This week has been a long one. My day job has kept me busier than usual, and this time of year always has a strange rhythm to it. By the time Friday rolled around, it felt like I’d lived two weeks inside of one.
On top of that, I’ve been closely watching the promotion for my singles. You may have seen the video ads I’ve been running for Kiss You Like and We Don’t Know Each Other. It’s been a fun experiment and a little surreal to see songs from my back catalog take on a new life with new listeners. That alone has been energizing in the middle of a heavy stretch.
I’m also excited about what’s next. My new single, Might Be Trouble, comes out on September 15th, and I’ll be dropping a lyric video on my YouTube channel that same day. I can’t wait to share it with you. This week I also worked a little on another new song called Click Bait. It’s got that 80’s pop-funk vibe I love, and I filmed some of the process for future videos.
But this week wasn’t just about music. Here in Minneapolis, our community has been shaken by the devastating loss of two children in a mass shooting at a church. My heart has been heavy, and the whole city is hurting. Some of my own online community members were directly connected to the victims, which made it all hit even closer to home. In the middle of that grief, I made the decision to cancel my planned YouTube Live stream. It just didn’t feel right to go live that day with so much pain in the air. My emotions were amplified, and I needed to honor that space. I’ve rescheduled the stream for Tuesday, September 2nd at 6 PM Central.
Tomorrow (Saturday, August 30th) will also be the final meeting of my Pro Writer Group. Leading that group for over a year has been such an honor—it’s been incredible to teach, encourage, and walk alongside so many writers. At the same time, I know it’s the right moment to close that chapter so I can pour more of myself into my own songs and share them with you. Tomorrow I’ll also be leading a song review session with Andrea Stolpe’s mentees, which I’m really looking forward to.
So yes—it’s been heavy, and it’s been busy. Somehow both at once.
If you’re reading this, I hope you’ve been able to find moments of joy and peace in what feels like a crazy and scary world. Staying the course isn’t always easy, but we keep doing our best. I’m thankful for this community, and I’m excited to share more music with you very soon.