We were lucky to catch up with Layne Elizabeth recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Layne, appreciate you sitting with us today. Maybe we can start with a topic that we care deeply about because it’s something we’ve found really sets folks apart and can make all the difference in whether someone reaches their goals. Self discipline seems to have an outsized impact on how someone’s life plays out and so we’d love to hear about how you developed yours?
Self discipline is typically very hard for me, especially having ADHD, but there’s a few things that I think keep me motivated and actually able to finish projects. Firstly, I can’t see myself doing anything else other than music and I’ve known it was my calling since I was a teenager, so giving up isn’t an option in my brain. The second thing that took a while to learn is giving myself grace. I feel like in a lot of creative fields your personal/work life can seem blended together, and so there’s a constant pressure to be creating, but learning to give myself grace when I am not very productive sometimes, motivates me more instead of making me super overwhelmed and stuck in paralysis.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I knew I wanted to pursue a career in music ever since I was 15, and since then have continued writing, working with new people, ect. One more recent thing I’ve been working on is producing. When I was recording my first album, I was like “wow this is really expensive” haha and I also was fascinated watching my producer do his thing. So after that, I decided I wanted to learn how to produce my own music, and after a year of learning I released my first self produced song. Now it’s my absolute favorite part of the songwriting process and I love helping friends with their projects. I plan on moving to Nashville in 2025 and hope to start producing for other artists there as well as working on my own music.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
I think the number one thing that had helped me get where I am today, is having people in my life who believe in me and fully support my music journey. My parents were very supportive growing up, and they both put a lot of time, energy, and money into my career. If I hadn’t had that support from them, it would have taken me a lot longer to get where I am today. Another thing that is extremely important in pursuing a music career is dedication. I think you have to treat it like a full time job before you’re making any money if you want it to be your actual full time job later. I always say it usually takes about seven years to “make it” in the industry. So if you just treat it like a hobby and you’re just seeing if anything comes from it, nothing probably will until you put all your eggs in that basket. Lastly, trying to surround yourself with people in your field who you can learn from is essential. Find people who have more experience than you, ask them questions, and let them inspire you!
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I usually do everything myself when it comes to making new music, but having another person’s brain involved can make songs sound soooo much cooler. I’ve been looking for other self produced independent artists to collaborate with, so if you’re looking to collab or know of anyone you can reach out to me through layneelizabethmusic on Instagram or TikTok! 🙂
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/layneelizabethmusic?igsh=ejVrb2F5ZmdlZXRv&utm_source=qr
- Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6IdzRunozxePQ14ElzQGtz?si=q4VNGyChRwO_ZOYEWR4qtw TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@itslayneelizabethyo
