We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Caroline Stump a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Caroline, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

A lot of the amazing experiences and successes would not have happened if I hadn’t taken risks. The first stand out risk I took was moving from my hometown of Des Moines, Iowa to Denver, Colorado to go to college for a degree in songwriting and music business. Going to college across the country is a risk in and of itself, but moving across the country to pursue a degree in music was something that was both terrifying and exciting. I have absolutely no regrets taking that risk.

The most significant risk I’ve taken in my life thus far came after college. It was 2020, at the peak of the pandemic, and I had just graduated from the University of Colorado Denver with a degree in Songwriting and Music Business. I immediately started looking for jobs and getting in touch with any contacts I had in the music industry. I was in the interview process for a job in Nashville, and decided to sign a lease before having the job secured. This was a scary moment, and one I’m not sure I would recommend, but I knew in order to work on the business side of the industry I loved I was going to need to make the leap and move out of Denver. Moving during the height of the pandemic was challenging to say the least, and moving to a new place where I didn’t know anyone well while social distancing took a toll on my mental health. Luckily, I had a great support system of friends and family, and Facetime calls were plentiful during that time. And the risk paid off, because I got the job! I now live in Nashville and am at the same company almost three years later, and couldn’t be happier with my decision.

The main lesson I learned from these risks is that nothing is permanent. If I didn’t like going to school so far away from home, I could transfer. If I didn’t get the job in Nashville, I could look for another. If I didn’t like living in Music City, I could move again. It’s hard to feel stuck in certain situations, and taking risks can help get you unstuck.

Caroline, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I have been playing instruments, singing, and writing songs for as long as I can remember. Both of my parents were avid lovers of music, so I grew up going to a ton of concerts and watching my mom sing and play the piano. My musical interests kept growing throughout my childhood and into high school, where I got involved with every choir I possibly could and playing shows locally around Des Moines, Iowa. When I told my parents I didn’t want to go to college, my mom and dad handed me a bunch of college pamphlets, all for schools with songwriting programs. I’m so lucky I had parents that pushed me to continue my education in a field I loved, and that led me to school at the University of Colorado Denver. I was studying songwriting there and involved with the Singer/Songwriter Ensemble that contributed immensely to my growth as a songwriter. It wasn’t until I took a music business class that I fell in love with the industry, and knew I wanted to be involved not only creatively in music but business-wise as well. I added a music business emphasis to my degree and graduated with both!

Now, I write songs and record and release music as an artist as well. I’m also the co-host of a podcast called The Songwriter Diaries that I started in college with my best friend Megan Ellsworth where we interview songwriters about their songwriting process, day to day songwriting routines, their personal industry successes, and other topics relevant to their experiences in the music industry. Those are all personal projects that feed my creative side, but my day to day job is in publishing and licensing for a record label in Nashville. This feeds the business side of myself, and I’m so glad I get to work in an industry that I love both sides of.

I’m extremely proud of my songwriting and the authenticity of my lyrics. I consider myself to be very open in the works I release out into the world, and I focus a lot on mental health. The goal is to make those listening know they’re not alone and that they have someone in their corner. I want to find the words for people that may not be able to find the words themselves for what they’re feeling or going through.

I’m also extremely proud of my work on the podcast The Songwriter Diaries. We work hard to come up with unique questions and topics that the interviewee may not have been asked before. We are coming up on our tenth season, and the guests we have for the upcoming episodes are outstanding and ones I’ve admired for years.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

The pandemic showed us the need for live music, both for audience members and performers. Go to shows. Buy their merch. If money is an issue and getting concert tickets or a t-shirt from your favorite artist isn’t doable right now, share their content on social media. Stream their songs. There is a lot you can do that doesn’t cost a dime but could help the artist out more than you know. Also, go see local artists in your community! The tickets are reasonable, you can make friends that are in the area, and it’s fun to see all your city has to offer creatively.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

This isn’t necessarily a resource, but I wish I knew that it’s not weird to reach out to someone over social media, email, etc. to grab coffee and pick their brain. The amount of people I’ve taken to coffee in Nashville just to get to know them and their experience in the music industry has not only led to great opportunities, but lasting friendships. Take a risk and reach out to someone in your area whose work you admire, and most likely they will be honored to grab coffee with you. I know I am whenever someone asks me!    

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.carolinestump.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carolinestump/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolinestumpmusic
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroline-stump-b342a6172/

Image Credits
All photos by Rachael Mason