ON PROMOTION

There are a lot of things that artists have to do that don’t feel like things artists have to do. Posting funny quips on twitter & filming promo & renewing your passport don’t feel like artist things, but you bet your bottom dollar they are. Currently, I’m in the song presave cycle, and I’m about to flood the internet for the next three weeks with “dID i JusT wRIte tHE SONg oF ThE SumMeR???” videos. Get ready.

I don’t mind it, really. It is a little reminder that I’m not that important, my art isn’t so undeniable that I can shit it out into the world and people will eat it up and say, “more, please,” in their best Oliver Twist voice. No, if I put out a song, and don’t post about it a million times, nobody will give a damn about it. No one will listen, and that’s good! I need to continually fight for the world’s attention (and I usually lose that fight). Sometimes, however, people see it and like it and send me sweet messages about it, and that makes it all worth it.

I see a lot of people in the artist communities trying to sidestep this process. I get it, it’s a little embarassing sometimes, takes a lot of time & effort, etc. I do, however, think it’s worth remembering that EVERYONE has to do it. Everyone who makes art, no matter how big they are, has to stoop to our level and be cringe & embarassing & weird and virtually BEG people to pay attention cause that’s the goddamn game we’re in.

You might say “but Carter, Beyonce dropped a record and didn’t pre promote it at all and it was huge.” You know why people still talk about that? Cause no one else has ever fucking done that. She hadn’t even done that before. It’s the exception that makes the rule. It’s like saying everyone should play basketball with food poisoning cause Michael Jordan did it in 97 and won. That’s an insane way to think.

That being said, if getting your art into more ears isn’t the goal, then nevermind. Some people just make art and it being in the ether & existing is enough! That’s awesome, I think that’s an extremely noble pursuit. Ignore all this. If that’s not you, though, get a fucking ring light and make some silly shit!

– The Interstellar Tennis Champion (Carter)