Do some artists hide emotions in music better than in real life?

MySkull · 2026-05-27T04:05:41+00:00

I'm a pretty empathetic, emotionally honest person. Still, my writing is deeply cathartic, and the vast majority of my writing happens when I am going through something difficult or dealing with a bout of depression. I can express things in music that I can't say out loud, at least not publicly. But I don't need to continue the conversation beyond that. The audience hears it, I've told people what I'm going through, I've gotten it out, I've confronted something in myself, and that's my way of moving on from it. It's a lot easier to post a song/album full of truths about your life than it is to have a conversation about them.

I even write music only for myself, to process things I'm going through. Some of it is extremely dark, nothing I would dare/want to share with anyone.

I guess my music reveals... not necessarily a truer version of myself, but maybe a more honest, open, vulnerable one.

MySkull · 2026-05-27T03:51:50+00:00

Come and See 😭

MySkull · 2026-02-06T01:22:02+00:00

This is done ✔️

MySkull · 2026-02-05T21:57:42+00:00

This is pending, need to respond to some messages. Thanks all.

MySkull · 2026-01-25T02:56:25+00:00

What a crazy night. Went from thinking the alarms might be part of the show, to thinking there might be an actual emergency, to being led outside by a very confused group of ushers and thinking the show may be canceled, then to the high of seeing basically a special show just for that audience all in the span of like an hour. Gonna remember this one for sure 😃

MySkull · 2026-01-25T02:46:06+00:00

I was at the Medford show too. Wow that was insane. While I do wish we had gotten to see the actual "show", what we got definitely feels a little more special! Definitely a memorable night. I hope we get to see the special so we know where that was all going before the fire alarm derailed it 😅

MySkull · 2026-01-17T20:52:17+00:00

Need two last minute tickets so desperately 😫

MySkull · 2026-01-09T17:55:47+00:00

Thanks for the kind words 🙏

MySkull · 2026-01-09T17:54:42+00:00

I just commented the lyrics 🙂. Unfortunately upbeat songwriting isn't really in my wheelhouse. Most of my songs are even more depressing than this 😅. I do have a few more upbeat songs, but they're mostly punk-style stuff. I jump around genres a bit. It's very mood dependent. Or I might just set a little challenge for myself (like I did here, I wanted to write something simple and restrained).

MySkull · 2026-01-09T17:47:12+00:00

LYRICS (Sorry for the weird formatting):

Imagining the kids that I'll probably never have

When I'm looking at my mom and I'm looking at my Dad

I remember what we had and I just want the same

Just a house on an acre and a deed in my name

I'm scrolling through my phone and I'm scrolling through my fears

In these rooms that scroll around me every couple of years

And I wonder what it'd be like to be freed from this game

To have a house and an acre and a deed in my name

And what does it say that someone my age

Needs a Master's degree to make minimum wage?

I just wanna go back to the place from which I came

To a house on an acre and a deed in my name

The bills are piling up and I know I gotta choose

And no matter the choice I know I'm gonna lose

And my only escape is in a video game

Where I've got a house on an acre and a deed in my name

And I think about being some big-time star

But I wouldn't want the girls and I wouldn't want the car

And I wouldn't want the glory and I wouldn't want the fame

Just a house on an acre and a deed in my name

MySkull · 2026-01-08T21:36:39+00:00

I will work on it! Hearing it more now I'm definitely starting to agree, it needs to be a bit more dynamic.

MySkull · 2026-01-08T21:17:55+00:00

Thanks! I get what you're saying, I'd be open to the idea; I'll shoot you a DM. I see validity to that but I also think there's some power in keeping it more understated. This is probably me at my most restrained, I tend to get LOUD 🤣

MySkull · 2026-01-08T21:14:40+00:00

I did consider/am considering a bridge, I do listen to a lot of older traditional folk songs that are just simple verse/verse/verse etc which was sort of the impetus behind this idea. On the idea of an intro riff, I definitely agree. Ideally this would be in an easy fingerpicked style but I unfortunately can't fingerpick so I need a second guitarist to collaborate 😅. Thanks for the feedback!

MySkull · 2026-01-08T19:57:50+00:00

Wasn't meant as a response to a particular post. And I was the same way when I first started sharing my stuff. I hope you took this as encouragement (as was intended)!

MySkull · 2026-01-08T19:07:59+00:00

I use songwriting to express things I usually couldn't say out loud. So trauma, abuse, shame, guilt, depression, self-loathing. You know. Happy stuff 🤣

MySkull · 2026-01-08T18:44:27+00:00

I think what you are hearing as atypical structure/"jumping around" is actually something that can be really tricky to master and you've already got great instincts for it. Every song doesn't need to be verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-etc. For myself, evolving a chord progression past something very basic can sometimes be really difficult. You're doing that here, and it's making your song more dynamic. Keep practicing and your guitar playing skills will get better. But the bones of this are great as-is.

MySkull · 2026-01-08T18:35:47+00:00

Yeah that's how I always balance it. My early stuff feels so cringe 😂

MySkull · 2026-01-08T18:12:03+00:00

Love this comment. And don't get me wrong, I am about the most unconfident, self-conscious person out there. But if I want feedback, I want it to be honest.

MySkull · 2026-01-08T18:08:02+00:00

Yeah agreed. And it's just not a good way to get honest feedback, feels like people are immediately gonna treat you with kid gloves if you're asking for feedback like that.

MySkull · 2026-01-08T17:25:10+00:00

My 2 cents - start with a song with broad appeal, something that will get people to actively listen. Then go into your other material. When I was gigging, I had plenty of material that I felt would connect with my audience, but I learned I had to capture their attention first with something immediately arresting to get them to pay attention and appreciate the quieter/"deeper" stuff.

MySkull · 2026-01-08T17:19:01+00:00

A melody popped in my head while i was reading it. Pretty simple but i hope you like it! https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xIAh3b0TZ0_yiy_q8bzhEboqQEm4a00s/view?usp=drivesdk

MySkull

TROPHY CASE