We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Whitney Blake Myrick a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Whitney Blake, appreciate you joining us today. Do you feel you or your work has ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized? If so, tell us the story and how/why it happened and if there are any interesting learnings or insights you took from the experience?
I can think of several examples of being misunderstood or mischaracterized – my religious beliefs, my political leanings, whether I want to have children, my level of education. With music, I think the biggest misunderstandings would be my goals and my genre.
I have pushed back against being classified as a country artist because I don’t think it’s an authentic way to describe myself. As my music evolves though, I see it crossing over multiple genres, including country.
I try to remember that no one will ever understand another person completely – there is so much going on within each of us that even those closest to us won’t fully understand.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’ve wanted to sing and write music since I was a kid, but I didn’t really start pursuing it until I was having a midlife crisis. It took me completely turning my life upside down for me to get over the fear of what others may think and start going for it.
While I have been hesitant to label myself a country artist, I am starting to think it’s true. I only write songs that are true, and I think that’s the core of country music.
However, when I cover songs, no genre is off limits. When I play cover gigs, I will do acoustic versions of everything from Kris Kristofferson to Miley Cyrus to Metallica.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
When someone tells me that one of my original songs spoke to them, it reminds me of the power of music. All of my songs are based on my life and the lyrics are 100% true, so sometimes I think others won’t relate. But when I hear that someone does relate, it makes me think I’m on the right track toward writing music that can speak to a larger audience.
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?
It’s rewarding but also draining.
Sometimes when I am playing in front of a crowd at a restaurant or a bar and it seems like no one is listening, I start to wonder why I’m even there. If I miss a note or play the wrong chord, I’m thinking about it the rest of the song. I am not saying that it’s like that for all musicians. I am sure more seasoned artists don’t always feel that way, and I know it’s something I need to work on. When I get discouraged in situations like that, I try to remind myself that I’m getting the opportunity to play music. And even if people aren’t listening, it’s helping me toughen up and get more experience.
This path is also expensive.
Gear for live gigs, instrument repair, and recording all cost money. When someone asks a musician to play for “exposure” instead of money, it’s an insult to the musician who has poured so much time, energy, and money into their work. I mean, there are times I play for free because I am still early in my journey. If I feel the exposure or experience is worth it or if it’s for a worthy cause, I have no problem playing for free. But if someone out there thinks that it’s always okay to ask artists to play for free – maybe you should rethink your approach and whether you are actually supporting live music with that attitude.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.whitneyblakemyrick.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whitneyblakemyrick/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@whitneyblakemyrick
