Chaeley

I have no plans whatsoever to take it up with anybody. Like I said, I have far less of an issue with the production length than I do with the way I see people being treated when they ask about it. As though they're impatient six year-olds, and not artists asking for a little transparency regarding the project they sank their time and energy into. As far as I'm concerned, those wrapping up the project can take as much time as they need to at this point. All I would like to see is a little more reciprocity from those people as far as understanding and leniency are concerned. Consideration goes both ways.

I collaborated on an arrangement for this album around four years ago. Whatever excitement or pride I felt in doing so has more or less evaporated over the years -- less because of the production gap and more because that gap has been peppered by admonitions like 'people just have to be patient' and 'remember that everyone is doing this for free'. As an artist/translator who routinely labors for free, I'd be mortified to know I was the one person standing between an audience and dozens of other artists waiting to be heard, never mind money. And not just for months, but for years. This isn't said to churn up the water, because honestly, I moved on a long time ago. I check back once in a while to see if anything's changed, but when there are months between status updates -- and the status updates themselves tend to be snippy and patronizing-- it shouldn't be a surprise that for some artists and listeners, the excitement for this project fizzled out a while ago. Laboring for free grants you latitude that working for a salary doesn't, but at the same time, it necessitates a higher level of professionalism and self-discipline to get things done when you know you're not going to be rewarded for it. It's easy to make excuses as adults, because life is busy, and it's easy to believe that your problems and responsibilities are somehow more pressing than everyone else's. But they're not, and two years of near-silence in response to a submission (and in some cases, four or five) is frustrating and hurtful, no matter who you are. I stopped holding my breath for this album a long time ago, though I'm sure it'll be wonderful when it does drop. I do hurt for those who are still anxiously waiting for their music to be heard five years later, only to be scolded for being impatient when they work up the nerve to ask when that might be.