The past 18 months have been a revealing time for everyone on this planet – both personally, and globally. And especially so being a musician.

A torch has been shining on various aspects of the world’s structures and systems allowing people to see more clearly what’s been hiding in those dark spaces for a long time.

The music industry has not been exempt from this with many, if not all, music-makers and creators completely losing their livelihood for obvious topical reasons.

But under this topical reason, is a foundational reason that has become clear to me: the music industry never seemed to be about guiding and supporting music makers and creators to thrive.

What has not supported musicians

Many parts of this industry have really irked me over the past 20 years. As I don’t wish to continue to shine a light on the pervading darkness of our industry in any depth, I will simply share a few of the things that perplex me:

Why are we encouraged to make music where people consume drugs and alcohol? Why are musicians and music a promotional tool for the selling of these addictive products? Why are musicians sometimes paid in drinks for playing gigs?

Why do record labels still own artist rights after loans have been paid back? This is like the bank still owning a percentage of your house after you’ve paid back your mortgage in full. How was this ever even allowed?

If the people who write songs are at the core of the music industry (as in there is no industry without them), then why are their voices never heard? Why are they not at the top of the food chain? At the head of the table? Why are they not in more powerful places in their music businesses?

What being a musician means to me

For me, being a musician is about a clear and direct channel with my higher self, my talents, my innate gifts. It’s reaching into the depths of my thoughts, feelings, senses, soul, spirit and songs are my vehicle to express all of that. It’s a mechanism to help me grow, to get clear, to become more.

It’s the most magnificent music diary experience. I write songs every week as part of my songwriting practice in I Heart Songwriting Club and these songs capture emotion, mood, time, space, dimension, colour, weather, frequency, more than anything I’ve ever experienced before.

Songwriting and being a musician is my way of tapping into the magic of the universe, source, consciousness. It’s my joy, it’s my ability to transmute lower energy into higher energy, and it’s changed my life.

This is wholly my experience as a music maker and creator but here and here you can read from more songwriters about what being a musician means to them. Perhaps you’ll discover the life purpose, and healing and wellness qualities that music brings to many people.

A courageous approach the live the light as a musician

How this incredible, illuminating creative energy and heavenly gift became a dark and pernicious industry is beyond me. I’m not interested in discovering why. All I know is that the spaces that we’ve been ‘playing’ in have not been in our best interests.

I’m not interested in fighting the dark. I’m only interested in living the light and moving towards what I do want more of. This is a choice. I have a choice. We have a choice. What are you choosing?

I’m committed to my values and I will continue to shift in an appropriate way that feels right for me so that I am continually honouring who I am. Do you know what values you live by? If not, check this out.

In honouring myself, I have been considering where and how I desire to share my music and my soul with others in a way that aligns with who I am and the gifts that I have to offer.

And the answer that I arrived at truly knocked my energetic socks off!

What’s next for my musical journey?

I’m working on something that really feels meaningful, purposeful, vulnerable and real to me.  It’s very very personal and it feels time to share more of that with you. I’m doing a few trials over the next few months, and then I’m going to share more with you in the new year.

If you would like to learn more about how I will be sharing music in 2022 and how you can be involved, please join my mailing list as this will be an exclusive invitation opportunity and not something available on social media.

And if any of what I’ve shared has moved you in any way, reach out to me, let me know. It is a pleasure and honour to connect with like-minded people on my journey.

Francesca de Valence