My Incubator journey began on January 30,
2009 when I received an unexpected email from Tami Rowbotham, Vice-President of
A&R at Incubator Creative Group. At the time, I had just finished recording
my first Independent album, “Keep It Real” and was still in the post-production
process. The album process had taken a lot more time, energy and expense than I
had anticipated, so I was completely worn out. I was also starting to stress
about my marketing options and whether I had the energy to keep up this music
career at the rate of strain it was creating for me.
When I first got Tami's email, I was both
excited and suspicious. On the one hand, it seemed too good to be true – a US
Christian label approaching me – wow! On the other hand, I was suspicious,
there had to be a catch. It all seemed too easy. As Tami and I corresponded back
and forth, she offered me one year's free membership in what is known as their
“Music Ministry Accelerator”. All I had to do was sign up, and I'd have free
access to a 6-hour online seminar, as well as an ongoing relationship with
Incubator for one year. Tami assured me that she had such confidence in the
material Incubator was offering, that I would want more if I was the kind of
artist they were looking for.
I figured, what do I have to lose, so I
signed myself up. The online seminar took a full day, so I set aside a Saturday
morning and afternoon. Poised with a pen and notepad, I clicked on the link.
Nate Sakany, President of Incubator then presented snippets of a number of live
seminars he'd done with other Independent artists like myself. The
material was refreshingly relevant to me. There was so much information that I
had trouble processing it all at once, yet I wanted to hear more, as I finally
found someone who spoke my language. Here was someone who understood what it
was like to be a struggling Indie artist with the additional bonus of knowing
the Christian perspective of that industry.
Up until this point, all the books and
material I'd read, were from a mainstream, money-making, product-focused
perspective. Yet, the more I read of this kind of thing, the less motivated I
became, as it was so impersonal and seemingly impossible unless you somehow had
endless resources of money, time and energy. The goal was always about making
money as an end in itself. I felt like an extortionist, as everything I did was
suddenly coloured by that ulterior motive – is this going to make money?
Nate offered an alternative perspective to
the money machine. One that focused on people, on relationships and music – not
as an end in itself, but as a vehicle for something greater – my unique reason
for being put on this earth by God. Incubator recognises that everyone is
different and God designed us that way for a reason. Everyone can offer
something unique and special to the world. When we actually do that, the world
is a richer place for it. On hearing this, I was just dumbfounded. It reflected
so positively the same thoughts of my heart. Moreover, I was able to see how I
had fallen into the same traps that many emerging artists have trodden before
me – I was not alone.
Until now, my journey as an Independent
artist was very isolated. If I didn't make it happen, it wouldn't happen. I was
so tired. Worn out from the endless initiating and thought processing necessary
to see my songs come alive. Although I had a lot of support from family members
and close friends, they still weren't able to truly understand what I was going
through as a full-time Christian artist. They couldn't understand the
insecurities and inner struggles I now know are common to those of us in this
line of work. As I listened to Nate, I knew he understood my struggles as one
who has walked the path before me and seen countless others go through the
same. I wasn't a fraud or a failure, as I had
often felt. I was an emerging Christian artist, with the same struggles as many
like me.
By the end of the seminar, I felt more
encouraged than I had in the two and a half years since I'd started my
full-time journey. So when Incubator offered me the opportunity to upgrade my
membership at a discount price, I felt it was an opportunity not to be missed.
The membership acted as a means for Incubator and I to get to know each other.
Unlike most other labels, Incubator's audition process is not just about how
well I perform my music. They are interested in me
as a person and my life as a ministry.
The next 8 months I started working on my
Incubator “Artist Management Modules” (AMM) – a series of projects that I'm
held accountable to complete by a certain date. Once complete, Incubator
reviews my responses and gives me feedback. Through this process we have gotten
to know each other quite well. Some of the projects also involve phone
appointments with Tami, which are quite a challenge for me with the time
difference between here and Oregon (USA). I've had to be up at 5am a couple of
times, but the conversations are always so encouraging, it doesn't bother me so
much.
In November 2009, Incubator offered me an
“Artist & Repertoire” (A&R) agreement with them. The agreement would
secure me as one of their “roster artists”, giving me access to their wealth of
resources to help grow my ministry as one that will last for the long term. As
my ministry grows, they will receive a portion back of what I make. I was a
little hesitant to commit at first, but every time I've doubted, the next thing
in my Incubator material answers all my questions. So, in my heart, I know this
is something God wants to give me for my benefit and the benefit of all those
He wants to bless through my ministry.
