Monday, January 27, 2014

FANS AND CHAT

Ok, so ever since I started putting my music out there on Youtube, I've heard from fans that have said they like it and hope I never change.  When I asked them what that meant, they meant that most artists eventually get stuck up or think they're too good for the fans that helped them get popular.

Well, apparently some feel that's happening with me. So here, let me just help fans understand the reality of an artist who has a career that is progressing as they hope it will when they keep working at it.

First of all, there's only so much time to do everything that has to be done to have a career. I can only do so much in a 24 hour day.

I'm a...

  • Full time student in public school even though I do classes online
    • which means I have homework and studying and tests just like most kids my age
  • Son
    • which means I have a family where I spend time with family and try to have a family life
    • which also means I do chores just like most kids my age. That includes my own laundry, make meals for myself, grocery shop (yes I do grocery shopping), cleaning house, doing dishes, you get the point.
  • Friend
    • I do try to have time to hang out with guys and play Xbox or play sports when I'm not busy doing other things
  • Artist
    • Yea, as an artist I have like a million things I have to do, which all take time
      • practice new music
      • voice lessons
      • guitar lessons
      • write new music
      • record in a studio
      • travel on the road
      • package merchandise people buy and mail it out to them
      • concerts
      • media interviews
      • make Vlogs
      • make music videos
      • chat with fans online (chat, twitter, Younow, facebook)
      • skype calls to classrooms around the world
      • dance lessons / rehearsals
  • Actor
    • which means I have to go to Nashville for TV filming a few times a year and learn scripts and stuff
So here's the deal. The more I do for my career to get better and perform more, the more fans I am getting. I do my absolute best to find time to talk to as many NEW fans as I can. When I have time, I talk to fans I've talked to before. But it seems harder and harder to find time to do that when my plate is already full of other things.

I'm not at all complaining about my life and schedule, but I'm hoping fans can understand when I can't reply to their questions or messages on social media. I do my best but I won't apologize if I can't reply right away or at all. Sometimes it's just not possible to keep up with.

I have a marketing manager who sorts through the hundreds of messages, emails and requests I get each week from fans. Some want answers, some want to chat, some want followed. It's just not possible for me to spend the time needed to answer or respond to all of them. I stopped following and unfollowing fans over a year ago. I don't handle that anymore. I just post stuff.

The problem is that because I am trying to be friendly and take time to talk to so many people that call themselves a fan of my music, I am assumed to be their best friend or close friend now. I am just me. I am a friendly guy who likes to laugh and chat when I can. I will always be that guy. But if it isn't with some fans as much as they want, I am becoming that artist they said they don't like anymore. A SELFISH AND RUDE PERSON WHO IS STUCK UP.

Honestly, I'm not apologizing for working hard on my career and the fact that it takes more time now than it did in the past. That's a good sign that things are going better because I have more work. I am not a casual YOUTUBER like a lot of singers. This is my JOB now. It's how I earn a living. It's how I pay to travel and give concerts. It's how I put gas in my car. It's my job. I love my job. I love my fans.

Before you judge an artist for "changing" or not being the same person they were before, think about "their" schedule and what it must be like having to balance it so they have some kind of personal time to enjoy what they are working hard to be.

So, I'm sorry that some don't understand all this and jump to conclusions about my character and personality. I am very concerned that I do my best to be humble and thankful for everyone who supports me. I'm just sad that because I can't connect with fans as much as I used to that I'm considered "changed".