I start recording a new album on March 5! I’m not announcing all the details yet - but this one feels very me. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to share: *Raw vocal takes *Studio moments *Arrangement changes *The messy middle *Decisions that don’t make the final cut You’ll see the real process - not just the finished product. If you’ve ever wanted to watch an album take shape in real time, you’re officially in the room. Any guesses as to what the album will be called? It's filled with songs from several different genres. :)

I got some really encouraging feedback on the last round of songs I sent to my publisher, and I wanted to share what that actually looks like behind the scenes. Of course, I always hope for the best - but in this business, you also have to mentally prepare yourself for “no” and learn not to take that personally. In this case, I got some yes's! What stood out to me wasn’t just which songs they liked - it was how specific the feedback was and how my thinking aligned with theirs. This helps me stay confident in being respectful of their time by only sending songs that are at the top of my game. Some songs landed vibe-wise or musically but needed stronger lyrics. One song is being tested quietly with some A&R people before any decisions are made on a single song contract (which is always really good news). Another song is one they want to “live with” for a bit - meaning they’re interested and want to spend more time with it. None of that is a hard “no.” It’s just part of how songs actually move forward behind the scenes. Honestly, having two songs land enough to even be considered is a huge accomplishment when you think about the incredible songwriters they work with daily. I’m really excited about that! The hardest part for me is learning when not to fix things just because I can. Sometimes the smartest move is to leave a song alone and write the next one better. I specifically asked on one song whether I should rewrite it or just write a new song with a similar vibe. That kind of guidance is crucial - it keeps me from wasting my time or theirs. Their answer was to keep the vibe, but write a new song. Do I still love the original song? Yes. Do I take this as “they don’t know good songs”? Absolutely not. In fact, I agree with their advice. That song was always meant to be more of a chill, vibe-driven track, and I liked letting the lyrics remain simple. I mostly wanted to see if they were interested in that style. Now that I know they are, I can focus on giving them what they’re actually looking for.