Neon Notes — Week [23]
I've made a few songs that I think other people would enjoy, but they'll probably never hear them.
It's not because I think they're bad or anything, I just made them for me, that's all.
In reality, all my songs are made just for me.
I don't mean that to sound selfish, because it's not. I just want to hear a particular melody, a certain vocal style, or a specific drum groove.
Basically I want to hear something that I can't hear anywhere else.
Not to say that I'm making some groundbreaking new genre of music, I just like the way that I do it.
And if I make something I love and other people enjoy it too, that's an awesome feeling. But someone else liking it was never the reason I made it in the first place.
That's why I have several songs done or in progress that no one will likely ever hear.
I did a remix of Dua Lipa's Break My Heart, and I still listen to it all the time.
I didn't make it because I was trying to get attention or gain commercial success.
It's actually quite the opposite.
I heard the song and immediately wanted to hear my version of it.
Not just an EDM remix with some chopped vocals over a catchy beat.
I wanted a fully reimagined version of the song that was structured in my style.
And that's what I did, knowing that I could never release it.
But that wasn't the point, because now I have a song that I love and can listen to anytime I want. It doesn't matter that no one else will ever hear it.
I did the same thing with a song from Sade. I took what would normally be a slow, sensual, intimate song and drenched it with my style.
It still has her sultry vocals and somber tone, but I added a little more energy and retro sound.
I also had an artist reach out and ask me to do a remix of her song. Of course I said yes, and I'm currently working on it. We also both agreed that once it's done, it's just for us to listen to.
No plans for a commercial release, just something we can both enjoy.
To some, this may sound strange. To spend all those hours on songs no one else will hear, but it's not strange at all when the joy comes from the process of making the songs.
I've talked before about needing to create music because I love it, and these songs are probably the best example of that.
There is no thought of streams or others listening. I'm making them because I want to.
And when I get done and continue to say "I love this" every time I hear them, that's all I need.
Not every song has to become part of my catalog. They don't have to have some huge audience telling me how good they are.
Some songs are just for me.
Thanks for reading.
If you have thoughts about any of this, I’d love to hear them.
This post is part of my weekly Neon Notes series. New posts go live every Wednesday.
