Often, those who tread off the beaten path are misunderstood or mischaracterized and so we asked folks from the community to reflect and tell us about the times they’ve been misunderstood or mischaracterized.

Adrienne LaVey

Absinthe is something that has been very deliberately mischaracterized for over a century; first by wine lobbyists looking to demonize absinthe to eliminate it as its main competition, and later by unscrupulous brand owners capitalizing on a twisted version of those myths and misconceptions to sell a subpar product. Read more>>

Jeremy Gregory

I like to consider myself the “BlackSheep”. I most definely feel misunderstood and mischaracterzied 90% of the time in this industry. Being an Artist in a creative space 24/7 is not easy, However being an Independent Artist in a creative space 24/7 can be even more difficult. People don’t tend to see the day in and day out obligations that you face when it comes to dealing with this industry. Most think you live a life of luxury, what they don’t see is the blood, sweat, tears, mental breakdowns, and financial strain that comes with being a creative. At one point in time I was extremely embarrassed to tell people that I’m at artist simply because you get looked down upon when the people around you work in a corporate America. Read more>>

Anthony Quaid

Growing up in a conservative community in Louisiana, I definitely felt misunderstood as a young gay boy passionate about singing and writing pop songs. Traditional gender roles and heteronormative thinking had me believing for a long time that being attracted to men and aspiring to be the next Ariana Grande or Demi Lovato wasn’t okay for me to do as a man. Through a lot of self-work (and no small degree of support from loved ones), I’ve come to realize that my path as a queer artist is valid, and the only way forward for me is by continuing to be true to myself. Read more>>

nobodi

At Berklee College of Music, where I majored in songwriting with a focus on voice, I faced significant challenges navigating my performance skills due to my raspy voice. I was born with vocal nodules, which made my voice raspy throughout my childhood. My private voice instructor, Marcelle Gauvin, was incredibly encouraging and recognized my struggle. It wasn’t until she suggested speech therapy that my voice began to recover by my sophomore year. Marcelle continued to work with my through my senior year of college. Read more>>

Jennifer Karum

As someone with autism and being on the spectrum, my condition is often overlooked or not immediately apparent due to my higher functioning. This can lead to misunderstandings, as I may not pick up on specific non-verbal communications and possess an energy that not everyone knows how to respond to. There are times when people do not communicate with me directly, and often through 3rd parties, and as a result, I make a concerted effort to address situations once they are brought to my attention. Read more>>

 Banjo

When you create using pseudonyms like Banjo, Kid Porcelain and Uncle Popcorn – and build things called Tasty Nuggets, Toilets in the Wild and Film Reviews in a Snack – not being immediately understood tends to be built into the cake.

That said: have always believed it is on the storyteller to communicate clearly and succinctly. Banjo never apologizes for the raised eyebrows. Trying new things – and explaining those new things – often requires a fresh twist. The hope is that once a successful connection has been made, statements that once caused confusion (like describing your platform as a text-pic-vid-Social Media bouillabaisse and a link-a-rama for the click-ably curious) will morph into more favorable terms like singular, next gen and lovably unconventional.  Read more>>

Vanessa Irino

Growing up I’ve always been misunderstood. The black sheep in many ways including my creativity. Still in this society being different is taboo. But if your lucky, praised. Living in San Antonio the city praises small businesses and artists. And has yet to take notice of a different member of it’s city. It prioritizes art in the Mexican culture of sorts. I’ve tried it but it’s just didn’t work for me and it wasn’t successful. So I keep to being myself and what makes me happy to create. Going antiquing growing up is my favorite past time. I’ve always felt at home amongst the antiques. An old soul as some call it. I now dress in victorian wardrobe and collect antique pieces to create one of a kind art and jewelry. Read more>>

Jennifer Messina

Yes, I definitely feel that my work has been misunderstood or mischaracterized at times. When I announced the release of “City Rose,” some people assumed I was making a permanent switch to country music, which couldn’t be further from the truth. As a lesbian artist known for my dark pop sound, I wanted to push the boundaries of the conservative country music scene with this album. “City Rose” is not about embracing country clichés—there are no cowboy boots or honky-tonk tunes here. This album is a raw, blunt exploration of my own heartbreak, relapse, and the pain of not moving on for eight years. It’s deeply personal and honest. This experience has taught me the importance of challenging stereotypes and staying true to my vision, no matter the genre. It’s shown me that authenticity resonates with people and can bridge any divide, allowing me to connect with listeners in a very real way. Read more>>

Edwin De La Rosa

Misunderstood or mischaracterized? Where do I begin. Ok, I’m a story teller so let’s start with most producers thinking I need a chance to be a star. (lol) That is the opposite of what my vision is. I need to create whole worlds. Let us say an alternate reality of time and space. Including characters each with their own traits good or bad. Then I need to take all of that and put it into a wonderful little package of sight and sound which can be shared with everyone. Hopefully one that will delight or forever haunt its viewers. You see everything I create is not about me it’s about my ability to communicate all the crazy things I envision to everyone humanly possible. Read more>>

D. Lylez

Sometimes being creative can also be misunderstood by people not understanding the meaning behind a certain song especially if it’s not watered down . I was always taught to cater to the audience and what they like . It’s not fun at all because people like US for our personality . When it relates to them they become super fans of the product . These past few years people who are already in the creative field sometimes have a hard time understanding where I want to go musically and its because they are not tapped in with what’s really happening in music at this current moment. I’m not talking about a specific song but the fact artist are taking their voice back with freedom of how THEY want to express THEIR music whether you like it or not . Music is a subjective language .