#026: Emotional Intelligence Will Determine Your Success and Longevity in the Music Industry
“Knowing others is intelligence;
knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength;
mastering yourself is true power.
— Lao Tzu
The music and who the artist is will be the key factors in breaking a recording artist in the music industry today. However, emotional intelligence will determine the success and longevity of their career. The music industry has been romanticized due to the fame, touring / partying, award shows and the money that can come with success. But at its core, and especially when it comes to the business behind-the-scenes, it is remarkably similar to any other industry or even with our personal life with loved ones, family and friends — it all comes down to personal growth and relationships.
The large majority of all artists have a passion and tunnel-vision focus towards their work that exceeds even the most extreme workaholics. However, in this pursuit of success and growth in their creative field, many times artists personal and emotional growth are put off to the side. Many have a mindset that it’ll be time to shift some focus into these areas after the next single, or after they reach ‘success’, after they land that record deal or after their first Grammy. But more often than not, that time continues to get pushed further down the road. What they are over-looking is that by doing so, they are very possibly cutting their careers short once that ‘success’ is achieved. This same principle applies to professionals on the business side too (i.e. managers, record label executives, publicists, etc).
There are two primary areas where stunted emotional intelligence can show its ill effects. The first is when the artist has a song finally breakout to become a hit and their dreams are starting to be achieved, but the barrage of press, social media gossip, touring, fame and demands put upon them leads to a mental and/or emotional breakdown. We don’t have to look too far past Britney Spears to see what this looks like. It is incredibly difficult to be a recording artist in today’s world while also battling breakdowns, major anxiety attacks and mental instability. The second place where stunted emotional intelligence can show its ill effects is in the relationships with the people around us. Even if an artist isn’t having these internal issues, external manifestations can be just as destructive. Lashing out and being overly abrasive to a manager, record label team or publisher — over time — will lead to those people leaving the artist. There are endless examples of artists going on social media rants against their record label and being shelved because of it. Either way, they end in the public and/or industry distancing themselves from the artist and eventually a shortened career.
So what can an artist or music professional do to try and prevent this? Invest in your emotional intelligence starting today. What this looks like is incredibly personal and there is no blanket strategy. For some people therapy is the most helpful. For others, it might be meditation and deep conversations with family/friends. But there are two principles that are essential: 1) Looking inward, and 2) Finding a healthy work-life balance. No one can truly grow and find a healthier emotional state without understanding themselves first. Shed the ‘distracting yourself with work’ or ‘drinking/smoking weed to cover the problems’ mindset. Dive inward. It will be hard at first, but the result will set yourself up for a longer and healthier career and life. As Lao Tzu states, “Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom”. The other half of this is finding ways to disconnect from the craziness of the work. This can be time with the family, reading books or a new hobby, but it is absolutely essential to strike a healthy work-life balance.
The forward-thinking companies in the music industry understand that emotional intelligence and emotional health are not only the right areas to invest in for their clients out of compassion and love, but because it is also the right business decision as well. I know that my artists are like my family. When you care about someone greatly, that love is the driving factor in wanting to help them become better. But at the same time, who is winning when an artist is crippled by anxiety attacks, in rehab or too full of rage to work on creating music or tour? Nobody. Not the artist, manager or record label. That is why Love Renaissance (aka LVRN) — an independent Atlanta-based music management company and record label — launched a mental health division within their company. All of their artists have access to a therapist and a life coach of their choosing, if they would like. It is my hope that the major record labels and publishers embrace this same approach for their artists, songwriters and producers. But until they do, it is on each of us to invest in our own emotional intelligence for the betterment of our careers and lives.
________________________________________________________________________
JAY’S SONGS OF THE WEEK:
BEKA - “More Than Friends” (with HONNE)
King Princess - “PAIN”
lilspirit - “Serpent”
GOT7 - “Breath”
