Masquerade's Songwriting and Music Production Diary

Based on my lived experience, as well as in-depth research, I think it's important to have a hard conversation about how to make music and touring more just for women and disabled people. I'm a lifelong concert enjoyer and am grateful to have been able to play my music live. I think there's nothing in the world like going to an electrifying concert, and if I could bottle that euphoria, I'd hold onto it forever. Here's some background on me: I was prematurely born. One of the consequences is that I have mild cerebral palsy, manifesting in my legs. While I don't need a wheelchair, having CP leads to constant muscle fatigue and body tension, even moreso if I don't stay reasonably active. I stopped gigging years ago, but rough periods of being on the road and the strain of performing on a merciless schedule was twice as hard to bear on my particular body. Besides my physical disability, I'm a woman with PCOS. I grapple with anxiety every day, too.  In every...

This post was originally published in Feeling Creative digital magazine on March 13, 2026. Feeling Creative is a creative hub for storytellers and makers, spotlighting the work and wisdom of independent artists, filmmakers, photographers, writers and musicians. Feeling Creative magazine’s mission is to be a genuine creative space for creative people to guest post and build valuable connections for free (without any politics or ads). The blog empowers passionate and knowledgeable experts to share the stories, strategies, art and inspiration that fuel the creative world.  There’s a lot of noise surrounding creatives. For example, the cacophony of social media and its accompanying exhaustion and the serious threat of AI to creatives, linked to deeper issues of deplatforming and miserable streaming payouts for professional musicians specifically. As a Verified Human musician and member of New Bohemia, I am acutely aware of this concerning reality, along with the feelings of helpless...