Official Statement
For artists, staying connected to their audience is often imperative, something that for an introvert like me has always been difficult and has taken much cajoling through the years from my publicist and manager. The “You need to post more” mantra was repeated to me often, much like when I was a child I would often hear, “You need to be more sociable.” Life tends to repeat itself. Regardless of how much I have always appreciated my audience, it has never been easy. However, because people continue to reach out to me asking when my next album will be released, I realize it is time to make a public statement and put that to rest.
I’ve been privileged to have worked in the arts since very young, and more than that, having had artistic parents who encouraged it. After years of acting, I came into the music business in my early 30’s and jumped on a rollercoaster ride that lasted nearly 20 years. I achieved more than I ever hoped for, but it also took a toll on me. This business can be grueling, demanding and non-stop, and many colleagues, past and present, reach a point where they must decide where to go to next. For me, much of my life was lived around other people’s expectations. As an artist, one’s work depends on the audience, reviewers, critics, sales and a slew of other concerns that can be very draining. But being artists is in our nature, and we often have to try and find a balance so that we can follow our calling. For many artists, our private lives are not as private as we would like it to be. Becoming a public figure means one loses a modicum of privacy, and that can, at times, be very uncomfortable.
Beyond that lies one’s own personality. Some need popularity to thrive. That has never been me. Since I was a child, I was never ‘popular,’ and being with the ‘in crowd’ was never important to me. The entertainment industry can oftentimes be one big bubble in which we must all think the same way, especially politically. It is almost expected, and some are shocked when they find out you disagree with their views. That also takes a toll. Many artists would rather walk that fine line carefully, so that they can continue to thrive in their careers. That was always something I refused to do. In fact, I never took kindly to being told what to do, what to think, and what to believe, and I always encourage others to be independent of thought and belief, regardless of how unpopular that may make them.
I was lucky enough to find success in my music work, something that sadly not everyone achieves, and have always felt this also carried a level of responsibility, especially to myself as a human being. There comes a time, a crossroads, at which point one must ask themselves the question, “How far do I want to go and what do I want to sacrifice for it?” Or, as my manager tactfully put it once, “You have to make choices, and at the end of the day hope you get to keep your soul.”
I have met some amazing people and mentors in this business, but also some people I would rather never hear from again. It has been quite a ride, but in 2019 I decided it was time for me to get off that train. I have since retired from the music business, even though I continue to do some work behind the scenes. I believe this is the time for me to explore my life away from the noise. The art I create now is just for me, and for the sake of art, not business. And I find that tremendously fulfilling.
I will always be grateful to my audience, to those people whom my work has touched and who, through the years, have reached out to me to let me know. Their support and love carried me, even during difficult times, and it was always for them that I created the nearly 100 songs featured in my albums and other work. I enjoyed telling those stories and it is my sincerest hope that they will still continue to entrance and delight.
Al Conti - 2020