Releasing an album during a pandemic
by Kama Linden
I have been writing songs for over 20 years and touring as an acoustic songwriter since 2004. I had been writing for my newest album, “Everything In Good Time” since the summer of 2018. I had planned to record my new album in Nashville with the same studio and producer that worked on my 3rd release, which was mostly country, “Southern Comfort”. I made pre-production scratches, sent the files to the studio engineer, and paid my deposit. The plan was to use the Easter Break of 2020, as SAG-AFTRA work would probably thin out during that week, and it would be a safe time to escape. I also found subs for my fitness classes at the Gym as early as late February 2020. At this point, Coronavirus was just a joke on “The Late Show”, and was not a reality. It still didn’t seem that real when the 2nd case, which happened to be right in New Rochelle, where I swam at the gym 3–4 times a week, went to Costco, Shoprite, and Trade Joe’s, came about.
Of course, the Coronavirus became VERY REAL on March 13th when all Film and TV permits were pulled. I showed up for work at Steiner, got dressed in my uniform, went through hair and makeup, and was then told, “we were wrapped”! Cancellations rolled in from all the productions I was set to work on for the next 10 days. March 16th, the gym where I have taught for 22 years, said that we were all being “fired” so that we can collect unemployment.
I went through a good week to 10 days of severe depression. Slept a lot. Barely ate. But worked out daily. It was a cold March, so being indoors was not as bad as it could have been. I practiced for the new album, keeping my songs and my chops fresh. Then I eventually put a mask on once it was warm enough and went back to busking. People really needed to hear the music. And have a little bit of joy. I managed to sell off quite a bit of my older inventory. And get some new fans.
Once I heard that Nashville was going to open, I had contacted the studio engineer, who suddenly was “20 songs deep” and “the studio was overbooked!”. I was furious. I asked for my money back. Then I received a call from Darla, who ACTUALLY owned the studio, now called “Misstyx Studio” not “B.A.” who worked on album 3. We had a lovely chat, and she was more than willing to work with my budget. It would be 10 songs, (which eventually became 11, as we redid “Make Room For Mama” with way better production!). She and her husband Tim put together my musicians, Tony and Jim (who play for some major A-listers!), and the best engineer ever, Rodney Ingle. As everyone was looking for work, and happy to be working, they worked with my budget, and wow! 14 hours to track 11 songs! Layer after layer! They immediately got inside my head and took my melodies and chords and made my songs come to life! The 2nd day was vocals. I started at noon and sang song after song until maybe 4:30 pm. Then Rodney fed me harmony ideas, and I sang each one, and he plugged them into the right places. Around 6 pm, my part was done, and I left Darla and Rodney to do what they do! About 4 days later, when I got back to NY, I had the first mixes waiting for me. WOW! They were almost perfect already. I just asked for 2 little tweaks to my vocals on 2 songs, but I had a better product at a better price than I got with my first 2 albums, where I could have bought a house with what I spent at the New York studios, and the 3rd guy who bailed on me, could not even come CLOSE to the professional production that I got at MissStyx. New York quality (and beyond, really!) at NASHVILLE PRICES! https://misstyxstudio.com/
I should mention that I was in quarantine up until the day I left. I drove, and the only time I was in a hotel was when I was in Nashville. I mostly slept in the car. I bought food at the grocery store and cooked in the hotel room. I always wore a mask if in stores, gas stations, etc. I worked out daily, alternating between running trails, and doing step aerobics and weights (which were in the car with me). I drive a Honda Accord 2017, which for a 2,000 mile trip, I only spent $70 in gas! The best gas price, BTW is Virginia on I-81 Salem and south. $1.59 avg.
Anyway, next was the REPRODUCTION. Although I could have just released on Digital, and called it a day, as from June 18th when the album released on Spotify, until today’s date while I am writing this article, where I now have 4,077 followers, and my song “You’re On Video” is the popular track: https://open.spotify.com/track/4VyPvJez1NT4VZvgdG8UXR?si=Sn283Su3S_Ooj5SfJaw6UQ
I called both DiscMakers and Oasis. They are technically the same company, but OASIS is supposedly the BETTER VERSION of it. Oasis was offering FREE SHIPPING as they would not allow you to pick up your product, even with a mask. What should have been $1,300+ came out to just a little over $1,000 with the “extended turnaround”. I went on Fivrr, found Eman Studios, who did my lovely artwork, and Rodney sent a DDP file. Everything timed out within a week of the Spotify release of June 18th, and my other digital release of June 20th.
Next was PROMOTION! Bandcamp has been offering no cut of sales for the rest of the summer. BANDCAMP/kamalinden is great because you can get ALL of my albums in high quality MP3s, and you can purchase my entire collection for less than the price of 2 albums.
Songtradr is offering 100% sales revenue, whether or not you join as “PRO” until September. However, I did join, so I could take advantage of the college radio, as well as full % of any licensing opportunities. If you use this link, you get $10 off, and I get $10 back:
https://friends.songtradr.com/l/1KAMALINDEN68/
Radio is next. Bryon of BWH gave me 2 weeks of free Radio promotion: bwhmusicgroup.com. Lois High of Virtual Radio has already played my songs on 2 of her shows. But the real deal would be upping my Spotify followers! I started out with exactly 10 before my promotion.
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7lqGgAk0aiS8xDeMbJBggS?si=WmXcd0HhRY2zBFXzzi4pLA
Now, you can actually contact thousands of SPOTIFY Playlist Curators, many of whom will play your music for FREE! They do it for the love of music! There are at least 10 sites you can contact for free or cheap Spotify promotion. Many of them are running deals right now. Plus, Spotify will actually promote one of your songs for 2 weeks, so long as you choose your song 8 days before the release date. treceonce.com was offering $29 to promote 1 song for 2 weeks. Why not! Some “promotions” were not so cheap and did not give the same bang for your buck.
Either way, SPOTIFY has been a BLESSING for up and coming artists, songwriters, as well as folks who have been out there for years. It allows music to be heard, and to be kept affordable for listeners. Subscribers can follow and download as many artists as they choose, and artists are getting a part of revenue share that they may not have in the days of CDs and individual MP3 download sales.
Granted, some radio folks I have dealt with in the past, as well as reviewers for press are no longer working, or on furlough just like me. But apparently, there is no shortage of a need for music and positivity. People are listening, and people are hungry for music.
I, too, have been giving PANDEMIC discounts: I have actually been selling my new album, “Everything In Good Time” to my neighborhood folks in the Bronx who have been so kind to me in the past year for a friendly rate of $5. I am also offering lessons on zoom for voice, guitar, and personal training for a sick rate of $25 an hour.
Had the pandemic not happened, I would have had to “take off work” in order to record my album, and probably would not have met my wonderful Studio owner, Darla Perlozzi of Misstyx, who put everything in motion for me. I would have spent way more both on the studio and the production. I would have spent more on gas! I would have spent more in production! And I would not have had the time like I do now to get on the computer every day and work on promoting my album. Just like my album, entitled: “Everything In Good Time”, this was when and how everything was supposed to happen.
Kama Linden is a singer-songwriter with 4 studio albums, the newest being, “Everything In Good Time”, releasing in Summer 2020. She is also an actress, fitness instructor, freelance photographer, and has a fitness book: “Healthy Things You Can Do In Front Of The TV”.
Apple Music
https://music.apple.com/…/everything-in-good-time/1517559501
Bandcamp:
https://kamalinden.bandcamp.com/alb…/everything-in-good-time
Spotify:
