In the summer of 2001, I moved from Kingston, Jamaica to Miami with only my underdeveloped musical gift and a burning desire to be a successful songwriter/producer. I’ll admit I’d not given much thought as to how - in a town full of exceptional musicians - I was going to make a living other than with my music. I’d supported myself for a few years after college by djaying in bars and cafes but when I arrived in Miaim, it became immediately clear to me that this path was no longer an option. There were simply too many talented performers already taking advantage of the limited paid performing opportunities in town.

But I got lucky. At a local audio engineering school after graduating, I was offered an internship at a major recording facility. Despite my disappointment at not being instantly recognized for my production and songwriting “talent,” I knew enough to know that this was, at the very least, a toehold in a town where, as I later discovered, it can often take close to a decade before you begin to have anything resembling a viable, full-time music career.

A day job is a good idea

Day jobs, while initially not as attractive as our dream job of being full-time musicians, are a first and critical step in the right direction. This was absolutely true in my case. Little did I know that inerning for a music studio would lead to the kinds of career-long relationships to music publishers, label execs and countless other music industry decision makers that enable me to this day to make a living as a professional songwriter/ producer. All this to say, my starter job is, quite literally, still paying dividends (or royalties in this case).

Why we resist

When we know we want to write songs for a living, we become impatient to do it and don’t want to do anything that doesn’t further that goal. Taking a day job can often feel like a step backwards. It is better, however, to keep moving forward even if part of moving forward means finding a way to keep the lights on that doesn’t directly relate to our songwriting. I’m not a big believer in the “starving artist” approach as it often introduces stress into the equation. In my experience, stress and creativity tend not to work well together.

A day job strategy

When it comes to employment, especially in one of the big music cities (New York, LA or Nashville) it might be worth your while to be a little more selective. If you can find work that is, at least, partially related to music, you’re going to find that there are additional benefits beyond a simple paycheck. For example, by making your relationships and organic, genuine networking a priority - especially if the actual work isn’t particularly interesting or challenging - you’ll find over time that musical opportunities will begin to naturally present themselves. You’ll also find that your relationships will continue to grow with you. The contacts I made from my early days at audio engineering school are the relationships that directly feed my songwriting and music production businesses today.

Conclusion

While it’s difficult to be patient when you’re passionate about your songwriting, it’s critical to take the long view if your goal is to have a sustainable career as a songwriter/producer. While there are a few exceptional individuals that are successful as songwriters right out of the gate, the rest of us need to take a deep breath and figure out how to keep body and soul together on our long journey to songwriting success. One of those first and essential steps is a day job. However, by giving that work a little more conscious consideration, you could be paving the way for rewards years and even decades down the road.

Good luck! Dave