We recently connected with Tyler McMaster and have shared our conversation below.
Tyler, we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
Confidence and self-esteem are rollercoasters that can either be the most thrilling part of being a singer/songwriter, or the scariest. I have not figured out how to capture and hold confidence in a bottle for me to use when I’m feeling low or shy.; but when I believe in my talents and abilities, confidence lets me achieve my dreams.
At the beginning of my music career, I had a lot of confidence in myself because I had no fear of expectations or comparison to others. As I dove headfirst into networking and developing my skills in music, I began to hide under a shell of “I’m not like them. I’m not as successful as them. I don’t have the dedication to do what they do.” I critiqued myself to the point where I limited my own potential. I didn’t like how that made me feel about my own passions, my own creations. So, I realized I had to change my mindset.
I am continuously developing my confidence an self-esteem but I am making it a goal of mine to abandon that shell of shy safety and instead, strongly stand for my work to make it as successful as possible. It’ll be scary to do this, like a menacing rollercoaster, but I know the rush will be worth the climb.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Songwriting has been a part of me since I was 10 years old. I marveled at how powerful songs were, how meaningful a lyric could be, and how I could connect with people in a new way. As I grew older, I realized that I could share my feelings through song; that’s when I took songwriting seriously. I let the words take me to various melodies and choruses. Most of these songs will never see the light of day because they aren’t up to my high standards, but they all led me to the ones I release into the world for everyone to hear. I’m continuously inspired by Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Prince, and Stevie Nicks. They, along with many other greats, entertain the world. (Not an easy feat.) Through their music, public presence, and stories, they are entertaining escapes for people to feel completely free, at least they are for me. I hope, whether big or small, I do the same through my music, my presence, and my stories.
I have worked on my first album over the course of 6 years now, perfecting my craft as much as I can at the age of 22. I am happy to be releasing it throughout 2024, with two songs already out! Listen to “Under the Lights” (feat. Teresa Suydam) and “Mediterranean” now wherever you listen to music. Feel free to reach out to me @tylermcmaster22 on Instagram or TikTok to let me know you listened to them! When you’re an indie artist like me, I can personally connect and converse with listeners of my music, and I appreciate every connection I make! Be on the look out for Oasis, the album, coming soon!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three most important qualities to have in a music journey are authenticity, motivation, and perseverance. If you are authentic, the music flows freely and the connections you make as an artist are genuine. Nothing can compare to the real deal: you! Motivation is a mountain that gets taller and taller. Being an artist requires unstoppable motivation because no one else is going to carry you up that mountain. Perseverance goes hand-in-hand with motivation. As an artist, your goals are constantly being pushed higher as you reach a new milestone. Celebrate those small wins and always take a minute to look back on how far you’ve come. It surprised me to realize that after 5 years, I finally released my first song. This was a goal of mine for so long and it finally happened! I immediately created new goals for myself but took some time to pat myself on the back for getting that far.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes reignited my love for storytelling after I hit a songwriting roadblock for quite some time. I loved the original Hunger Games trilogy as a fifth grader obsessed with books. However, as my life got busier and more distracted, books were not a part of my life. With this new release of a nostalgic story, I gave it a shot. I was enraptured by the main character’s inner-dialogue. That story cannot be told in movies, only in the book. Reading and songwriting have interweaving ties to each other. They both tell stories and have a beginning, middle, and end. I hope that reading will make me a better songwriter and inspire me to share more of my story through different lenses, like how The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes did.
Contact Info:
- Website: tylermcmastermusic.com
- Instagram: @tylermcmaster22
- Youtube: @tylermcmaster22
- Other: @tylermcmaster22 on TikTok Tyler McMaster on Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever you listen to music.
Image Credits
Savannah & Steele Eckenrode Robin & Vicki McMaster Teresa Suydam Sophie Ott
