In my four-year tenure at Belmont University, I learned techniques from Grammy-winning songwriters, acquired industry secrets from well-practiced music business lawyers, and took sage advice from successful artists. However, with all that I gained, there were a few very important things that I lost. The competitive nature of Belmont’s songwriting program made my personal writing process more sport-like and less organic. Songs became so sacred to me that I was afraid to stumble through them in the fun and messy way that had made me fall in love with songwriting in the first place. But, thanks to the Friends, I feel the magic coming back.
Here are 3 things the Friends have taught me about songwriting.
1. Authenticity over everything.
Unraveling my perfectionism has been incredibly challenging. I’ve become so afraid of creating something imperfect that I often find myself deciding not to create at all.
When I started writing songs with the Friends, I was amazed at (and, admittedly, slightly jealous of) their natural authenticity. They never wanted to give the most perfect, clever, or marketable answer; they only wanted to say what was most truthful to them. The Friends will always tell their truth, regardless of how silly it is. The Friends can’t not be honest.
In one of my very first songwriting classes at Friends Life, I asked the Friends what they liked to do when they got home from program at the end of the day. One Friend’s hand shot up excitedly, and when I called on her, she said, “I like to eat hot chips and take my socks off!”
My first instinct was to encourage this Friend to say something more relatable. To ask, “Okay, what else?” But the Friends laughed and laughed at her answer, so we put it in the song. Every time we would sing the song together, the Friends would erupt with giggles when we reached that line. This taught me that authenticity brings more joy than perfection or marketability, and creativity is all about joy!
2. Confidence is key.
The Friends’ confidence is something I strive to emulate in every co-write. While I overthink and strive for peak cleverness and precision, the Friends share their thoughts without hesitation, having faith in the relevance of their perspective. They don’t shy away from sharing an idea because it “might be stupid” or “could be better” or “might make them look weird.” They simply share – fearlessly, unabashedly, and without shame.
This creates an environment where the aforementioned authenticity is almost impossible to miss. The Friends can’t help it – they will tell their stories – all we have to do is give them a safe space and dedicate ourselves to listening.
The best thing a writer can ever do is approach the page with confidence and humility – knowing that their best ideas are inside of them somewhere and that they may have to do some digging and practice flexibility to find them. These are traits that the Friends exemplify daily. I’ve learned more about self-assurance from the Friends than I ever did at songwriting school.
3. To gain unique perspectives, involve unique people.
Much of my time at Belmont was spent trying to strike the balance between fresh and relatable; rare yet still accessible to the majority. Something I hadn’t considered until I began teaching songwriting at Friends Life is that the cultural experience that neuro-typical songwriters write about is not always fully relatable to people with IDD.
The Friends’ unique perspectives actually make them excellent songwriters. What limits them in certain social situations and creates extra challenges for them in their daily lives also opens them up to uncommon, incredibly special, creative pathways. The Friends think differently naturally. They don’t have to fabricate an extraordinary point-of-view because they were born with one.
Involving the Friends’ unique perspectives is a vital part of Friends Life’s advocacy mission. If more people know how the Friends see the world, we’ll be able to foster a more accepting environment wherein the Friends are not written into history at the last minute, or left out entirely, but instead become the authors themselves. They aren’t impossible to relate to, and they do not naturally exist on the fringes of society – we, whether we intend to or not, place them there by projecting our limits onto them. We must allow the Friends to write their own stories, and actively involve them in ours.
During my time as Friends Life’s resident songwriter, I’ve worked to show the Friends that they have the capacity to feel anything. They don’t need to be afraid of their feelings, or strive for perfection, or be the best. I’ve tried to show them that they can fearlessly be themselves, and that their story is valuable. The beautiful thing about it is, without even trying, the Friends have taught me all of those things too.
To hear the songs that the Friends have written, please join us for Writers’ Night on June 1st at Edley’s BBQ. Phoebe Scott, Alyssa Newton, Caroline Watkins, and Tamara Laurel, will be performing songs they wrote as well as AMAZING songs that the Friends have written. For more information, click on the button below.
Furniture-moving-company
Thank you so much for sharing all this wonderful info with the how-to’s! It is so appreciated!
https://bit.ly/3o2IBcy
https://bit.ly/3ROv71y
https://bit.ly/3WmrELl
https://bit.ly/4b6aRkc
https://bit.ly/4bqz3xG
https://2u.pw/7p9EBY9
https://2u.pw/yxjqpH4
https://2u.pw/NPKsEsd
https://2u.pw/jVHsVc6
https://2u.pw/FCZK7oT
https://rentry.co/c838re94
https://ko-fi.com/moversintaif
https://moversintaif.edublogs.org
https://rentry.co/c838re94
https://www.reddit.com/r/pnn4230/
https://www.reddit.com/user/PomegranateLife1229/
https://rb.gy/oegdmm
https://rb.gy/8zuqxs
https://rb.gy/tm6krp
https://rb.gy/oegdmm
https://rb.gy/8zuqxs
https://rb.gy/tm6krp
https://rentry.co/c838re94
https://ko-fi.com/moversintaif
https://www.pinterest.com/dammam_pmm1
https://www.behance.net/f7a8a5b3
https://pastebin.com/5cVEFCwd
https://goo.gl/iRWLXB
https://goo.gl/53wgB4
https://goo.gl/fkBcn8
https://goo.gl/W74Wwp
https://goo.gl/MKdvqr
https://www.crokes.com/movinmakkah/info/
https://yamcode.com/dlyl-shrkat-nkl-aafsh-bgd
https://hackmd.io/_Csjh1MqTaum7CUWa8Q3lA?view
https://hackmd.io/moversint/S1uyc369p
https://cutt.ly/4wCjlqaU
https://walling.app/H0nJyJwmmyuK1A2saCBQ/-
https://bitbin.it/lIf4wziu/
https://bitbin.it/BHOujxrS/
https://bitbin.it/v00s5VGQ/
https://commie.io/#NsQEihi9
https://linktr.ee/movinmakkah
https://movinmakkah.livejournal.com/306.html
https://pastebin.com/dVaMZ4Zc
https://paste.ee/p/SFOIM
https://oktob.io/pnn9799
https://oktob.io/posts/81103
https://oktob.io/posts/82001
https://oktob.io/posts/81294
https://oktob.io/posts/81200
https://oktob.io/posts/81107
https://oktob.io/posts/81211
https://taplink.cc/moversintaif
https://www.tumblr.com/movinmakkah
https://paste.myst.rs/cj1uyr2j
https://paste.myst.rs/yaj8vldp
https://pastebin.com/Sm58m4CC
https://rentry.co/movinmakkah
https://www.pastery.net/cmjuct/
https://pastelink.net/2az9iz5u
https://paste.ee/p/rNypS
https://pastelink.net/services%20in%20Taif
https://paste.mozilla.org/m7EM4sUi
https://paste.ee/p/kvMBq
https://paste.rs/Ual13.txt
https://devpost.com/moversintaif
https://www.youtube.com/moversintaif
https://www.pinterest.com/moversintaif/
https://www.pinterest.com/roqaya65/
https://www.wattpad.com/user/jeddahnakl
https://www.wattpad.com/user/linkedmohamed
https://t.co/bEnKpmhOua
https://rentry.co/5qunfauv
https://rentry.co/6szh6378
https://pastelink.net/jv497vbs
https://longbets.org/user/jeddahnakl/
https://rentry.co/v9enh7g6
https://www.instagram.com/mecca_054/
https://paste.ee/p/7nHsj
https://paste.feed-the-beast.com/view/e8c5a8fe
https://rentry.co/owf8z7x6
https://hackmd.io/-HiH-TvPQQG4zUUI0Il3eA
https://hackmd.io/YJc4k7QiRlGBTxSH_ix6Hg
https://hackmd.io/@movinmakk/r1WjXP-jp
https://hackmd.io/_Csjh1MqTaum7CUWa8Q3lA
https://hackmd.io/@movinmakk/HknekCQpa
https://is.gd/zMEJDl
https://is.gd/bdIzKb
https://is.gd/IkUfsB
https://is.gd/nXlMSI
https://is.gd/zfkyFq
https://is.gd/U1BdUe
https://linkr.it/1mFylz
https://linkr.it/4pMGZz
https://linkr.it/297s0K
https://linkr.it/4nuVcO
https://linkr.it/13sKd3
https://simp.ly/p/3ZbFV2
https://tinylink.net/3AQsw
https://tinylink.net/I9O0u
https://tinylink.net/PzN7W
https://tinylink.net/9atci
https://paste.kodi.tv/uginopizob
https://rentry.co/622f8cod
https://hackmd.io/Z0CQDnGeQGGWjwLYPiqHkg
https://bandori.party/user/192402/bbnn7592/
https://dojour.us/u/pnn9299
https://dojour.us/e/24030-/preview
https://www.mixcloud.com/pnn9299/
https://about.me/moversintaif1
https://www.furaffinity.net/user/moversintaif/
https://taplink.cc/moversinqassim
https://rentry.co/moversintaif
https://hackmd.io/@MoversinJeddah/SJlHOO4MA
https://movinmakkah.livejournal.com/
https://hackmd.io/@moversint/rkUC41_yJe
https://mastodon.social/@jazanmovers
https://www.tumblr.com/transferfurniturejeddah
https://rentry.co/6wv78gdb
https://hackmd.io/@moversint/BJ5PIGX70
https://ln.run/y2ztq
https://kagitumbahs.webnode.page/guestbook/
https://pastelink.net/v864u2wf
https://rentry.co/yn62aq7y
https://rentry.co/9gokq9qx
https://rentry.co/e975iq3q
https://bitbin.it/Ufe2Mip4/
https://bitbin.it/9aZeYGuP/
https://rentry.co/ceqb9ea5
https://hackmd.io/LlP4bDsuSyujt0cJ19V8vA
https://taplink.cc/naqel_afsh_taif
https://rentry.co/7r4tqvn9
https://rentry.co/tuwczb25
https://rentry.co/bxm67g24
https://rentry.co/gwpyq7ne
https://heylink.me/pnn6766/
https://lit.link/en/moversintaif
https://rentry.co/vih6yuf2
https://hackmd.io/moversint/SJRE9w2k1e
https://hackmd.io/moversint/SyXWIT6J1l
https://rentry.co/v2qb2uqx
https://hackmd.io/movinmakk/SyR0s2-x1x
https://rentry.co/5i9guay5
https://hackmd.io/movinmakk/rkwepQQe1x
https://rentry.co/7wodmhgh
https://hackmd.io/wuyXmYbdSxOJ54ZtXeJqAw
https://hackmd.io/movinmakk/SkgU0YA8zJx
https://hackmd.io/movinmakk/H17a87_Mkg
https://rentry.co/pox4fy48
https://rentry.co/i9x48uhq
https://paste.rs/dZXqx.txt
https://hackmd.io/movinmakk/HyTusRCf1e
https://notes.io/w7WLb
https://linktr.ee/furnituretransportationjeddah
https://tr.ee/zKrzKY
https://hackmd.io/movinmakk/HJXiAdH71l
https://hackmd.io/@moversint/rya3hjKQke
https://rroll.to/6AO0Pg
https://rroll.to/c07okm
https://tinyurl.com/3uf4nyu8
https://tinyurl.com/5evytyau
https://tinyurl.com/mut5dnr8
https://tinyurl.com/599puhku
https://shortnr.net/mPkaw
https://shortnr.net/WKcWH
https://shortnr.net/aPLRX
https://shortnr.net/qUegR
https://nz.sa/zgjFV
https://nz.sa/qHnyC
https://v.gd/sJdok7
https://v.gd/jS8s9u
https://is.gd/IkUfsB
https://lit.link/en/sitemovinmakkah
https://movinmakkah.simdif.com/
https://rentry.co/9k9aynpu
https://rentry.co/3ofo55p3
https://v.gd/p2LCfn
https://v.gd/1vYsEl
https://v.gd/5Un1Fw
https://pastelink.net/8ztk4lvk
https://pastelink.net/citsak2g
https://heylink.me/pnn9499/
https://v.gd/S7OVS4
https://moversintaif.simdif.com/
https://linktr.ee/albeetalzhabai
https://joy.link/sharikatnaqlathath
https://nz.sa/iTYrk
https://nz.sa/DoPTG
https://nz.sa/ndpfq
https://nz.sa/gkgYA
https://nz.sa/BSYVh
https://nz.sa/uHViJ
https://nz.sa/xPNvV
https://nz.sa/udiCr
https://bit.ly/4mfFqc3
https://bit.ly/3JZZuSs
https://bit.ly/480bwoX
https://bit.ly/4ny9mkQ
https://bit.ly/3I0o8lk
https://bit.ly/4gnKGZW
https://bit.ly/4mZ2hK3
https://bit.ly/4gjE7aG
https://bit.ly/4ny9HUE
https://bit.ly/4pkCzRJ
https://bit.ly/3JUAv2X
https://bit.ly/4nzQySh
https://bit.ly/3KmErta
https://pastee.dev/p/ySryDHkL
https://linkr.it/2sPBnl
https://linkr.it/2srIvp
https://linkr.it/3u65E1
https://linkr.it/V7lVp
https://linkbio.co/moversintaif
https://tempel.in/view/VBe
https://surl.li/unfnba
https://taplink.cc/rabighalalameya
https://cleaningtabuk.taplink.ws/
https://taplink.cc/cleaninginjeddah
https://taplink.cc/wfhttpsrentry
https://tinylink.net/4pKDG
https://linkr.it/2aiDa2
https://linkr.it/3AQvS6
https://linkr.it/47yzFL
https://linkr.it/3f7VTg
https://linkr.it/YNWvH
https://linkr.it/18FQ36
https://bit.ly/4nI9NZE
https://bit.ly/4238dJJ
https://bit.ly/3Km1iFj
https://bit.ly/42M1c01
https://bit.ly/3IA7Pf8
https://bit.ly/3W2MAFN
https://bit.ly/42M1c01
https://bit.ly/48xAI69
https://bit.ly/46i4ZEG
https://bit.ly/46hFMdy
https://bit.ly/42aHICd
https://bit.ly/3KioGDO
https://magic.ly/moversintaif
https://bit.ly/48xwawI
شركة نقل عفش بتبوك
https://jumperads.com/mecca/anti-insects-company-mecca.html شركة مكافحة حشرات بمكة
https://jumperads.com/mecca/water-leaks-detection-company-mecca.html شركة كشف تسربات بمكة
https://jumperads.com/mecca/mecca-company-surfaces.html شركة عزل اسطح بمكة
https://jumperads.com/mecca/mecca-company-sewage.html شركة تسليك مجاري بمكة
https://jumperads.com/mecca/mecca-cleaning-company-sofa.html شركة تنظيف كنب بمكة
https://jumperads.com/mecca/mecca-cleaning-company-mosques.html شركة تنظيف مساجد بمكة
https://jumperads.com/mecca/mecca-cleaning-company-Carpet.html شركة تنظيف سجاد بمكة
https://jumperads.com/mecca/mecca-cleaning-company-tanks.html شركة تنظيف خزانات بمكة
https://jumperads.com/mecca/mecca-cleaning-company-swimming-bath.html شركة تنظيف وصيانة مسابح بمكة
https://jumperads.com/mecca/mecca-cleaning-company-Furniture.html شركة تنظيف الاثاث بمكة
https://jumperads.com/mecca/mecca-cleaning-company-home.html شركة تنظيف شقق بمكة
https://jumperads.com/mecca/mecca-cleaning-company-Carpets.html شركة تنظيف موكيت بمكة
https://jumperads.com/mecca/mecca-cleaning-company.html شركة تنظيف مجالس بمكة
https://jumperads.com/mecca/mecca-cleaning-company-house.html شركة تنظيف منازل بمكة
https://jumperads.com/mecca/mecca-cleaning-company-curtains.html شركة تنظيف ستائر بمكة
https://jumperads.com/mecca/mecca-cleaning-company-Villas.html شركة تنظيف فلل بمكة
https://jumperads.com/mecca/mecca-company-tile.html شركة جلي بلاط بمكة
شركة تنظيف فلل بنجران
https://jumperads.com/jubail/anti-insects-company-jubail.html شركة مكافحة حشرات بالجبيل
https://jumperads.com/jubail/water-leaks-detection-company-jubail.html شركة كشف تسربات بالجبيل
https://jumperads.com/jubail/jubail-company-surfaces.html شركة عزل اسطح بالجبيل
https://jumperads.com/jubail/jubail-company-sewage.html شركة تسليك مجاري بالجبيل
https://jumperads.com/jubail/jubail-cleaning-company-sofa.html شركة تنظيف كنب بالجبيل
https://jumperads.com/jubail/jubail-cleaning-company-mosques.html شركة تنظيف مساجد بالجبيل
https://jumperads.com/jubail/jubail-cleaning-company-Carpet.html شركة تنظيف سجاد بالجبيل
https://jumperads.com/jubail/jubail-cleaning-company-tanks.html شركة تنظيف خزانات بالجبيل
https://jumperads.com/jubail/jubail-cleaning-company-swimming-bath.html شركة تنظيف وصيانة مسابح بالجبيل
https://jumperads.com/jubail/jubail-cleaning-company-Furniture.html شركة تنظيف الاثاث بالجبيل
https://jumperads.com/jubail/jubail-cleaning-company-home.html شركة تنظيف شقق بالجبيل
https://jumperads.com/jubail/jubail-cleaning-company-Carpets.html شركة تنظيف موكيت بالجبيل
https://jumperads.com/jubail/jubail-cleaning-company.html شركة تنظيف مجالس بالجبيل
https://jumperads.com/jubail/jubail-cleaning-company-house.html شركة تنظيف منازل بالجبيل
https://jumperads.com/jubail/jubail-cleaning-company-curtains.html شركة تنظيف ستائر بالجبيل
https://jumperads.com/jubail/jubail-cleaning-company-Villas.html شركة تنظيف فلل بالجبيل
https://jumperads.com/jubail/jubail-company-tile.html شركة جلي بلاط بالجبيل
شركة تنظيف فلل بحائل
https://jumperads.com/yanbu/anti-insects-company-yanbu.html شركة مكافحة حشرات بينبع
httsp://jumperads.com/yanbu/water-leaks-detection-company-yanbu.html شركة كشف تسربات بينبع
https://jumperads.com/yanbu/yanbu-company-surfaces.html شركة عزل اسطح بينبع
https://jumperads.com/yanbu/yanbu-company-sewage.html شركة تسليك مجاري بينبع
https://jumperads.com/yanbu/yanbu-cleaning-company-sofa.html شركة تنظيف كنب بينبع
https://jumperads.com/yanbu/yanbu-cleaning-company-mosques.html شركة تنظيف مساجد بينبع
https://jumperads.com/yanbu/yanbu-cleaning-company-Carpet.html شركة تنظيف سجاد بينبع
https://jumperads.com/yanbu/yanbu-cleaning-company-tanks.html شركة تنظيف خزانات بينبع
https://jumperads.com/yanbu/yanbu-cleaning-company-swimming-bath.html شركة تنظيف وصيانة مسابح بينبع
https://jumperads.com/yanbu/yanbu-cleaning-company-Furniture.html شركة تنظيف الاثاث بينبع
https://jumperads.com/yanbu/yanbu-cleaning-company-home.html شركة تنظيف شقق بينبع
https://jumperads.com/yanbu/yanbu-cleaning-company-Carpets.html شركة تنظيف موكيت بينبع
https://jumperads.com/yanbu/yanbu-cleaning-company.html شركة تنظيف مجالس بينبع
https://jumperads.com/yanbu/yanbu-cleaning-company-house.html شركة تنظيف منازل بينبع
https://jumperads.com/yanbu/yanbu-cleaning-company-Villas.html شركة تنظيف فلل بينبع
https://jumperads.com/yanbu/yanbu-cleaning-company-curtains.html شركة تنظيف ستائر بينبع
https://jumperads.com/yanbu/yanbu-company-tile.html شركة جلي بلاط بينبع
شركة نقل اثاث بعسير
https://jumperads.com/abha/anti-insects-company-abha.html شركة مكافحة حشرات بابها
https://jumperads.com/abha/water-leaks-detection-company-abha.html شركة كشف تسربات بابها
https://jumperads.com/abha/abha-company-surfaces.html شركة عزل اسطح بابها
https://jumperads.com/abha/abha-company-sewage.html شركة تسليك مجاري بابها
https://jumperads.com/abha/abha-cleaning-company-sofa.html شركة تنظيف كنب بابها
https://jumperads.com/abha/abha-cleaning-company-mosques.html شركة تنظيف مساجد بابها
https://jumperads.com/abha/abha-cleaning-company-Carpet.html شركة تنظيف سجاد بابها
https://jumperads.com/abha/abha-cleaning-company-tanks.html شركة تنظيف خزانات بابها
https://jumperads.com/abha/abha-cleaning-company-swimming-bath.html شركة تنظيف وصيانة مسابح بابها
https://jumperads.com/abha/abha-cleaning-company-Furniture.html شركة تنظيف الاثاث بابها
https://jumperads.com/abha/abha-cleaning-company-home.html شركة تنظيف شقق بابها
https://jumperads.com/abha/abha-cleaning-company-Carpets.html شركة تنظيف موكيت بابها
https://jumperads.com/abha/abha-cleaning-company.html شركة تنظيف مجالس بابها
https://jumperads.com/abha/abha-cleaning-company-house.html شركة تنظيف منازل بابها
https://jumperads.com/abha/abha-cleaning-company-curtains.html شركة تنظيف ستائر بابها
https://jumperads.com/abha/abha-cleaning-company-Villas.html شركة تنظيف فلل بابها
https://jumperads.com/abha/abha-company-tile.html شركة جلي بلاط بابها