Why building a community of women supporting each other in the music industry means everything?

It all started in high school, my mother decided to put me in an art school because she felt like something needed to be done! my light was fading as a kid. I used to be, the little girl talking to everyone, laughing but little by little I was becoming smaller and more invisible. I just stopped shining.

Some would say being a teenager can do that to you, but my mother thought that the best way to bring me back to life was to make me do the things I loved most; singing, dancing, and acting. I was 15 years old when I arrived at L'ecole du Spectacle and I was the youngest person in this small school in Paris, and because nobody was my age they pushed me up a year up. Imagine your first high school week, you are the youngest and they put you in a classroom with older kids, oh and we are in Paris so, during breaks, everybody goes out to smoke cigarettes, which I didn't, so yes not such an easy first week.

Regardless of all of this I for the first time felt like I belonged. Maybe it was the conversation about philosophy and art or listening to everyone's conversations, singing, and dancing lessons, or just being around people that I understood and felt the same as me. I met my best friends there, who still today are so present in my life even though I've been living in different countries for the past 15 years, and only spent 2 years with them. As an artist, I could never find the same unity with women working in the same industry that I did. My first show was in Las Vegas, Donn' Arden Jubilee production of more than 50 dancers, and singers, I was the youngest there as well (I guess there is a pattern!) but I didn't really have any friends, I tried to make friends, but it just didn't feel right and I couldn't understand why? What was wrong with me? New York City taught me so much, yet still, I could never find a girlfriend working in the music industry just like I was. I was looking for someone that I could support and visa versa, but it didn't happen. A lot of girls would pretend to be my friend, only to jump on any occasion to go behind my back. Just so you know nothing good happens from that, you may win a small opportunity, but in the long run, being honest will always serve you. Arriving in London changed my perspective on things, maybe because I was a little older and more confident, maybe because I stopped looking but when I joined the Spice Girls tribute band (yes I am still performing with them, I'll let you figure out which one I am ?) things changed. For the first time since high school, I was working with 4 women on stage and off stage, and the exchange of stories of what happened in our life felt like home again. We are all professional singers navigating the industry in our own way, taking it day by day, sharing personal and professional journeys and it is great. As a singer/songwriter it always felt like it was a competition but what are we competing for? and more importantly why are we competing? Some would say for the part! Which part? Whether you compete or help each other, whoever is supposed to get the part will get it, right? I know if you are reading this, you might think but Andrea we are talking about an industry that doesn't have any rules! You are right. Perhaps it's time for us to regain and create our power like we never did before. We are not victims, we are warriors, things don't happen to us, we make things happen. Today in 2022 we still suffer from the pay gap and gender equality, and in my opinion, it's because as women we don't always come together. Men in England go to the pub, maybe by themselves, to watch a game and start speaking to the lad next to them, where do women go to meet other women? I have joined a meetup group, and women's member's club, and still, I haven't found my people. There is nothing wrong with any of them, maybe I wasn't patient enough, it just didn't seem to fit. Amplify Her was created to include all women in the music industry, whatever your path in life is. A community where we share our journey, stories, and industry contacts, converse, support, help each other grow, progress, and become more successful in our industries, without the red tape. A place where we play music or create or showcase our projects or not, I want to be clear that all women with the right mindset and desire to get along and support one another are welcome.

Monthly coffee/or wine meeting where we can talk and share our stories will also be set up. In 2022 only 13 percent of headliners in music festivals were women in the UK. It is time to do something about it, it is time to speak our truth about what we are really going through professionally and personally, and it is time to come together. Why are we letting the industry run us over, we are not victims of the system, we need to choose to work the system, and together is the only way we will be able to make big changes so that the generations to come don't think that gender inequality even existed. It all starts with a conversation, an exchange of thoughts, but what counts is what are you going to do with it together.

I hope you can join me at our event Launch Wednesday 26th October, and enjoy a night of live music, community and togetherness.

https://www.ticketweb.uk/event/amplify-her-ft-andrea-dee-troubadour-tickets/12492435

Is having a day job stopping you from living off your passion only?

So you just moved to the big city, got yourself a waitressing, or sales job somewhere, and just like in the movies, you tell yourself, this is temporary until ‘you make it big.’ Next thing you know many years pass by and you are still in the same place, you auditioned, even got yourself an agent, and joined many workshops but it doesn’t seem to work, you still have the same day job and that dream of making it big is looking more and more impossible. You tell yourself, that perhaps you don’t have what it takes.

You read many self-help books, listen to podcasts, some people will tell you to always have a plan B., some people tell you not to, and perhaps your day job offers you a promotion, that gives you the perfect excuse to forget why you started working there in the first place. You become a “normal” person, working your 9 to 5 job wondering about your next holidays, and online shopping ( there is nothing wrong with that ).

As someone who has been in and is still part of the game for many many years, I can tell you, there are no secrets. There is nothing wrong with a day job, I would suggest working somewhere where there could be opportunities for learning and networking. I have spent most of my adult life working a job, saving my money to create, produce the next best show, and repeat. I have lived in 4 countries where I followed the same pattern, work, save, quit, do only music until I run out of money, and start over.

They say that the definition of being insane is repeating the same action over and over and expecting a different outcome. Well looking back, I must be insane, but if you are reading this, let's ask ourselves, how would I do things differently?

I would suggest never quitting any jobs you are doing ( work part-time if you can afford it), there is always something to learn with everything you do. Do not put yourself down, or be ashamed of your day job, that is part of being an artist, you need to support yourself, live, eat, and more importantly, have peace of mind.

Peace of mind gives you space to create with no limit.

Take the pressure of wanting to make everything happen, right here, right now. Rome was not built in a day, it took years and years ( I need to remind myself of this). Focus on your craft, how can you perfect it, become better, learn a different side of your business and brand ( remember you are a business so treat it as such ) During covid, we filmed and edited our music videos which made me fall in love with visuals and art.

Be open-minded about the outcome, your dream might change, transform and that’s growth. A friend of mine recently moved from Budapest, she and her husband owned a dance company and thought they would have more opportunities here. When they arrived they quickly understood that they would need day jobs to support themselves. Her husband sent many many CVs of his experience as a director, but nothing. One of his side passions was interior design, during covid he decided to send his CV for a position and got it right away. He is now happier than ever doing what he loves, just something different.

Don’t compare yourself to others. Your friends might be on broadway, 5 years younger, and for them, it was so easy, well guess what? That is not your journey, and it’s ok. Your time will come.

Don’t listen to the negative voices around you, as well as yours! Sometimes the voice in your head can be the loudest.

Lastly, live your life as much as you can. Life is so precious! Sometimes when we are passionate about something, we can become obsessive over it, work, practice, and let it go. I know that you want to prove to the world, your family, but really yourself that you can do it and although that energy can make you move mountains some time, being kind to yourself is so important, remember you want to be in for the long hall.

While I m writing this for you, I am reminded of what really matters, yes I want and will have my number one single on the radio, yes I want to go and will go on tour around the world but until then I am here sharing my experiences, something I can not take for granted.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.

www.Andreadee.me

Journal of a singer

It would be a lie if I would start by telling you that I’m super laid back as an individual, that I go with the flow, and whatever happens, happens. I have my moments; I strongly believe you create your own life the way you want it to be. If I were to describe myself, I would say that I am a fighter, and just like anybody, I sometimes feel tired, weak, and vulnerable. I am hard on myself physically and mentally because part of me believes that I am not living the life I am supposed to live. Well, it’s getting better, but boy, I have worked and worked at it! My first love has always been music. At first, it was my escape, but then it became my safe space where I could breathe, where I could be, and where I could let go. I wanted it to be my life, but just like your first love, I felt like I didn’t know how I could live with it. What was once a place of total freedom and bliss now became the pursuit of perfection. Of course, there is no perfect song, but there is the feeling of having the melody perfectly fitting the chord progression and the perfect line of instruments, overlapping one another like a glove to a hand. I wanted to be a star. Well, that is what I thought. Deep down, I think I just wanted to be seen, heard, respected, and to make a name for myself or, even better, feel wanted. If you are an artist reading this, you know exactly what I mean. The more you are wanted, the more work you will get, and finally, you feel you are good enough. After all, if they want you then you must be important; you must matter. The truth is that I am still on that quest! Not to become famous but to be recognized for my work. My life is work, music, creation, composing, writing; it is controlled to the point that I want it to be amazing. Yet, in my personal life, I think I am a bit different. I know what I want and what I don’t want, yet I still leave space for this unknown. Whatever happens, will happen. In my early twenties, I was longing for connections, relationships, and love. I remember a friend of mine told me, “You will never be single, I don’t think you can handle being on your own”. The funny part is that every big decision I have made in my life was always made alone. I moved countries, I followed my gut and I was always alone, but he was right, I always felt like I needed somebody. I went from one relationship to another for eight years. I then decided that it was time to care about myself.

In society, some families don't like single women after you pass a certain age - well, at least my family - so I had the urge to do what I wanted when I wanted. I met amazing people on my path, on my travels, I had affairs with men that I knew wouldn’t last, but it was all about the moment. Then I was fine; there was no void to be filled in. I was an independent woman with goals, living life fully, enjoying the moment, but really, I made peace with all my expectations. There were voices in my head saying, “What if I am single my whole life? Who would want to be with a strong-minded female singer? You will probably never have kids! Maybe you'll die alone". I let all of that go and thought, so what? So, what if I'm single my whole life? Who is really the happiest? People get divorced anyway! If me being single makes you uncomfortable because you are scared that I might steal your man, then that is your problem, not mine. I'll go find my people. I want to tell you that this story has a happy ending, but I don’t know. I'm still figuring it out. In terms of my love life, once I started to let go, I found my special person who is on my latest podcast episode titled

As for the music, I am holding on. I'm not ready to let go yet. I have a feeling that I will have to do it soon because although things are moving forwards, it feels difficult, and lately, I noticed that the best things that happen to me just happened with no stress. I put the idea out to the universe, I did the work and, without expectations, received exactly what I was looking for.

How does life work for you?

Write me back Theandreadee@gmail.com