Monday, September 3, 2012

NASHVILLE will be HOME !

For those whom have followed my recent tweets you have followed my decision to leave New York City behind and make Nashville my home come January 1st, 2013. Many have asked me the obvious question, "Why ?"

The answer is simple: I no longer feel challenged here in New York City.  For the past 10 years I have worked to build a career for my writing in the heart of the world of Theatre.  I have released four successful albums featuring some of today's brightest theatre talent. I have done all this myself.  No agent by my side to land me talent (or take a commission thankfully), no money from awards to help fund these projects.  No, I worked hard and financed these projects on my own from working numerous jobs bartending, serving and being a barista to get the first two albums off into the world.  I have been so incredibly fortunate to have had the blessing of some of the best vocalists around the world to share their talents giving life to my music and my lyrics.  Even more fortunate has been the incredible support that I have gotten from the wonderful audiences around the world who have participated in celebrating my love for my writing by purchasing these albums and spreading the word of their releases to friends, family and anyone who would listen.

But, now what ? I have worked with almost every performer i've ever dreamt of working with and now with HOME (formally known as PIECE), a show I have been working on for over ten years no longer having life (when I am allowed to speak more openly about this, I promise I will), I had found myself in a deep depression waking up and going to bed every day and night wondering, what's next ?

I am a workaholic.  I am a perfectionist.  I don't enjoy sitting doing nothing.  I need to feel needed and worthy.  I need to be writing and working on new projects.  I need to challenge myself.  I need to continue learning.  So, enter Nashville.

I am planning to take a year, do open mic nights.  Meet other writers in the field.  Understand the craft of writing a successful country song.  Work with the talent in that market and try to get my work in the proper hands and get my work recorded by some of the best country artists around.  I am determined and motivated.  I am excited.  I am not nervous.  I now have a plan and something to look forward to.  I am learning guitar.  I am listening to every country album on the top 20 Country album chart.  I am focused and eager to learn and to make a name for myself in a new market.

 I have been asked if this means I am now leaving the world of theatre.  I have thought about this question a lot.  This is my answer.  I am not theatre. I am not country.  I am not pop.  I am a songwriter.  I don't write shows.  That is not my strength.  Never has been.  I write SONGS.  Single, stand along songs.  Some of them have a pop sensibility. Some of them are incredibly theatrical.  Some of them lack any theatrics at all.  Many have high belting.  A few of them have modulations.  Fewer have a double modulations. Many have my off rhymes hated so much in the theatre world (but thankfully loved in the pop world).  All of them have my heart in them.  All in all,  I am not 'one thing.'  I write.  I am not a prodigy like some of today's brightest writers in the theatre market and I am proud of what I am.  I taught myself how to play piano when I was 18 by writing music.  I play simple chords and I write from my heart because writing is my therapy.  Thankfully, my writing has transitioned to become others therapy.  I love the voices and talent in the theatre market and for that reason, I will never stop writing for their voices. As soon as next week, I new crop of talent will enter New York City.  I love new talent.  They inspire me.  I know I will need to return to write for them and all those that will follow every single year in this majestic industry of theatre.  I am sure I will record a fifth album featuring their talents in the near future (I will even be heading into the studio with West End's Samantha Barks next month to record a brand new song).  This isn't goodbye.  This is just a new and exciting chapter for me and I hope you will take this ride with me.

Never give up wanting to learn and better yourself.  Never allow others from sticking you into one category.  Be who you wish to be.  Let others judge you because they always will.  You can't prevent that.  Nor should you try to be better to prove anything to them.  You should do it to prove to yourself that you still have a reason to get up out of bed in the morning.

I love you all and thank you for your continued support.

xx - SA 

8 comments:

  1. After reading your text I feel great now, and I don´t know why :D
    "Watch me soar" by Willemijn was the first of your songs I listened to, and at that moment, somewhere in 2011, I didn´t even know you. But because some of my favorite singers were featured on your albums I got interested in the person who wrote these grat songs. Expecially some songs on "Live" changed MY life and I got to know another great women who I didn´t knew before^^
    I like that you wrote in your post about "not beeing stuck in one category", because that is what I don´t want, too. I´m not only one kind of a person, I can be everything!
    Thanks again for being such a great person and writing these awesome songs :)
    xxx Sophia

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  2. Your honesty is really really awesome...It's so important to have something to look forward to...if YOU feel that it's time to begin a new chapter in life, it is!
    And yes..you are a songwriter. In my opinion one of the best!!
    Even if you read that blog..these words are so full of emotions and it's a talent to express these emotions in words/music.
    For me there is no difference...New York or Nashville...both are far away.
    As long as you are writing songs, you'll always have a fan in me. I can just speak for myself, but your music is helping me A LOT to handle my daily life and it's giving me SO SO MUCH!!
    Like Victor Hugo once said: "Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent." I really love that quote and your music is a great example to it.
    I'm one of those persons, who can't imagine even one day without music..and I don't wanna miss yours.
    So...just keep doing what you're doing and believe in yourself.
    I don't know you personally..so it's quite strange to write this to a stranger, but there is no doubt about you being a "bad guy" ;)
    I dearly wish you all the BEST!!

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  3. Oh God, first my daughter moves to college and now you are leaving for Nashville! UGH!

    Ha ha.

    I am THRILLED for you! We should never stop learning, challenging ourselves and exploring everything the world has to offer! I love an adventure! Nashville is so full of creative energy, it will be great for you! Soak it all in. Continuing to grow will only make you better! Any new experience just provides you with more to write about!

    I am so proud of you!!!! I am so excited about what comes next for you!

    XOXO
    Anne

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  4. Thanks for writing this Scott. I just graduated college and have made the mistake of moving back to my hometown. Everyone has known me most of my life and knows how successful I've been in school these past few years; it seems like everyone has my life mapped out except for me. The weight of their expectations is insane.

    Anyway, I just felt that I needed to say thank you for reminding me that "What's next?" is a challenge, not something to be feared, and that no one has the right to answer it but me. It's just what I needed to hear. :)


    Also, slightly unrelated, but yesterday on a whim, I taught myself enough piano to play a passable rendition of "Always." Out of the blue at 3am, my mom called me frantic during a difficult night shift at the hospital. I hung up and recorded the song for her on my phone, shitty audio and all. She played it on repeat for the rest of the night and said it was the only thing that got her through the shift.

    No matter what you're writing, or where you're located, your music is such a gift Scott. Thanks for sharing it with us, and best of luck on this new adventure! :)

    Ashley (@Corridor89)

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  5. What about that show you were working on with Christy for Ramin, Sierra and Hadley?

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  6. Congratulations Scott! My move from Philly to Oklahoma was one of the best things I've ever done. I was stuck in a rut, at a job that was going nowhere and felt like the northeast was slowly suffocating me. I think Nashville is a fantastic idea! I'm so sorry that things aren't working for Piece/Home but maybe this change will be the single most important thing that you ever do in your life. That said, I hope you have good weather when you move. I moved on January 2nd and 3rd of this year and drove through two states of snow (the downside of driving). Welcome to the South!

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  7. So inspiring, your words, your outlook on life and of course your songs. I knew little about you when I first attended your afternoon recording of Live (I just wanted to see Ramin Karimloo, who wasn't there...) but came out thinking it was the best concert I have ever been to. I still do. You are an amazing songwriter. Your songs always seem to brighten a bad day.
    I am now on my gap year in New York from Med School halfway across the world and I think this is the best thing that I have ever done (still doing). All the best and may you also find yourself renewed and reinvigorated, and most importantly, happy no matter what happens next!

    I'm also so stoked to have gotten a picture with you! Ben from New Zealand

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