We were lucky to catch up with Robbie Christmas recently and have shared our conversation below.

Robbie, appreciate you joining us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

I’ve been earning a full time living from being an acoustic singer-songwriter for about 15 years now. I had decided pretty early on in my life that I wanted to be a musician. Around 9 years old. I spent the next several years just learning, soaking up as much music and art as I could. It wasn’t until college that I had an opportunity to start performing and actually getting paid for it. I got asked to play some music for an Irish Pub. It was a weekly 3 hour gig. I had a binder full of songs that I was learning but it wasn’t nearly close enough to cover 3 hours worth of material. So I had to ramp up the amount of songs that I knew. I ended up performing at that spot for about 3 years and along the way, I learned what it was like to perform for a living- for better or worse. It was loud. The patrons rarely cared about the music that was playing and when they did, they had opinions on it and requests that I wasn’t able to fulfill. At least not immediately. I quickly learned that if I was going to survive as a performer in this kind of environment both emotionally, mentally and financially, I was going to have to get faster at learning, setting boundaries and certainly resetting my expectations. After my time as a bar musician ended, I began performing at wineries, hotels, bars and pretty much anywhere that would have me. I found myself in the wine country of Woodinville, Washington during a time where there were alot of young wineries looking to entice customers into tasting their wines and keeping them there. Turns out music is a great way to keep people tasting wine. So I guess I got a little lucky with the timing. I was performing 4-5 times a week at various wineries and hotels and making a name for myself. But I was mostly just excited that I was making a living. Over the years I experienced some amazing milestones- singing the National Anthem for the Seahawks twice, touring and opening for grammy award winning bands like Tower of Power, Jakob Dylan & The Wallflowers and Train. I’ve been honored to perform for over 150 weddings. I’ve lived in LA, done the whole “struggling songwriter shopping my music to record labels” thing; collaborating with other talented songwriters and pitching my music to record labels. But eventually I decided that what I thought about my own music was more important than what a record executive thought. Knowing what I know now, I would have spent less time chasing the approval of others and more time developing my own sound and nurturing my relationship with my craft. That has to come first. Building a career as an artist is a privilege, but one that requires constant reflection. Like any profession, there are times when the pressure to make ends meet tempts you to push beyond your limits. In those moments, it’s essential to pause and evaluate. What was once a passion-driven pursuit is now your livelihood—a double-edged sword that can deepen your connection to your art or strain it. Balancing your creative spark with the demands of survival is a delicate act, and it can profoundly affect your relationship with the craft you hold dear.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Robbie “RX” Christmas. I’m a singer-songwriter based in Seattle, Washington. I play guitar and sing. I’ve been releasing music under RX/Robbie Christmas for the last 12 years now. The name “RX” came from a childhood nickname (short for Robbie Xmas). I’d describe my genre as a blend between pop, indie and alt-rock. My sound has evolved over the years. But more often then not, I would describe my music as if John Mayer and James Taylor wrote an album together and George Harrison produced it.

I grew up listening to everything from The Beatles to the film scores of John Williams and ambient artists like Brian Eno. Once music took hold of me, I vowed to dedicate myself to the craft of songwriting and performing for as long as possible. The majority of my writing is about my experience as a deeply sensitive, empathic person- hoping that I can reach other “old souls” who feel slightly out of place or born in the wrong era but have a desire for connection and community.

Apart from releasing my own original music, I also perform as a solo act at weddings, corporate events and anywhere else. I have a fairly vast repetoire of over 650 cover songs spanning many genres in my library. Which makes every gig a little different and fun for both me and the audience.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Social media has undeniably transformed how we connect with one another and how businesses promote themselves. Yet, it’s unsettling how easily our minds can shift from sharing to comparing.

For a while, I dedicated countless hours to “playing the influencer game”—trying to crack the algorithm in hopes that my music would reach a larger audience. But over time, it became more of a distraction than a tool. I found myself discouraged, overwhelmed by how many talented people were doing the same thing: promoting their music, keeping up with social trends, and working to become influencers—all in the hope that someone might take notice and listen to their art. And who could blame us? We all want to know that our art is appreciated by someone. And right now, social media seems like the best way to get your name out there. But it can feel discouraging if you’re not getting the engagement you hoped for. That doesn’t mean you aren’t creating something of great value.

The current expectation for creatives isn’t just to excel at your craft; you’re also expected to be a full-time social media influencer. In today’s entertainment industry, your follower count often determines whether you get an audition or even a meeting with a record label. The pressure is immense, and even when you check those boxes, there’s no guarantee it’ll open doors.

Here’s my advice: whatever your feelings about social media, don’t let it take up more time than you spend honing your craft. As a songwriter, your primary focus should always be on becoming the best artist you can be. Social media can be a powerful tool, but it can also become a distraction if it starts to consume you.

Also, don’t pressure yourself to be something you’re not. People aren’t stupid—they can tell when you’re trying to lure them in with content that feels forced or irrelevant. So many artists fall into the trap of posting things that have nothing to do with their music—like jumping on the latest TikTok trend or sharing unrelated memes—just to stay visible online. While those things might get some attention, but I’m not sure they build genuine connections.

Personally, I’m happy with the content I create and the engagement I get. It’s not always in the thousands or millions, but it’s meaningful because it feels true to who I am as an artist. The community I’ve built is real, and that’s what matters most.

It’s natural to seek the recognition and visibility social media offers, but don’t depend on it. Don’t let it distort your reality or your values. I’m not saying “don’t use social media.” I’m saying: focus on your craft first. If you have time at the end of the day, sure—share your work. But never let it overshadow what truly matters: the art itself.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

We value music differently now than we ever have before. I encourage everyone to take a closer look at how much the streaming service they subscribe to actually compensates the artists they love. For example, Spotify pays artists royalties ranging from approximately $0.003 to $0.005 per stream. That means for every 1,000 streams, an artist earns just $3 to $5. When you consider the immense effort it takes to write, record, produce, and release a piece of music, this compensation is nowhere near acceptable. It sends a broader message about how society values artists and their work.

So, what can we do?

Go see your favorite bands live—whether they’re playing at a bar, a theater, or even a living room concert.
Buy their merch at shows to support them directly.
Share their music with your friends, family and on your social media to help them reach more listeners.
Purchase their music on platforms like iTunes or Bandcamp instead of just streaming it.
Make it a goal to attend a local show every month or so, even if you don’t recognize the names on the lineup. Take a chance on discovering something new. Challenge yourself to develop your own taste instead of relying solely on what algorithms suggest.

While algorithms can be helpful for discovering new artists, they only show a small fraction of the talent that’s out there—especially the talent in your own community. By being intentional about how you consume and support music, you can play a role in valuing artists for the incredible work they create.

Oh, and if you can, take a moment to introduce yourself to them at their shows. There’s something deeply meaningful for an artist in seeing the face of someone their music has touched. I’m so grateful I’ve had the chance to experience that many times throughout my career.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.RobbieChristmas.com
• Instagram: @RXRobbie
• Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/RXRobbie
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.com/in/robbiechristmas
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/RXRobbie
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/RXRobbie

Image Credits

Michael Kraus
Makayla McGarvey