As musicians and artists, we put so much pressure on ourselves. The deadlines, the expectations, the late nights in the studio, the endless rewrites, and the feeling that no matter how much we practice, it’s never quite good enough. It’s exhausting. And sometimes, that pressure can suck the joy right out of what we love most—making music.

But here’s the thing: art isn’t supposed to be perfect. It’s supposed to be real. And sometimes, the best way to keep going, to break through creative blocks, and to truly enjoy the process again is to stop taking everything so seriously. That’s what I want to talk about today—how laughter, perspective, and stepping away from the work can actually help you let go of stress, reignite your creativity, and make your best art.

So let’s get into it.

The Weight of Perfectionism

One of the biggest struggles artists face is the constant pressure to succeed. We live in a world where productivity is glorified, and in the music industry, it feels like if you’re not constantly writing, recording, or promoting, you’re falling behind. There’s always another song to release, another video to post, another trend to keep up with. And if we’re not careful, that pressure can turn something we love—something that once brought us joy—into something that drains us.

We compare ourselves to others. We see artists blowing up overnight, and suddenly, it feels like we’re failing if we’re not growing at the same pace. We obsess over our numbers, whether it’s streams, followers, or views. We stress over whether our music is “good enough.” We re-record the same vocal take 40 times, trying to make it flawless. And before we know it, we’re so caught up in trying to be perfect that we forget why we started making music in the first place.

But here’s the truth—music thrives on emotion, not perfection. Some of the most iconic songs in history have imperfections in them. A voice crack. A missed beat. A raw, unfiltered moment that makes it feel human.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been in the studio when the singer’s voice cracks a little, or the guitar riff is a little offbeat, but instead of having them re-record it, the producer just smiles. And he ends up keeping it in the final version. Why? Because he says it reminds everyone that a real human recorded it. Not AI, not MIDI—a human. And he loves how just a small imperfection can make a track so perfect.

Finding Humor in the Chaos

I’ll never forget a moment back at Berklee College of Music—I was exhausted, overworked, and totally stressed out. I had an important meeting coming up, and as I rushed to grab lunch, I tripped. My shrimp and grits went flying. Right in the middle of the cafeteria. Everyone turned to stare at the girl now covered in food. And in that moment, I had two choices: let it ruin my day and break out in tears, or laugh.

I laughed. Hard. Because what else can you do when life just throws shrimp at you? And you know what? That shift in perspective changed everything. I went into my meeting not consumed by stress or freaking out that someone might notice the grits still in my hair, but lighthearted, and I absolutely crushed it.

Moments like that are reminders that we can’t control everything—but we can control how we respond. And if we learn to laugh at the chaos, we free ourselves from the weight of constant pressure.

Laughter as a Creative Tool

The same applies to making music. You’re going to have days where nothing sounds right. You’re going to forget your own lyrics on stage. You’re going to have recording sessions where your lungs feel like they have a hole in it because you can’t seem to hold your notes long enough. Instead of beating yourself up, laugh at it. Because at the end of the day, these are the stories you’ll be telling years from now. And like I mentioned earlier, it’s what makes you human.

And some of the best music even comes from happy accidents. That melody you accidentally played wrong might be the one that makes the song.

That’s happened to me before. That piano melody in my song “Oceanic Witch”. Didn’t know the recording button was on, and I was just messing around. Or in my song “wolves”.

You never know, that joke song you wrote in five minutes might turn out to be your biggest hit. That random dog barking in the back of your song might be the thing that makes your song memorable.

So next time something goes wrong, just take a step back and laugh. Because when you loosen up, you let creativity in. And when you enjoy the process, that energy becomes contagious—not just for you, but for the people who hear your music.

Step Away—Experience Life to Write About It

Besides laughter, Something we don’t talk about enough is taking breaks. How are you supposed to write about life if you’re not experiencing it?

So many artists—myself included—get stuck in this cycle of always being in the studio, always creating, always grinding. And while hard work is important, you can’t keep drawing inspiration from an empty well. The best songs don’t come from sitting in a room forcing them out—they come from living. From conversations, from traveling, from falling in love, from making mistakes, from laughter, from heartbreak, from being human.

If you’re feeling stuck, maybe what you actually need isn’t another writing session—it’s a day off. Go outside. See friends. Go somewhere new. Take a road trip. Dance in the rain. Let yourself just be without the constant pressure to produce. You’ll be amazed at how much creativity flows when you return.

You Don’t Have to Stop Working—Just Learn to Laugh

Now, I’m not saying stop working hard. You do have to put in the effort. But when you let laughter and lightheartedness be part of the process, all that work doesn’t weigh you down—it excites you instead.

When you stop taking every little thing so seriously, when you start laughing, rejection doesn’t sting as much. A missed note doesn’t feel like failure. A bad performance becomes a funny story. And suddenly, the industry doesn’t feel so intimidating anymore. It becomes fun again.

Final Thoughts—Don’t Take Life Too Seriously

If you take anything away from this, let it be this:

If you hear a “no,” it’s okay. If your numbers aren’t high, it’s okay. If you make a mistake, it’s okay. It’s all part of the journey. It’s all a part of your story. So remember to laugh.

You’re going to fail sometimes. You’re going to get rejected. You’re going to have days where everything feels impossible. But none of that defines you. What defines you is how you respond. And if you can learn to laugh, to take breaks, to enjoy the process, , you’ll not only create better music—you’ll live a richer, more fulfilling life

Thanks for reading, and Keep Dreaming Big!

God Bless,