No Songwriter is an Island, A Reflection on Collaborative Songwriting

In Philadelphia, when you tell someone you are a solo artist, most people look at you in one of two ways. Either, they think you are delusional, very ballsy, and absolutely boring as a solo act. Or they assume you play covers, have no friends or songwriting catalog. Neither is the case for me. I am a traveling songwriter who has played in various lineup configurations who has a catalog that covers 90 songs which include 2 full-length albums, 1 anthology, 10 singles, 4 EPs, and 2 split EPs. Does that mean I am famous? Of course not, success does not mean fame. As a solo artist, I have found my experiences to be full of learning and discipline. Today I would like to talk about the simple benefits of writing songs as a singer-songwriter.

What it does mean is I am a songwriter, a person who writes songs and arranges them with music. I am a person who writes songs about a collection of topics that are unique to me and have all been created either by myself or with the collaboration of other creators. Often times the public misses the fact that bands are not the only people who are collaborating and creating together. Bands often separate the role of writing music, songwriters often have to create those roles and collaborate with others to make the moving pieces come alive. Arguably some can say songwriting as a solo act is much more difficult and dynamic than being in a band. Collaboration is often necessary when being a songwriter unless you are a multi-instrumentalist. The biggest benefit of collaborative songwriting is learning to think outside of the box and gain the perspectives of others.

I am thankful for the experience of writing songs with others. Collaborative songwriting has helped me understand this diverse world a little more. Being a solo act is not just storytelling or making covers of Wonderwall, it's sharing a part of who you are. Sharing who you are is also a part of helping the world be more connected. I think it's important to remember that, especially during a time where many people are often disconnected.

There are too many people to list, but if you have written a song with me, or have plans to collaborate, thank you for making me feel a little closer to being connected with this world that I live in.