Singer-Songwriters Are Experiencing a Comeback in the New Millenium

One of the hottest trends in music in the new millennium is that of the independent acoustic singer/songwriter. Around 2002, John Mayer really opened up the door for this phenomenon when he released the EP Inside Wants Out independently and built a strong following independently, and then created a huge splash and label interest at South by Southwest. When his hit “No Such Thing” hit the airwaves and he became a mega star, it seemed that becoming an independent singer/songwriter became the new hot thing.

Also, the advent of the internet has made it possible for hundreds of troubadours to strike out cross-country with their guitar and a handful of soulful ballads and make a living, sometimes a very good one, traveling from coffee shops to clubs to bars. They sell T-shirts and posters and self-produced CDs. They promote themselves with internet radio and myspace pages and sell ringtones of their music and digital downloads. Now that the big labels don’t control distribution of musical material anymore, independent distribution has taken off and this has put much of the control back into the hands of the individual artists.

Here are two of the most exciting artists of the new millennium, who have used independent promotional methods to create names and careers for themselves.

Tristan Prettyman – Tristan is a native the North County area of San Diego, and her music reflects that easy, beachy style. Her sweet, positive lyrics and cheerful fingerpicking guitar playing style make it the perfect music for either a long, relaxing bath accompanied by flickering candles or a cheerful summer afternoon backyard barbecue. You may not be able to make it down to the beach, but all you have to do is pop in Trizzy P’s CD to feel like you’re there. Tristan’s live shows make you feel like you’ve just spent an hour hanging out with a good girlfriend, gossiping about guys and celebrities, rather than attended a concert. Her debut EP (The Love EP) was self-produced, and her two subsequent efforts (twentythree and Hello…x) have both been studio produced.

Matt Nathanson – Matt is the product of relentless independent promotion and touring, building a strong, even fanatical, fanbase developed through consistent efforts to make personal connections with fans. His lyrics are poetic and symbolic – they go far beyond the standard Pop ABAB rhyme schemes and “You’re so amazing I love you so much,” themes that dominate the airwaves on mainstream radio. His initial effort was the independently produced “Please,” released in 1993, while Matt was still in college. Over the next ten years, his independent releases included, “Ernst,” “Not Colored Too Perfect,” “Still Waiting for Spring,” and “When Everything Meant Everything.” He then released, “Beneath These Fireworks,” on Universal and “Some Mad Hope,” on Vanguard. He also released a concert recording entitled, “Live at the Point.” The combination of his winning material and hilarious, personal banter in live shows have made Matt one of the favorites among the singer/songwriter fan community.

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