you have to go through 31 to get to 52

When I first moved (back) to Brooklyn after living in San Francisco, I invited myself to do a crazy project: I would write one song a week for a year. I had heard the mystical tales of other people doing it before me, but I needed to experience it for myself.

It was one of the best challenges I've ever done. I learned so much about myself and the songwriting process and how what I had thought about the songwriting process was wrong.

One of the last songs I wrote, week 51 (one week left!), was a song called "Castle". When I played it out and shared it with friends, it was clear that it was a new favorite. I submitted it to a contest and I won runner up, which is something I'm very proud of.

It seems so simple but at the time felt like such a profound lesson:

you can't get to 51(or 52 or 1000!), without going through ALL the previous numbers. There is no skipping ahead.

I couldn't have written a runner up song (and continue to write better and better songs) without writing the first 50. And then the next 50.

Whether it's with songwriting, or anything else I'm starting, there are always going to be some shitty first drafts (aka stepping stones).

The song is inspired by the crush I had on my then guitar teacher and being too afraid to say anything. That's a different lesson and email for another time 😉

I put it on my album (Little Red Heart), and it's so cool to see how it started vs. how it ended. Without further ado, here is "Castle". 🏰


Listen on SoundCloud (how it began)
Listen on Spotify (album version)

all my love,
Dana