One of the strange things about releasing music independently is that people often discover you in fragments. Not through albums. Not through a carefully planned journey from beginning to end. Usually through a single song. A random stream. A playlist appearance. A track shared online. And while I’ve released albums and individual songs over the […]
Sean Kearns
Songwriter Evening Returns — Saturday 6th June
Songwriter Evening returns on Saturday 6th June for another night dedicated entirely to original music. If you enjoy discovering new songs and supporting independent musicians, make a diary date now. This is not a typical open mic night. Every performer plays their own original material, creating an evening built around songwriting, creativity, and a genuine […]
The Musician Identity Problem
At what point are you allowed to call yourself a musician? It sounds like a simple question. But for a lot of independent artists, it isn’t. Because there’s often a gap between making music and feeling like you have the right to say: “I’m a musician.” And I’ve realised over the years that much of […]
Vinyl album of the week – Joni Mitchell Hejira
Joni Mitchell is, quite simply, a legend. Beautiful songs, soaring vocals and a singular path travelled all make for the stuff of legends and Joni has them all in spades. She has released some classic albums, my three favourites are Blue, Court and Spark and the focus of this week’s vinyl album of the week […]
One playlist – every song I’ve released
Over time, releasing music can become a bit… scattered. A single here, an EP there, maybe something recorded years ago that still means something, sitting alongside newer work that reflects where you are now. For anyone listening — especially for the first time — it’s not always easy to know where to start. That’s exactly […]
From the Room to the Stage: Two Very Different Kinds of Music Making
Most of the music I’ve made has started in the same place. A small room. A home setup. Time carved out around everything else. That space is where songs take shape. Where ideas are tested, refined, recorded, and eventually turned into something that feels finished. But every so often, those same songs leave that room. […]
Another great Songwriter Evening
🎶 A huge thank you to everyone who came along to Songwriter Evening on Saturday night — performers, listeners, and supporters alike. Another brilliant evening of original music, great performances, and an audience that came to truly listen. These nights only work because of the incredible community of songwriters and music lovers who support them. […]
Vinyl of the week – The Beatles With The Beatles
This is the album that kick-started my lifetime love of music. The picture is the battered remains of my original copy of With The Beatles that was bought way back in 1963. It wasn’t specifically bought for me, I’m sure my parents must have listened to it once or twice on the family Dansette, but […]
The Small Audience Reality: When a Few Listeners Is Enough
For a long time, I thought the goal was clear. Build an audience. Grow the numbers. Reach more people. That’s the direction everything points you in as a musician — especially now. Streams, followers, reach, engagement. It all suggests that success is something you can measure, something you can scale. And for a while, I […]
Finishing vs Perfecting: Why Songs Get Stuck
There are songs I’ve written that exist in a strange state. Not unfinished. Not abandoned. But not released either. They sit somewhere in between — recorded, developed, maybe even mixed — but never quite crossing the line into being done. If I’m honest, most of them aren’t stuck because they’re bad. They’re stuck because they’re […]
