Individual Artist Project Grant FY21

I believe that I will be providing art that people will connect with. I believe listeners will recognize themselves in the music. When this occurs, it acts to close the gaps between people and further enrich the lives of the community as a whole. My goal is to create 10 recorded songs that stand together as a cohesive body of work. The album should be a successful distillation of the subject matter and a continuation of my commitment to quality sound recording. My measurable outcomes would be that the album is finished and released, that I see my intended artistic expression for this album reflected back to me in the response of my audience, and that the size of my audience continues to grow. My aim would be for a 10% to 15% increase in listener base. The work also needs to meet the level of my own high standard. Another type of measurable outcome is the traditional review. I intend to seek out various publications and online media for reviews. Although not as important to me as the response of supporters, I do recognize that good reviews help spread the word which can help create new opportunities. My prior completed works include a variety of albums released by various bands I have fronted, my first solo album ?Death? (2011), my second solo album ?Where Is My Rumspringa Darling?? (2014), as well the ARAC funded short documentary I made, ?State School Kid? (2019). All major projects I undertake reach completion. I intend to maintain a robust social media presence so as to promote my work but also to interact with the audience. It is in these interactions, I believe, where I will best understand how well the work translated to the listener. The online platforms that I will be releasing the album on all track the number of plays and offer other types of analytics that will help me understand what is happening with overall listenership. This, along with various online reviews and my own personal assessment, will help me determine to what degree outcomes were met.