"Joshua Tree", an open letter by Dylan Emmet
Life definitely has a way of making sure you never get quite what you’re expecting. I experienced a moment of true insight about that a few years ago one night in the desert at Joshua Tree. Although I had been struggling in the music industry for a few years, that night, gazing at the endless starry sky above the desert, was the first time I ever questioned the validity of my dreams of becoming a successful songwriter and performer. I’ve known what I wanted to do since I was very young. I believed that being an artist, making and performing music, was my destiny. I’d always assumed that no matter what, I would find my way. The night in the desert was shortly before I was going to leave LA, which was both my home and the epicenter of the music industry. I was deeply sad about leaving, but not ambivalent. I had just received the stunning news that I had a two year old daughter, totally unknown to me, toddling around my hometown in New York. I was broke, panicked, and about to move across the country to live with my parents while I learned how to be Dad.
Finding out about my baby girl, Penelope, changed everything. My game plan and my understanding of how life was "supposed” to be just shattered. My hopes of signing a record deal in LA were dissolving. My last months in California were spent worrying about virtually everything. I was depressed. I thought my dreams were dead and my life was over. It’s a really beautiful thing to look back now, just a few years later, and realize that my daughter is the best thing that ever happened to me.
It’s been four years since I left LA. Penelope is the light of my life. I co-parent and share joint custody with her mom. When I’m not on Daddy duty, I’m writing and producing songs for other artists. In spite of the obstacles presented to me, I made music my full time job, a dream come true. Being in the studio every day has been a game changer. I never wanted to be a producer; songwriting and performing were always my focus. I got serious about producing because I was so far away from my crew in LA. Over time, I fell in love with producing. It’s been one of the many blessings that has emerged from my struggles. I don’t think I’d be the multi-skilled artist I am today if I had not been forced to learn to do it all myself.
These days, I’m working on my mindset when it comes to this industry and life in general. I’ve been through many ups and downs; it’s hard not to see the cycle so many artists endure. It’s easy to get wrapped up in your goals and your expectations of your work. If all you’re thinking about is getting to the next level, you may forget to appreciate how far you’ve come. I’m learning to take time to enjoy and reflect on my successes as well as my failures. I’m grateful for both.
I recently realized that my goal is to inspire people with my art, so every hardship along the way has actually been a gift. Maybe one day a discouraged artist might hear my story and think, “If he got through that and still made it, so can I.” Every time I question myself, I think of those stars at Joshua Tree, and of the people I want to help, and I feel better instantly. The music industry is everything people said it would be. It can seem impossible. It’s wild, but I’m starting to think that the feeling that it’s impossible might be among the best parts!
- Dylan
Click here to listen to Dylan Emmet’s latest single “In Time”