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

Maddy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you take us back in time to the first dollar you earned as a creative – how did it happen? What’s the story?

I was about 16 when I earned anything as a creative. It was a loaf of turtle-shaped sourdough bread from Boudin Bakery in San Francisco, which my dad, sister, and I were visiting at the time. There was a piano in the lobby where I sat down and played a few songs. When I finished, one of the employees at the bakery brought me the loaf of bread which was very exciting for me. It made me feel like I could make something more of this hobby. About six years later, after practicing my craft for some time, I decided to take my guitar down to the First Ave subway station in Manhattan where I was living with my aunt. It took every bit of courage that I had to set up my little stool, take my guitar out, and set my case up to receive tips. I earned about $2.50 before I lost my confidence for the day, but it gave me the hunger to continue and set me up as a street performer for the years to come. Since then, I have refined my process and am able to carry on for hours at a time.

Maddy, 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 singing for as long as I can remember. When I was seven, my mom signed me up for piano lessons, and though I only took them for two years, I continued to play piano whenever and wherever I could. When I started high school, my little brother had lost interest in his guitar, so I began teaching myself with the help of Youtube. Singing and playing at the same time was my biggest challenge for a while as I started learning, but with tons of time to practice (instead of doing homework), I got it down. My other biggest challenge was getting the confidence to play in front of others. I didn’t see this as any kind of career option until I got that courage after I graduated high school. However, I then decided to post some videos of my own on Youtube, and there was no turning back from there. One thing I am most proud of at the current moment is getting a regular gig that I play every weekend. I have always enjoyed busking (street performing) but knowing that people want to come and see me play and enjoy listening is a huge step in my journey, and hopefully, it will lead to even bigger milestones. I hope to start playing at more restaurants in the near future as well as start singing at people’s weddings, parties, and other special events. I also hope to upload music to Spotify soon to allow people another space to access my music.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Coming from a family and community of artists, and being an artist myself, I know all too well that people will expect services and pieces of art for free. I understand- art is fun. Truly, it is! However, it’s a lot of work. It’s practice time, buying instruments or materials, buying equipment, buying gas for transportation, learning the songs you want to hear, and taking time away from other work or projects. Of course, we want to share art with the world, but it takes time and effort, which is why some of us choose to make a career out of it instead of going down another career path. Too many times I’ve seen my aunt, who’s a painter, spend large amounts of money on a project that she will end up giving away for free. So I will say this: Pay your friends, family members, and local artists who have chosen a career in art. Art is what makes life diverse, interesting, and enjoyable- we need it. Therefore, we need to take care of our artist communities.

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

In my earlier years of becoming a musician, I struggled with the notion that every note had to be perfectly in place. On the piano, this makes a little more sense. It’s easier to hear when a note is out of place, or when you play the wrong note. On the guitar, especially when you’re playing in front of an audience, it’s a little easier to move out of those mistakes as long as you stay on beat. As a busker, I discovered that it was more important to stay on beat and power through mistakes, correcting them as soon as possible, than it was to stop and get that right note. In practice, I stopped pausing during the song to go back and fix my mistake, and instead, focused on playing the entire song through on beat. I then could go back to those problem areas after I finished the song and work on them individually. This has made me a better performer live, as non-musicians rarely pick up on a wrong chord, as long as I correct it quickly, but they will notice if I stop the song to go back and correct my mistake.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mfaucimusic/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MfauciMusic
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@maddyfauci https://soundcloud.com/maddy-fauci