We were lucky to catch up with Cindy Alter recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Cindy, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
My purpose found me. Music chose me at a very early age, and has always been the 1st in choice on my life’s journey. It has been a double-edged sword, the highs and lows of being successful in the music business and then being ‘just a working musician’ has tested my resilience and tenacity. I do know that if you believe in something strongly enough, you will at least commit to walking the path, not be swayed, and always being present as you ride the rollercoaster.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a musician, singer, songwriter, and have been doing this for 45 years. It has been my passion and has driven me all this time. What may be different about my music is the subject matter. I speak about real life, real emotions, real challenges, but it is always hopeful and full of possibility. I was in international pop-star at the age of 21, traveling in Europe and Africa, I’ve sold around 14 million albums worldwide, and my musical journey has never stopped.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. I was committed to living my passion, and if that meant sacrificing the comfort of a corporate job or security, I did it, but, never to my detriment. I always had a roof over my head andfood on the table. I don’t believe one has to suffer terribly in order to write good music. Struggle yes, but, suffer…no! 2. I had a basic knowledge of right & wrong, instilled in me from when I was a child. I knew how far I would go and how far I would not go. It was a sense of responsibility that I had towards myself. No self-harm if I could possibly help it.
3. Tenacity. I was determined but not blinded by it. I was hungry, but not desperate. There’s a difference between being blindly desperate and being conciously hungry for the thing you want.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
They supported my choices, but still held me accountable for those choices. They let me know it was okay to be different, but that not everyone would accept my life choices, and I had to know when to fight for it, and when to let it slide.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: cindy_alter
- Facebook: Cindy Alter Music
- Youtube: Cindy Alter
- SoundCloud: Cindy Alter
