Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jaye Budd. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jaye, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

Alchemy Sky’s Veterans Music Project is where post-9/11 Veterans have a chance to tell their stories through the power of music. Our nonprofit developed a program whereby Veterans can work side by side with music industry leaders be they producers, artists, session players or writers. After the song is recorded and mixed, we release the songs to the world. Veterans have input every step of the way and are credited writers when the song goes live.

Jaye, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Music. A vibrational, harmonic event set in time. Now that sounds fancy but it’s actually quite simple. Think of it as a connection. A connection that wasn’t there before someone tapped a drum, sang a note or strummed some strings. We as a society can use those connections to bring the healing power of music to those who need it. That’s why I started the Alchemy Sky Foundation.

It doesn’t matter if you are at your child’s recital, at a concert, or, like me, singing wildly off key to a song you’d never admit to liking in the privacy of your car heading down the road. Because music at its essence is connection, it means that we’re never completely alone. It also reminds us that, on some level, we’re all in this together. Music is proof that we have more in common than we do in difference.

We’re all broken. In some spot, in some place, we’re cracked. That is the Inherent Bug in our Grand Software. I firmly believe that the power of music and the connection it fosters can help within the space of those cracks. It can help put us back together and know that we don’t have to do it alone. It’s hope you can dance to.

You can check out our research tab at top of our home page to get the nitty gritty on the science behind it. (www.alchemysky.org) The advances in improving Alzheimer’s, stroke and traumatic brain injuries just to name a few are increasingly hopeful. Read Oliver Sack’s book, Musicophilia, describing unbelievable stories of mystery, healing and magic that only music could muster. Or you can just remember a time in your life when music made it better.

Love and Light,

Jaye Budd
Founder
Alchemy Sky Foundation

: Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Alchemy Sky’s mission is to bring the healing power of music to those who need it. Said another way, we are panning for gold. I see wondrous creativity in our Veterans. In some cases, they don’t see it or don’t believe that have it (at first). But it’s in there. Our job is to give them a safe, fun space to find it and manifest it through music. The gold comes when they surprise themselves with their art that springs forth into the world. Our main program is to help and coach Veterans write and record original songs.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

“I can’t sing.” “My choir teacher told me to lip sync in the fourth grade.” I took piano when I was in seventh grade but quit a year later after a train-wreck of a recital.” “I had a horrifying karaoke experience at a work team-builder.”

If we haven’t heard them all, we’re definitely closing in on it.

Roger Daltrey from The Who (really old classic rock band…) said, “Gimme a bad note and a bead of sweat any day.” I’ve heard Dolly Parton say, “Make a joyful noise.” Yes, these are uber-accomplished artists so perhaps it’s easy for them to say. But there is something to that.

One of the things we focus on is lowering the barrier to being creative. It need not be that mysterious. We can start in a myriad of ways. Tell us a story. What happened today? Where did you grow up? Do you remember a favorite teacher? Did you go to church when you were little? What is one of your favorite songs and why?

Creativity is everywhere. It’s in the cosmic cake batter. Finding and celebrating the small increments of creativity in people is the key to unlocking many a door.

If you think you are one of the “non-creatives”, I beg to differ.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.alchemysky.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alchemyskyfoundation/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alchemyskyfoundation
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayebudd
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alchemy_Sky
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrFpmgiwEoBIxsyEjD6aUwA

Image Credits
Copyright Alchemy Sky Foundation