Rosie Thomas – HuffPost 2.10.12

Mike Ragona: What advice do you have for new artists?

Rosie Thomas: Whatever you do, don’t compromise yourself. The world needs “you” not “someone you think they will like” and if you believe that, you cannot fail. I’ve always said I wouldn’t want anyone but myself to walk in these shoes of mine. They’re not as comfortable as you might think, but what I do desire for people is that they are cozy in their own pair. The world needs more heart, less self-indulgence. If you are doing it with your whole heart, you will win either way and it won’t matter to you how big it gets or how little. You’re just joyful it matters and you’re joyful for just doing it at all.

When I first played shows with my father, they felt just as important to me as the shows I play now. That’s how badly I want to share, that’s how strongly I feel about this being my “one true calling,” and it’s enough for me that it impacts anyone. It’s just gotta be or my heart’s in the wrong place, because it would never be enough if I thought about it any other way. My grandfather, for instance, loves me and thinks I have a pretty voice, but he wishes that I played country music because that’s all he listens to. I have a friend that only listens to doom metal and that’s cool, but my music might not be his cup o’ tea. Point is, there are a bazillion people on this planet, and all you have to worry about are finding the ones that love and relate to you. Takes the pressure off, I’d say! It occurred to me one day on tour that I felt a bigger responsibility than just singing and playing and doing my comedy bits. I wanted to engage with the audience, not just entertain them. I do that by sharing my heart up there — the things that I struggle with — in hopes that I am serving someone by saying something they might need to hear. The last thing I desire is to be put on any sort of pedestal, that’s yucky. So, I avoid that by choosing to be real… nothin but. That makes me way more comfortable, and I hope it makes people feel better knowing that we are all really the same. No biggie, they have their way of impacting and I have mine, and mine just happens to put me on a stage. And if it put me in a living room or a cubicle — that would surely be awkward and uncomfortable — I’d still do it with the same heart.

Don’t be in a hurry. Remember, slow and steady wins the race. There’s a book I love calledHope For The Flowers. It’s about two caterpillars striving to get to the top of a caterpillar pillar — tongue twister — and when they finally “get to the top,” they find nothing. Zip, zilch. There’s so much more to the story, but I think about that often, how we are so driven to climb yet lazy in our walk because were in such a hurry, and so willing to compromise to “get there,” yet where is “there”? Isn’t where we are the “there?” Great, now I’m sounding like Dr. Seuss. I’ll say it simpler: You are right where you are supposed to be and it’s up to you to see that as good enough. If it’s not enough, you gotta get your perspective right and your head back on straight. Stick to who you are, do not go down the ugly path of comparing and you’ll find your confidence, because no one can do what you are doing better than you! YOU are your biggest asset you see. Isn’t that comforting? Woo-hoo! And when you are being you, that grabs peoples attention. Don’t strive to fit in, strive to fit where you belong and you’ll be much happier. Giving is the key to happiness, so don’t get so caught up on you. Get caught up on what your way of contributing might be. That’s real. That’s refreshing. That’s the ticket!