Last summer, my gigs were few and far between and my motivation was low. I needed a new challenge, but also needed some answers.
- What makes and sustains a career as a gigging musician?
- How do I get more gigs?
- What could I be doing better, as a performer?
- How do I make gigs more fulfilling and financially rewarding?
Just like on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, I used one of my lifelines:
“I’d like to phone a friend, please.”
And, without hesitation, they answered the call.
Season 1 of The Lady J Podcast is a series of conversations with my friends in the industry, most of them gigging musicians for a number of years already, all happy to share what they’ve learned along their journey.
These generous humans are musicians who book themselves, who work solo or in small groups, as leader or band member. We talked about what their lives look like onstage and behind the scenes, the importance of networking, education, and mindset. And, because nearly everyone I spoke to is a parent: work-life balance.
Though each conversation was essentially an on-air version of one I’d had prior (maybe multiple times over many years) with my guests, I didn’t expect to hear anything that was new to me.
But in every conversation I found myself surprised by a piece of advice or new bit of information. I’ve pulled those moments out here to share my learning with you.
I hope that you also learn something that feels new and interesting to you. And definitely feel free to dive further into the stories and advice shared by all of these wonderful souls by listening to their full episodes (linked below).
We’re all happy you’re here.
00:00:00 Intro
00:02:52 Mikey Reed - gig preparedness
00:04:40 Joe Bashorun - Dubai: the best place in the world for live performance
00:07:21 Aston Wylie - karaoke tracks for the win!
00:10:12 Timo Higgs - the importance of in-person connections
00:12:21 Chris Santillán - just enjoying the music
00:15:09 Janelle & Felix - the magic of live streaming
00:18:24 Romario Fernando - the Dubai music scene’s grassroots roots
00:20:49 Carrie Gibson - how to deal with awkward comments from guests
00:23:50 Mikey Reed (Christmas special) - parenting during the busiest gigging month of the year
00:25:43 Thank you
00:26:38 Credits
I’m Lady J (onstage) and in the two decades that I’ve been a full-time gigging musician I’ve played nearly 3000 shows with my husband-slash-guitarist-slash-business partner. We live in Dubai with our two kids, and we continue to perform hundreds of shows per year.
I firmly believe that there is nothing like being in the room with the person making the music that moves you.
Live music matters.
Whether you’re hoping to get your first gig, looking to get more gigs, or looking to make your gigging more fulfilling and financially rewarding, this is a place to get insights and practical advice from people who believe live music matters.
I’m happy you’re here.