 9:59:45 GMT -5
Lawrence, I never said Jackie should not pursue her desires rather than follow others' desires for her.
She is a businesswoman besides an artist.
And as a businesswoman she would need to know that she has to generate sufficient income to be able to live the way she likes to (which seems frugal and not close to being ostentatious in any conceivable form) and also be able to pursue what she presently wants to do as an artist.
As I had related earlier, my old brother-in-law does the same thing. And he has a completely paid for home in the Bronx in New York City and his own small music studio. He does his gigs and makes enough money doing his projects to be able to live comfortably and do what he loves to do. He is far from being ostentatious and is a genuine nice guy who is fun to hang out with. He is also an excellent cook, and it is a treat to go to his home when he says he is cooking for everyone.
Of course Jackie wants to support her fans and to get feedback from them as to what they like. The fans after all are who spend the money from which Jackie makes a living. Getting fan feedback is also a good recipe for building up a bigger fanbase. Most people I know like to be appreciated. By extension, that would also apply to an artist's fans, and to potential new fans.
As I said, the future is unknown, and Jackie could happen to create one or more songs, either for herself and/or another artist, that clicks with people outside her present fanbase. She then could have an explosive growth. That would be great. But one cannot count on it happening.
So Jackie has to go through the long-term, time consuming path of growing one's fanbase by releasing a constant stream of material. And in Jackie's case she has an advantage over many others of a rolodex of people that may be able to help her gain some extra exposure. After all, not everyone can get to sing one's new song on an early morning TV show. But Jackie is able to have it occasionally happen due to her existing connections.
And yes, Jackie is long removed from having a major label promoting her. They squeezed what they could out of her and then dropped her as her numbers dropped. That is the nature of the beast of the major, and some of the lesser sized, labels.
A record label is an investment bank for musical artists. The label invests money into an artist, their recordings, style, video content, tour promotion and management, etc, and they expect a return on those investments in the form of profits from touring, merchandise, streaming, and sponsorship deals.
Jackie is now out of the major label rat race. And she may never want to go back. And if she does, Jackie would want it on her own terms. I know of some artists that indeed are able to negotiate deals with major labels that are at least somewhat favorable towards them. Only time will tell what happens in the future.
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Post by lawrence on Dec 18, 2023 17:32:02 GMT -5
Jackie is long removed from having a major label promoting her. They squeezed what they could out of her and then dropped her as her numbers dropped. That is the nature of the beast of the major, and some of the lesser sized, labels....Jackie is now out of the major label rat race. And she may never want to go back. And if she does, Jackie would want it on her own terms. I know of some artists that indeed are able to negotiate deals with major labels that are at least somewhat favorable towards them. Only time will tell what happens in the future. Jackie had been under the thumb of Sony Music Entertainment her entire career. Oh Holy Night was produced under Simon Cowell's Syco Music label which focuses on TV production. The company was formed in 2005 through Sony Music Entertainment entering a joint venture with Cowell. Dream With Me, Heavenly Christmas and Songs From the Silver Screen were produced under Columbia Records/Syco Music, owned by Sony Music Entertainment which is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation. Awakening, Someday at Christmas and Two Hearts were produced under Sony Masterworks which is the result of restructuring the Sony Music's Classical music division. All 7 albums hit the Classical Chart at No. 1. There is no evidence I'm aware of that Sony "dropped" Jackie. Rather, my observation is quite the opposite. Everything Jackie has said and done since she took command of her career as an independent artist at 18 has been a confirmation that she was through with being under Sony's control, whereupon she recorded and released The Debut, under her own label, JE Touring Inc., "the most authentically me album to date", she said. Since then, she has been forging her own self-determined path, ultimately toward becoming a singer/songwriter, composer of her own music and someday producing it herself. "Sharing my own music is something I've wanted to do for as long as I can remember", she said recently. Soon after taking command of her career and her music, she began giving interviews revealing her struggle with anorexia, the first public announcement that she'd had an eating disorder since she was 15, about the time she had co-written Pedestal, a message that she was having serious difficulty with being idolized by the media and fans, having to live up to an unrealistic image, "....It's a suicide". The real impetus behind leaving Sony came to light with her confrontational introduction to "Get Out of My Life" which she had composed in a hotel in 2022 while in Nashville working with songwriters there. She said it took some time to work up the courage. There's little if any doubt the message is directed to those within the Sony Entertainment organization who had continually pressured her to be what they've wanted her to be....."all these people telling me what to do, how to look, what to sing, how to behave, and that I'm worth nothing if I'm not perfect". She's made it clear that she holds them responsible in part for her eating disorder and mental issues. Yes, they "squeezed what they could out of her" until she wouldn't have any more of it and went her own way. In early 2020 at age 19, she revealed in her interview on The Masked Singer that she hadn't felt proud of herself for a long time, that it was "tiresome, even painful having to carry around my old self all the time when there was so much more there", having to play a role expected of her. And, she demonstrated what she was capable of on the TMS stage as the "sensuous" burlesque Kitty, effectively "breaking away" from the image long held of her from childhood. In a matter of 4 years, Jackie has gone from releasing her first independent album, The Debut (2019) to releasing 2 songs in a series of 5 she has written, composed and co-produced, plus a Christmas song. "Consequences" expresses her apprehension at having to make a "permanent decision" in dealing with her eating disorder, her parents' divorce as well as mental issues and emotional challenges while quarantined with her family and friends in mid 2020. "Behind My Eyes" is a reflection upon her struggles with mental illness, the fear of losing her mind which culminated in Nov, 2020 with her having disappeared from the public and social media for a year. Songwriting thus far has been an essential part of a "therapeutic" process toward regaining her mental health, and she hopes her songs will be an inspiration to others who suffer mental illness, emotional distress, a broken relationship, or social or professional pressures that would lead one to wanting to say to someone, "Shut up and get out of my life". Now, at the onset of "my musical transformation era", Jackie is doing what she wants to be doing and on her own terms, free from pressure and demands upon her by a major label to conform with its expectations. I think departing from Sony was the best thing she could have done for herself at a time when she could finally work independently. It's apparent that being an alternative/indie pop artist suits her objectives well, and that she is proud of her work which turned out be in that genre only because "that's the way I write", she said. It's good to see her happy again and enthused about her future as a songwriter/composer. Meanwhile, Melody Place Records has allowed her the creative freedom and control she demands and has found in collaboration with co-producer, Greg Camp. I expect they will continue supporting her work as one of its top resident artists. The EP is coming out, possibly April of 2024, as Jackie continues writing and composing more original songs, most likely less about mental illness though still of a personal nature, I imagine. Though time will tell how her creativity manifests as she moves forward.
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Post by bgstar on Dec 28, 2023 21:28:25 GMT -5
Just an observation:
Jackie, like all music and art is evolving. She has the "Courage to Change", is like a "Bird Set Free" and finally she is declaring "I'm Still Here".
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Post by lawrence on Jan 5, 2024 12:39:32 GMT -5
Just an observation: Jackie, like all music and art is evolving. She has the "Courage to Change", is like a "Bird Set Free" and finally she is declaring "I'm Still Here". Jackie gave a hint to her aspirations as a songwriter in this interview on American Songwriter, May 2022. It's apparent now that she had written and composed "Consequences" and possibly "Behind My Eyes" by that time, and all of the remaining songs on her upcoming EP by Dec 2022. There's been no doubt that Joni Mitchell, "a rebel, and didn't really follow the rules very much", has been her inspiration as a songwriter, perhaps since mid 2020 if not earlier. I'm curious to hear how she "creates her own route in the music world" going forward. I expect there is a lot to come from her songwriting......"some singles and more songwriting" in 2024: "2023 coming to a close":
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Post by lawrence on Mar 7, 2024 11:38:38 GMT -5
Liz Kiley is working with Melody Place Records to help relaunch Jackie as an indie/alt-pop artist and bring her music to radio. Jackie's first original release, Behind My Eyes is currently being played on Adult Contemporary radio stations. RadioInsight article: A CAREER THAT PARALLELED AN INDUSTRY’S CHANGES In her early 20s, Liz Kiley had already worked at some of the legendary stations of Top 40 — WPGC Washington, D.C.; WABC New York; WIFI Philadelphia; and KFI Los Angeles — before becoming part of the early years of AC powerhouse KOST Los Angeles. Jackie and Liz Kiley Excerpts from the article: "After a career that included the early days of viral video and the beginning of the streaming revolution, Kiley is helping another 23-year-old, former child prodigy Jackie Evancho, now in the process of reinventing herself as an alt-pop/rock artist, in Marketing & Strategy with Nashville indie Melody Place Records."........ "Earlier this year, Kiley joined Nashville label Melody Place Records. The label is in the process of relaunching Jackie Evancho as an adult pop-rock artist with a new single, “Behind My Eyes,” and an upcoming album produced by former Smash Mouth member and principal songwriter Greg Camp.".... "I began working with Sandy McGraw and Tony Gottlieb at Melody Place Records in January on Marketing & Strategy. It’s wonderful because the label is smaller and very focused; the artists have the attention and can shine. Jackie Evancho is one of those artists. She dazzled us on America’s Got Talent at 10. Now, at 23, she’s launched her 2.0 alt-pop sound. John Butler and Crystal Lowe are helping us bring Jackie to radio. radioinsight.com/blogs/261132/a-career-that-paralleled-an-industrys-changes/
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