All I can say is some of the key essentials that you need to be a musician and create an album is:

The ability to be able to voice your fears, your experiences and your life in a clever way and make those your songs. You want to be able to identify with what your singing and your fans will know if your sincere or not. When I no longer was searching for someone to write me songs I realized I had everything inside of me that I needed to write my own songs.

Once you decide that you want music come hell or high water you have to go after it and I mean really after it. You have to have a fire deep within your gut to go after it cuz its hard work. After you decide that people will come into your life.

Always be open to learning more about the music business and take classes to educate yourself about it. Theres nothing worse with feeling lost and naive. Knowledge is power.

Surround yourself with producers, engineers and people that you sincerely really respect musically and who understand and know how to deliver the style of music you want to create. They want you to succeed...and they dont want to mold you into something that your not.

Write your own music if you can. If you need to take song writing classes. I really wish that I stayed with playing an instrument that would of just added an extra element to my songs. Also, you need to get something up on myspace and record your music so that your fans can hear you.

Social networking is where its at! That means once you have your music you need to get it on myspace, cdbaby, i-tunes etc etc.

I've been in the studio recording for two days and will be going back into the studio in San Francisco today. I started doing the final recordings for my album on Friday. I did two months of pre-production. I think the key thing is really working out the song to the best of its ability before you even go into a nice and big fancy studio. I did all of the pre production with a producer in Oakland in his apartment. I wrote all of the lyrics and I arranged it and recorded it with him. I flew Willie Norwood who is Brandy's dad from LA to work with me on the final recordings because I knew I needed help on adding adlibs and extra little riffs to add that extra umph. I'm so glad that hes working with me. I can't tell you how much its helped me with my songs and how he just brings a positive engergy to the studio so it makes me work harder. Anyways hope everyone has a great day!