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

Abbey, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

There have been a ton of risks I took in order to be where I am today, but I realized I’d rather take those risks than be unhappy with a life I would be living without them. Between moving across the country on nothing, getting myself through school, and engraving my passions into career, they certainly paid off. But it was painful, it had its hiccups, and brought me to the lowest points in my life. Between speakeazie and being a leader at DreadXP, I don’t regret any of my struggles, I can’t allow myself to to keep pushing forward. I have lost a lot of people close to me, fought through addictions, and crippling mental health situations that could of made it easy to quit. I continue to take risk every day, but I do so knowing the potential payoff and growth for me personally.

Abbey, 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?

With my stage name, I go by speakeazie and I make alternative synthpop music. I have been a musician my whole life, but didn’t start making material for speakeazie until the end of 2021. Professionally, I work for an indie horror studio and publishing company called DreadXP. Specifically, I am a producer, game developer, and designer, so I wear many hats for the company. DreadXP is special because of our focus on community and providing opportunities that indie game developers wouldn’t necessarily get in the industry. We have only been around since COVID, so the amount of growth and success we have seen is quite amazing.

I get to be a leader during the day and an indiepop artist at night, it is really a dream come true.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I would say seeing how it touches, helps, and inspires others. I feel various forms of art in my soul and it has really kept me going and gave me a purpose. If it touched me in such a deep way, I know it does for others too. The world has much more beauty with creatives, no matter the shade of emotion or passion.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I really had to unlearn that numbers do not mean everything. We as a society, especially with social media, look at the number of likes, listens, shares, etc and it is so hurtful sometimes. With both sides of my careers I have learned this though:

Likes on a post don’t sell games, as well as, listens on a song don’t determine how much it reaches the listener deeply. For me, the outcomes and authenticity mean so much more.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.speakeazie.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scruncho.speakeazie/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/speakeaziemusic
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Scruncho_speak
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFosxxFt8QDkXPaPd6Ux1DQ

Image Credits
Ian Owens Cleveland Mosher