December Lesson: Why This Month Is Your Secret Weapon as an Artist (Don’t Wait for January) Most musicians slow down in December. They tell themselves: “I’ll start fresh in January.”“I’ll get serious next year.” But here’s what top artists, producers, and music entrepreneurs really do: They use December as leverage because this month is the quietest, clearest, and most strategically powerful month of the entire year. Let’s break it down so you can hit January at full speed. Why December Is a Power Month for Musicians A pattern shows up every year: January is one of the biggest months for growth. Streams go up. Content views go up. Course sign-ups go up. Fans engage more. People set goals, get motivated, and look for new music, new artists, new creators to follow. Not because your music magically gets better, but because listeners get hit with the “fresh start” energy. Last year, I pushed hard in December, content, marketing, release planning, tightening my offers, and January exploded. And I noticed two more unexpected benefits from not “checking out” early… #1: Fewer Distractions → More Creative Flow December is quiet. People stop emailing. Everyone slows down. Industry folks stop scheduling meetings. Which means: You get long, uninterrupted stretches to produce, write, organize, and build momentum. Deep work becomes easier. Creative output feels smoother. Focus becomes effortless. #2: January Becomes the Easiest Month of Your Year While most artists scramble in January to: - reconnect with fans, - finish the songs they put off, - get artwork done, - plan releases, - restart content… You will already have everything ready. You’ll “turn everything on”… and watch it run. January becomes calm, productive, and even fun, because the hard part is already done. (And yes, you can still take holiday downtime. This isn’t about grinding through Christmas, it’s about being intentional.) So What Should You Actually Work On in December? Here’s where most musicians fall off:

LESSON: Why You Should Post Your Spotify Wrapped (Even If You Have Mixed Feelings About Streaming) Every year, Spotify Wrapped brings a wave of emotions for artists: excitement, frustration, pride, comparison, confusion… all of it. And I get it. Streaming can feel like a necessary evil. The payouts aren’t great, the system isn’t perfect, and it’s easy to feel discouraged if your numbers aren’t where you want them to be. Streaming services are one of the most powerful promotional tools we have in today’s music industry. Not because of the royalties… but because of the reach. My Personal Goal This Year I set out to get my annual streams back over the 1 million mark.I didn’t quite hit it, but I came close. And here’s what matters more than the number itself: Streaming has pushed my music into the ears of millions of new listeners who never would’ve found me otherwise. Even though album royalties have dropped dramatically for many artists (myself included), streaming has opened doors in every other area of my business: - More fans discovering my solo project - More support at shows - More opportunities - More visibility across platforms - More momentum for every new release That’s the real win. Why Your Wrapped Matters (Even If You Don’t Love Spotify) Think of Spotify Wrapped as: - A snapshot of your growth - A marketing asset - A fan engagement tool - A confidence booster - A milestone worth celebrating You don’t need millions of streams to show off your achievements. Even 1 listener in a random country across the world is incredible. That’s someone who chose your music out of 100 million songs. That’s real impact. Why You Should Post Yours Posting your Wrapped isn’t bragging. It’s storytelling. It shows: - Your consistency - Your dedication - Your global reach - Your progress - Your resilience - Your authenticity as an artist Fans love seeing behind the curtain. They love rooting for you. And every year you post your Wrapped, you build your narrative. You show growth. You show commitment. You show that you’re in this for the long game.

Hey all, I've opened up Track Review Group Session today to ALL members of our Skool community and past members this month. The session is Today, 2 pm PST, 8 pm GMT. Get your tracks ready to be heard and finished, and released! Ideally, it's an unreleased track so I can review it with everyone. Att: Elevate Your Craft members - Submit a song for our EYC Impossible Records Compilation Album! We are looking for another 3 tunes or so. Now is the time to get your tunes signed! Email or DM them to me (Dropbox or Drive link, pls) The link is inside the Skool community here https://www.skool.com/elevate-your-craft/calendar?eid=959ff87ad7a845ffb352da26e2a39d30 * Music Production advancement * Mixing Techniques * Mastering Sessions Direct Link here https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88267614190?pwd=m87pMUnnuXPtlpicvSJ1Vq2sBBjvXy.1 Meeting ID: 882 6761 4190 Passcode: 249453

Hey everyone, Our future bass producer & member Yoshi made a very dope Future Bass Sample Pack - His gift for everyone. Download it for FREE - https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/gldm8e3kn9c61jxv7em47/AFrk_0znHNRKGMtF2VwKZMg?rlkey=me5ili9bsqkp1h2y0ujnexydw&dl=0 Yoshi Future Bass Serum 2 SoundBank - 100s of presets! Yoshi Future Bass Vital SoundBank - dozens of presets Yoshi Future Bass Sample Pack - 100s of sounds! Give him some love and a DM here Ignacy Wąsowski @ignacy-wasowski-5801

Hey everyone, Life can be a real B#*ch sometimes. There are big ups and big downs, and many of you are feeling those waves right now. Huge wins, breakthroughs, excitement, and at the same time unexpected setbacks, heavy emotions, or pressure pulling at you from every direction. With the holidays upon us, everything tends to get amplified. Emotions run higher, finances can feel tight, schedules get packed, and the energy of the people around us can add to the load we are already carrying. But these ups and downs are a sign that you are alive, growing, and moving forward. Nobody leveling up has a smooth, flat road. The people you admire, the artists you look up to, the creators you think “have it all together,” they deal with the exact same swings. I'm speaking from the same ups and downs here in my studios.. Life is not easy sometimes... The one thing you can do is keep showing up. Feel the chaos, feel the pressure, and then use it as fuel instead of a stop sign. So if you’re in a low, breathe in and breathe out, then zoom out, and remember your story is still being written. If you’re in a high, ride that wave and build on it. And if you’re in the middle of both, which most of us are, stay focused on the craft, your habits, your growth, and the mission you are building. You’re stronger than you think, and you’re doing better than you realize. Bring clarity, heart, and momentum to this week! You got this!