These days, there is no shortage of friends, family members, college roommates or exes that need your support. Everyone seems to be some kind of maker or creative. Someone is about to release a mixtape, someone else is launching a clothing line, another friend just released a novel – the list goes on. Trying to support everyone can be overwhelming and a little expensive. However, showing love to a friend who makes music takes nothing out of you and can be pretty rewarding.
Let’s say you have a friend that’s a producer or recording artist. They’ve been hounding you about listening to their latest project, but you just don’t have the time. Nonsense! Listening to your friend’s mixtape is one of the most effortless acts of support you can provide. Find out if your friend’s music is available for streaming. If so, the amount of effort needed to take a listen decreases significantly because you don’t have to spend time downloading. Simply throw on the music while cleaning or taking a drive. It costs you nothing to throw a little background music on during things you planned on doing anyway.
Although you put little into the experience, listening to your friend’s mixtape can offer some pretty high yield returns. You could actually like their music. There might be a track that lifts your spirits or inspires you to do something you have always imagined doing. There might even be a song about you – a song you would have missed by skipping the listen.
Tuning in to your friend’s mixtape could also go a long way in maintaining and strengthening your friendship. People need support in different ways. Although you might need someone to listen to your job or family issues, your friend might need someone to listen to their art. Simply put, it’s your duty as a friend.
Depending on the dynamics of your friendship, it might also be your duty to offer some brutal honesty. Some friends will want you to give them a complete review of the work and how they can make improvements. Some friends won’t be very receptive to criticism. In any event, a healthy friendship should at least allow you to say, “It’s not for me, but I’m proud of you.”
This is also a bit of a reward. A friend that trusts your opinion will use your critique to improve. They will likely appreciate you for your honesty and call on you again in the future. If you’re just not feeling the sound, your honesty could come with some benefits as well. In the future, your friend might never ask for your opinion about their music and you can find other ways to show support.
In the end, you never really know what the future holds. Whether or not you think your friend is a musical genius, they might turn out to be a big hit. You will want them to remember you as a friend that showed support when possible and always kept it real.
