There's a Whole World out There to See

There’s a Whole World Out There to See first started, as most of my projects do, simply with me messing around in the studio. I was exploring through my vast library of sample packs and virtual instruments when I came across something new. I have always loved the piano pop/rock genre from artists like Ben Folds or Ben Rector, but I never considered it something to emulate in my own music. However, just a few minutes into making the groove that soon became the song, “I Was Walking,” I knew that this was the style I wanted my next project to be. The rest of the project came together pretty quickly, as most things do when you light a new wildfire of inspiration. I decided to place the songs for the EP in the order I created them to show my progression from first discovering this new style to then incorporate it into my traditional sound with the last song, “The Door in My Floor.”

Album cover for There's a Whole World out There to See

Once While Society Was Sleeping

“No words can express the wonders of this life… But all of this, we feel.” My third album is all about the world we experience. There is no way to fully summarize an emotion, or capture a feeling. But throughout the album I try to express several areas of my own experiences. The title of the album hints at the idea that if we follow where society leads, our lives will become dull and unoriginal. I believe that each of us has “a journey to find” within ourselves. An adventure that will continually inspire us and give us hope. We must break free from society, and dream. “But forward we go, into tomorrow. Until you arrive… Awake, alive.”

Album cover for Once While Society Was Sleeping

Whatever happened to real dreams?

I get embarrassed when I share my music with someone for the first time. It is easier to be honest with myself about things when I just write my thoughts and feelings down and put them in a song. But then, when it comes time to release the song I come to an interesting cross roads. Do I follow through and release it, putting myself fully out there for the world to judge and criticize, or do I back out and continue to keep my feels to myself?

I’ve felt a similar feeling with social media. For so long I have longed for more and more friends and followers, but the more people I find myself connected to the more pressure I also feel. I even get to a point where I feel that I can’t even post something without accidentally offending someone, so instead I just stay silent. Would I start to lose followers if I spoke up more? Would people get mad to realize that I am bias and that I can be rude and offensive at times? Do I need to cater myself to be a more accepting person so that more people will like me? Or would more people like me if I was simply genuine?

I think being genuine is becoming a more rare thing in our online community. There is too much pressure to be accepted and liked. In reality, we should be putting effort into just being ourselves, because otherwise are we really even happy? I think people feel the need to be a member of a crowd, but at the same time I think blending into the crowd is a very sad thing. Everyone is different, but it’s a good thing! People shouldn’t feel pressured to be someone they’re not. Forced dreams, careers chosen based on salary instead of passion; when did our society become all about the facts and numbers? Whatever happened to real dreams?