We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jamie Floyd a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jamie, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
I have found my resilience in all the heartbreaks I never expected to have, the rejections that came despite my best efforts, in the people I didn’t believe would let me down and in every part of my story that I didn’t plan.
I started in the music business at 11 years old when I got my first record deal and publishing deal. I had been working hard, listening closely and singing along to Trisha Yearwood and Mariah Carey records, recording, performing hundreds of dates a year in South Florida, watching Reba McEntire videos learning how to command a stage, singing with my parents at their gigs (they’re full time musicians) and searching for and studying every industry book and article to learn the business, leading up to that first deal. When it ended shortly after the horrible events of September 11, 2001, at 17 I had to start my life and career over again. It felt like my career was done and really, it was just beginning. That first major reset in my life that happened when I was the age most people kick off their life and leave to pursue their goals, really lit a fire inside of me that nothing has ever been able to put out.
I remember deciding I would move myself to Nashville no matter what it took, shortly after I lost that deal. I immediately got a job working in a little cafe during what would’ve been my senior year of high school (I graduated a year early so I could work full time to move) and saved up a couple thousand dollars. I went from being flown to Nashville and New York to perform in glamorous shows with people who’s albums I listened to, being driven around in limos, ordering anything off the menu courtesy of the label— to cleaning up rat droppings under the frozen yogurt machine at 7am at my job at the cafe—all before I turned 18. It was so much major change in such a short amount of time, but I look back on it now and I see it brought out the warrior in me. Back then is when I discovered I came with a built-in, base line of determination that most likely came from being in a long line of musicians and dreamers that make up my family history. I’ve always felt that I was tapping into strength that came from roots I didn’t plant but that I’m absolutely and luckily connected to in a very special way.
Before I fell down hard and then got back up for that first time, I didn’t quite know what I was actually made of. Each time something or someone came around & turned my world upside down, I started to realize that through all the upheaval, sad was my superpower and with each disappointment, not only could I come back, but with more heart and grit and staying power, not less.
The concept of ‘this is only the beginning’ has continued to be theme in my career. I’ve had a lot of stops and starts but ultimately nothing ever stopped me from taking another step forward. Over the years I’ve been through a combo of 7 publishing deals/record deals. Some were a dream come true, some led to the darkest & most heart wrenching moments of my life and some I can’t even speak about. I recently had a colleague of mine joke that “if you aren’t legally prohibited from talking about what happened to you, you really haven’t been screwed.” He’s not wrong, hah. Having taken the Nashville rollercoaster for the last 20 years, I finally developed the knowingness that the only ‘No’ I really ever got was from me. All the others were really irrelevant and were never what held me back. I didn’t figure this out until recently but… I figured it out and that’s all that matters. This year has been a huge turning point for me, all these years and experiences have led up to the music I’m releasing now as an artist. I feel a magic and momentum around my life like never before and I really do feel like maybe I haven’t even gotten started yet.
I had a spiritual mentor of mine give me the most beautiful answer during one of the greatest obstacles of my career during 2021. I asked her: what do I say to [people who were fostering a very painful situation for me] when I have to face them? How do I forgive them? And she said: “You say ‘Thank you.’ How beautiful is it that you called for your teachers and they came?”
I have remembered this and always go back to it when I’m feeling lost or hurt or confused—the resilience I needed to make it to so many of my wildest dreams come true had to develop in me via a few decades of experiencing the unexpected. My greatest teachers came in the form of all my disappointments and failures and ultimately ensured that everything that needed to develop in my heart and mind, the resilience and the gratitude and the courage to keep going no matter what—became available to me exactly when I needed it most. I desperately needed them to come through for me so I could make it to where I am now.
All I can say is my most heartfelt: Thank you.
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?
I am a Nashville based 2x Grammy-nominated independent songwriter & recording artist. In my career I’ve been fortunate to have written songs recorded by Kelly Clarkson, Kesha, Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, Miranda Lambert, Ronnie Dunn, Sturgill Simpson, Ingrid Andress, Brian McKnight, Wrabel, Kalie Shorr, Ty Herndon, Ashley Monroe, Madi Diaz, Trousdale, Jake Hoot, Cassadee Pope, Camille Parker, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Hayden Panettiere, Kellie Picker, Lucie Silvas and more.
Excited to announce I got to write, record and I am the singing voice of the newest commercials and promos for NBC’s The Voice, announcing Reba McEntire as the newest judge! My husband Jimmy Thow and I produced the commercials together and they are airing now on NBC, Peacock and affiliated networks and will continue throughout the fall!
My recent single”I Never Want To See You Again,” a singable/danceable/cryable ‘country sad song in disguise’—was just named one of Billboard’s “Top 10 New Must Hear Country/Americana Songs.” I was also just named the “Country Artist Discovery Of The Week” by Music Row Magazine, and veteran industry critic Bob Oermann raves: “This bopping, danceable ditty is ear candy on several levels. The melody is enchanting. The production shines like crystal beads. Her soprano-leaping vocal is a delight. The songwriting is stellar: “I never want to see you again, until I see you again,” she warbles as she contemplates an up-and-down relationship while notes sparkle like glitter around her. A lovely record.” CMT.com featured the single’s official music video, along with the video for my follow up summer single “Sad Summer.” Coming 9/08, “Sad Girls Do,” is the final song of my 3 song “Sad Pack” planned for this year. I’m planning to release a full EP in 2024!
As a composer & lyricist, I’ve written all the original music, 20+ songs, for an upcoming new musical in development, “The King’s Wife.” The musical had its first 29 hour reading with the prestigious Playwrights Horizons in NYC. The piece is produced by Emmy and Tony-nominated and Drama Desk winning producer Jennifer Kranz in association with multi-Tony-nominated Rosalind Productions (Broadway’s The Prom, Funny Girl, Three Tall Women, King Lear), with book and story by award winning playwright Mêlisa Annis, directed by Tamilla Woodard (Hadestown) and with Music Direction by Ethan Popp (“The Greatest Showman,” Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, School of Rock).
I’ve also recently been writing songs together with artist Jeremy Ryan, for another new Broadway musical in development titled “That Boy Ain’t Right,” alongside my longtime collaborator and accomplished playwright, Mêlisa Annis.
I also host songwriting camps and offer mentoring, song feedback sessions and more via my business Song Therapy, founded in 2020. I love songwriters and enjoy working with them at all stages and levels!
In my heart of hearts, I’m hoping any success that comes my way allows me to shine a brighter light on very deserving causes that I support. They mean the world to me & I dedicate as much of my time & songwriting as I can to lift them up! I hope you’ll consider supporting them too:
Operation Song:
Operation Song empowers veterans, active-duty military members, and their families to tell their stories through the process of songwriting. I’ve been writing songs with our Veterans and their families via this organization for a decade now. These are the most important songs I write and I’m honored to help our heroes tell their stories to find healing. This outreach is so deserving!
NSAI:
The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) consists of a body of creative minds, including songwriters from all genres of music, professional and amateur, who are committed to protecting the rights and future of the profession of songwriting and to educate, elevate and celebrate the songwriter and to act as a unifying force within the music community and the community at large. I’ve been proud and honored to advocate for songwriters’ rights in Washington alongside this small but mighty organization & every bit of support helps. If you’re a songwriter, consider becoming a member!
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?
The skills most impactful on my journey were self acceptance, determination and not seeing others’ success as a threat to mine. Giving yourself grace and being gentle with your self talk, especially when you don’t think you deserve it, is really so crucial if you can be present and give yourself that in the harder moments. I always thought those things were going to come from the outside or someone else had to give them to me, but I had the power to do it for myself all along. This plays into determination too, if you’re able to realize it’s never the end as long as you believe it’s not, you can and you will keep going.
You will find a way. You will beat the odds. And maybe not how you imagined, but things WILL happen. Get in line and stay in line. And of course all of this plays into how seeing others succeed affects your own self worth. Early on I made the decision that I was going to help anyone who needed it. I was going to share my resources. I wasn’t going to confine myself to a scarcity mentality. And I was going to do this while consciously being aware to not expect anything in return. As I practiced this, I did at times get hurt or taken advantage of but even that was valuable and I have not regretted my choice to remain open hearted. I believe we’re all connected and it’s one of the lessons that I learn over and over—when I practice softening my grip and cheering others on when they’re winning, it does wonders for my own heart and motivation. I actively choose to be inspired by watching other people‘s dreams come true, especially those that we happen to share.
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
See answer to resilience question number 1, my spiritual teacher and her advice!
Contact Info:
- Website: officialjamiefloyd.com
- Instagram: @jamiefloyd
- Facebook: /jamiefloydmusic
- Twitter: @jamiefloydmusic
- Youtube: @jamiefloydmusic
- SoundCloud: @jamiefloyd
- Other: https://bio.to/jamiefloyd https://www.songtherapyonline.com/
Image Credits
Myl Pack Craig Shelburne Abby Walters John Martin JoAnn & Tom Floyd Mike Byer
