Another about Fire, and Solitude Alternatives

Lovelies,

My summer of 2024 was creatively charmed. I had so much to do -- songs to write, albums to produce, most notably an app to complete. And I was doing it! I walked blossoming streets and felt my ideas crystallize. I approached my piano and notes delighted to meet me.

A true thing: I whispered to myself daily, "This is the summer of my life."

Then July 30th I woke to my apartment on fire.

Some questions I asked: "Where will I sleep tonight?" "What will I wear tomorrow?" "Can I afford the Bay Area without my rent controlled apartment?" But also, my idee fixe inverted: "Is this (still) the summer of my life?" 

Around 11:30am, walking a long block from the still-working firefighters, I took a breath and CHOSE that it was. I'm proud of myself for this. And for how, with each next step I took, I made it so. 

But.

A few weeks later leading a rehearsal I felt like I was on the wrong side of a pane of glass. I heard the music from a distance. I saw my friends smiling, laughing, strumming instruments from a distance.

And whenever I sat to write, my words were so muted they were inaudible. 

What is LOVELY, and what I want to share today, is that it's PEOPLE who have broken the glass. Historically I've accessed creativity in solitude: Door closed. Door LOCKED! But now it's an artist asking for help that reminds me I feel song structure in my toes and fingertips. Now it's a production company asking to produce my song that reminds me to source content from the awkward truths of my experience. Now it's a Grieg melody that's my breadcrumbs home.

This week, between Muzi and music, I had meetings with France, the UK, Ukraine, and the Netherlands. It's a chaos of accents. I don't understand what's being said in so many different ways!

I still think solitude is a precondition to creativity. But now I understand there are seasons solitude is occupied, and it must be people who rush in to take its place. 

All love,

Rachel

Muzi Instagram is looking cute if I do say so. Come explore the depths and hilarities of the creative life with me!

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