Music Heals All Wounds

Chapter 15

"Yep, I checked it last night. That's crazy right?"

"Hell yeah. This song was a really good choice to put out as your first single. And Delani did his shit with that cover." He said as he scrolled through the comments. His statement about the cover art made me remember something. So, I ran upstairs to grab my laptop before running back down and flopping on the couch next to Eli. As soon as my computer came on I went straight to my emails.

Delani was supposed to be sending over another cover art for the song I was going to upload this month. I decided I would put out one new song every month for twelve months straight. Last month it was It's Not You and this month it was going to be Better Days. I had a handful of songs that I recorded in the studio and I had to do something with them, so why not.

"Wow." I said once I opened the email. The design and detail of the cover was beautiful. "Look at this, Eli."

"That's hard." He said, admiring the art. Eli was the one who recommended Delani to me and I was thankful for the suggestion because so far, Delani didn't disappoint. He was an amazing graphic designer. "Okay. So since you're really doing this, let's talk."

"About?"

"About plans for your career." I liked the sound of that, my career. "I think you can go far E, but you need a team. All those famous music artists that you know and listen to, they didn't get where they are by themselves. You got somebody who can produce your music and someone who can design your graphics, but soon you're going to need more than that."

"More like what?"

"Well, for starters, you're going to need a manager. Someone who has connections with people in the industry who can negotiate deals for you and help you build your brand."

"I can't afford a manager let alone an entire team." I said, starting to feel a little overwhelmed. I guess I didn't really think all of this through, I didn't have a strategy in mind. I was legit winging it.

"Essence, managers get paid a percentage of your earnings as an artist, so they don't get paid until you get paid. You don't pay them anything upfront." He said, placing his laptop to the side. He was in full business mode. "Listen, I have someone in mind who would be perfect for you. If she's willing to meet with you, then the two of you can get a feel for each other and see what happens. This could be what you need to get to the next step. She lives in Atlanta though, but there's a lot of opportunities in ATL."

"Eli, wait, just stop. You're saying a lot right now." I said, setting my laptop to the side as well. How the hell did we go from admiring the cover art for my single to talking about me relocating to Atlanta? This was way too much business talk for one day. "I hear what you're saying, but imma need a minute to think everything over. This is a lot to take in and I really wasn't planning on leaving the city."

"I'm not trying to overwhelm you, I'm just trying to help." He said as he eased up a bit. "I know more about this business than you do, so I'm trying to point you in the right direction. Take as much time as you need to think."

I knew he meant well and everything he was doing for me was appreciated. Hearing him say all those things just made everything feel a whole lot realer. I was actually chasing my dream and this shit was going to be tougher than I thought. I told Eli I would think everything over and I was, just not right now. Instead, I reached out to Maya and Morgan because I felt like getting out of the house. My car was fixed, but I still didn't feel like driving. Due to the nightmares and me not getting any sleep, I was feeling a bit sluggish. I was laying across my bed on top of the covers when Maya called to tell me she was outside.