The music business can make it hard sometimes to just make music. The earnest quality of self expression takes a backseat to salesmanship and marketability. Something as personal as music can be ends up becoming something you have to pitch to people. An artist might've spilled their guts on a song but higher ups might end up focusing on its functionality. The battle between art and commerce is eternal, one Ashley McBryde knows all too well.
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Recently, she spoke with ESPN's Marty Smith and Ryan McGee in promotion of this year's CMA Fest. There, she candidly opens up about the frustrations that come with making music. Oftentimes, Ashley wants to say something true and meaningful but gets caught up on the dollars she has to make. It can end up feeling kind of useless.
"It's hard to make music in the money business. And some days, when you're trying to make sure you stick to the truth, you will question, 'Why do I keep busting my face against the wall when it just needs to rhyme with beer?'" McBryde shrugs.
"We need those songs too! That's just not what comes out of my bones. You know? And it's something that is a challenge because when you question yourself about, 'Should I water this down? Or should I be a little friendly in this direction or that direction?' You've already shot yourself in the foot, and you already hate the song, and you didn't even write it yet. All you can do is make the music that lives inside of you," Ashley adds.
Ashley McBryde Talks About The Balance Between Art and Commerce
So how do you strike that balance? At the end of the day, artists like McBryde want their music to pay the bills. But you also don't want to hollow yourself out in order to do it either. She explains the intuition in sourcing the truth in more commercial swings. ""You have to figure out where that balance is. Speaking your truth is important. It's important for you, and it's important because it's not just your truth," Ashley says.
"Someone else is experiencing the same thing, and they need to feel less alone. And that's the whole point of making music to begin with, or writing plays, or acting, or show choir. The whole point is for us to walk each other home in the way that we're able to," Ashley continues. "When it has to be more commercial than the truth, you're going to have to find where you're comfortable on that. If you can figure it out, great. And on the times you can, great. And on the times you can't, you probably won't put that song in your live set, and that's all right too. In the same way, a song that tugs at your heartstrings or makes you think, makes us feel less alone, sometimes we need to not think too hard. We need both kinds of songs."
