“You can’t please everyone”

The video has some of the same info but done in VLOG format;

My journey in music has been pretty unbelievable. I am one of those girls who had contracts in front of my face and I said no. I will continue to say no to rape. I like to think I can share a pretty unique perspective because I have been in every corner of the industry so far. I have been the girl on stage with back-up dancers and been in bands. I have had creepy managers and agents trying to sleep with me. I have written well over a thousand songs, I can play many instruments, I have coached vocalists, written for artists and produced bands. I have done editing on high profile records where I can’t tell anyone whose crappy vocals I fixed. I have even been a ghost-writer where I was sworn to secrecy and had to hide the fact that I wrote the Award-winning song. Gross, huh?

Why am I saying all of this? Lately, I have been challenged on my credentials. You are likely to be challenged you know, when you don’t talk about them, flaunt them or use them as a name-dropping device to see your career move forward.

I don’t care if someone disagrees with something I have said or done; free country. But what I don’t dig is the presumptuous comments that are said without the knowledge of who I am and what I am about. Basically, I am the type of person who floats through life pretty well and have become even-keeled over time without the need for recognition or applause. But what I don’t dig (and I am bringing this up because tons of people feel this way—YOU ARE NOT ALONE, I hope this blog will make you feel less alone) is when statements are made about me or my choices out of ignorance with nothing factual to back it up. Have you ever been accused of something you didn’t do, defend yourself and then you are accused of bragging? It feels like that. If I am not cornered, my claws stay in check and you’d never know I am a cat. ;)

Back to the bigger animal. Let me boldly address the elephant in the room (because my mood is feeling ever so bold today);

I have a sharp tongue. I have historically had a temper. But there are a few things I am not. One; I am not a liar. Two; I am not mean-spirited. Three; I am not ill-motivated.

Let me do one those blog entries which feel like a true diary entry. I will write to get some things off my chest . I hope you are not disappointed with me, but some things need to be said.

The largest elephant in the room I have seen getting bigger over the years of this community is the rock star status, or shall I say lack of one. People continuously say things to me like, “You Hollywood types.” And even worse, exclude me from being one of them (suggesting they are at the bottom of the Totem Pole)

Let me be as bold as I feel like being today. I grew up dirt poor…one parent, went through abuse and money issues my whole life. When everyone else was out at the bars, I was in my home writing music. I worked a 12 hour job and then worked in studios at night. It is the biggest slap in my face you could ever give to tell me I am some “Hollywood type”. I didn’t sleep with anyone to get to where I am and I work like a dog. I continuously educate myself to further my learning and I absolutely hate the gap between anyone musical or creative. If you are trying to put me on the top of the silver spoon group and yourself among the people who “work hard” or call yourself “the working man”, I need to correct you… I work VERY hard.

But see, what has happened is I am never so bold to say these things. People are confused by my lack of self-promotion. I will get accused of not talking about music enough or not blogging enough about regular topics. This is the elephant in the room that I never deal with, so today I am dealing with it.

I don’t get in people’s faces and talk about my music all day long because I am not so arrogant to think people want to know about that. I don’t believe music is about me, I believe it’s about healing the world and I believe it’s about going on a journey. I spend a lot of time with the community because I love people. I have been through enough garbage that I hope music can help heal. There is a whole spirit of music which moves outside of this crappy industry.

‘Music is a higher revelation than philosophy’. ~Beethoven (my top mentor) That is about it with me! It’s sad that decades of industry chatter has stolen our inner child. It’s disgusting to me.

“You can’t please everyone” isn’t the statement I am giving to you guys, it’s the statement people are saying to me. But the thing is, I don’t want to please anybody. I am not in control. This world is massive. My place is a speck on it. The Public Playground Project and Stever Community is my way of uniting people. Of course I make a living doing music, but please know my motivation is pure. I am not perfect. I don’t want to be on some Hollywood pedestal. I am living in Los Angeles and longing for my home in the country. Not everyone who does well here parties at the VIP Clubs. I like playing with you guys on the Playground.

I do want to encourage those of you who question my motivation; I hope you will find your place in the bigger picture. You are NOT at the bottom of a pole. I am NOT at the top. I don’t want to Record Deal, I don’t want the arrogant lingo. I don’t want the parties and I don’t care how big or small your name is. I love people, I love meeting people and I want music to find its rightful place soaring high above all of us.

This is life; it’s glorious and lovely, yet complicated and ugly.

I embrace ALL of it.

I love you guys tons. In the future, if you want to know something, asking is always better than assuming.

Love, Karen :)

“Do not be misled by what you see around you, or be influenced by what you see. You live in a world which is a playground of illusion, full of false paths, false values and false ideals. But you are not part of that world.” ~Sai Baba

“You must be a lotus, unfolding its petals when the sun rises in the sky, unaffected by the slush where it is born or even the water which sustains it!” ~Sai Baba