There once was a lute player named Creativius.
He loved nothing more than strolling through the forest, dancing along, smiling and letting his fingers fly across the strings of his lute.
Oh, how I wish you could have seen Creativius! But first you would have heard the sound of his lute, like a choir of angels singing together in harmony, echoing through the trees. Then you would have seen him coming around the bend, his long hair rippling in the breeze, and he would have laughed and played you exactly the melody you needed to hear in that very moment.
He always followed his heart and his passion for his music, and his heart never led him astray. Well, until one day that is.
On that fateful day, Creativius was standing in a clearing in the forest. The sun was shining through a gap in the trees, casting a spotlight on Creativius. A group of birds had gathered to sing along with the lute, and the harmonies drifted through the trees and up into the sky. It was quite a beautiful scene.
As the final chords of the song faded, Fox, who had been watching from the shadows, crept out into the clearing.
“My, my, what a talented human,” said Fox.
Creativius smiled and lifted his lute, “It’s a beautiful day for some music! Would you like to hear another song?”
“Of course, in just a moment, but – well, I don’t know quite how to say this, but… you’re far too good to be playing out here in the woods, don’t you think?” Fox grinned. “No offense to these… birds… but, someone as talented as yourself should have a larger audience. Much larger!”
Creativius furrowed his brow, “Audience? Well, I never really thought about the audience. I just love to play, but if there is someone there to hear the music, then all the better!”
“Yes, exactly, all the better! And imagine how much better it could be to play for a real audience!”
The birds looked offended and Bluejay chirped, “Don’t listen to Fox, he is always scheming. He doesn’t even know how to siiiiiiiiiing!” Bluejay added a musical flourish to the last word. Bluejay could be a bit of a diva.
Fox snarled for a moment but then caught himself and brought back his sly grin. “Some of us have different talents, isn’t that right – but now I’m getting ahead of myself. I was so starstruck that I didn’t even introduce myself. I am Fox, lead agent at Fox and Partners Management Firm. I specialize in finding only the most talented performers and making sure they get the recognition they deserve.”
Creativius was new to this part of the forest – he had never heard of Fox and Partners Management Firm – but something about what Fox had said tickled a desire deep inside his brain.
“And you think I am talented enough?” Creativius asked, feeling an unfamiliar feeling – the feeling of wondering whether he was good enough.
You see, Creativius had grown up on a farm with his father, Talenteddio, who had been a famous bard. Talenteddio had traveled the world in his youth, performing for royalty in gilded auditoriums. After many years of the lavish life, he had fallen in love with a farmer’s daughter and had left it all behind to marry her and live as a simple farmer. But he had kept his prized lute, and he taught his son everything he knew – but with one condition.
Years ago, one night after dinner while sitting by the fire, Talenteddio performed the most beautiful ballad, complete with 12 verses and several extended lute solos. He then told Creativius, “Son, I will teach you everything I know, but you have to promise me that you will always play for the love of the music first and foremost. If you are playing for coin, for fame, or because you are forcing yourself? You will feel it, the audience will feel it, and the lute will feel it – and it will all turn to dust and slip through your fingers. Oh, and never sign a contract with an agent, they are a bunch of no good snakes!”
Creativius had promised, and his lessons had begun.
Back in the forest, Fox replied, “Oh yes, of course! You are more than talented enough. We just need to tweak your image, dial in on your signature sound, and start a marketing push ASAP…” Fox was staring into the distance, lost in thought. He shook his head and grinned at Creativius, “But we can discuss all of the details back at F&P – Fox and Partners, I mean – follow me.”
Fox took a few trots down the path and looked back at Creativius. Creativius wasn’t sure – he remembered his father had said something about agents and snakes, but this was a Fox. Besides, he could always decide to come back and play in the woods again. And why shouldn’t he have a bigger audience? He had practiced so hard, was it wrong to want to be rewarded for all his hard work?
Creativius took a step to follow Fox, and Cardinal chirped, “Don’t do it Creativius!”
But Creativius gave a smile and a wave and kept walking down the path with Fox.
“Well, at least we can say we knew him before he sold out and went mainstream,” chirped Cardinal to the other birds.
Fox led Creativius deeper into the forest until they reached a cluster of rocks by a pond. He produced a stack of papers from a hole in the ground and spread them out on a large slab of rock. “Are you ready to make history? Just a few papers to sign and we can get started,” Fox shuffled the papers and took out a feather quill pen. He crossed out some words and made some notes in the margins. “Let’s bump up F&P fees here… and a non-compete clause… yes, 2% of ticket sales go to artist after expenses… artist is responsible for marketing costs… perfect! Just sign here, here, and here.”
Fox held out the quill and Creativius took it. Creativius paused. He only knew about music and farming – he had never seen anything like this contract, and none of it made sense.
“And signing this will bring me a bigger audience?” asked Creativius.
“Exactly,” said Fox. “We just need to make sure you get what you deserve, that’s why it’s always best to get it all in writing. Make sure everything’s official.”
“Okay, you’re the expert,” said Creativius, and signed on the dotted line.
“Amazing!” chuckled Fox. “Now, let’s get you over to Croak Marketing for a strategy session,” he motioned toward the nearby pond.
As they approached the water, several large green frogs poked their heads out and stared at Creativius. “Croak. Welcome to Croak, winner of 3 Gold Algae Brand Innovator Awards. Croak. We see you have another client, Fox. Croak. What kind of campaign are you thinking? Croak?”
“The works. Rebrand. Sexier image. Influencer campaign. Press kit,” said Fox. “When can we get started?”
“Croak. You’re in luck, our day just opened up. Croak.”
Two days later, Creativius was crouching behind a bush, warming up for his artist launch at an exclusive forest-influencer-only event, organized by Croak Marketing.
Fox trotted around the bush and grinned at Creativius. “Great turnout. Lion is here. Lion! This will be huge for the big cat demographic.”
Creativius was feeling a bit frustrated. “But why can’t I play any of my old songs? Do I really have to sing the one about falling in love with a goat?”
Fox rolled his eyes and sighed, “Look, I get it, old habits die hard, but this is all very strategic. You’re not just strolling through the woods anymore. This is an audience full of tastemakers, and you really have to be dialed-in to make an impression here.”
Creativius nodded and shrugged.
“That’s the spirit! Now get out there and win them over!”
Creativius went out to the stage – a mound of dirt by a stream. Fox was right, the animals were all there. Elk, Boar, Bear, Ox, and even Lion. He smiled and winked at Lion like Fox had told him to. And he began to play.
The animals watched and clapped politely after each song, but they looked disinterested. The usual magic of the music was missing. Creativius could feel it, and it felt wrong.
It was time for the last song. Creativius looked over at Fox, who gave him a thumbs up and motioned to continue. Creativius decided that he would play one of his own songs – a song about strolling through the woods and singing with the birds.
As soon as he began, the animals perked up. There was a shift in the energy of the crowd and Creativius felt that familiar feeling of time slowing down and everything around him fading away as he played with all of his heart and soul. Fox was scowling, but Creativius didn’t notice.
The song ended with an especially intricate lute solo, and the crowd erupted with squawks, roars, brays, and snorts. Creativius took several bows and walked offstage and back behind the bush.
Fox came leaping around the corner, snarling, “What the hell was that?”
Creativius was taken aback. “Well, the new songs weren’t feeling right, so I played one of my old favorites. The crowd loved it. That’s good, right?”
“Good?” Fox shook his head and sighed, “See, this is why you have to leave it to the professionals. Is it good that you just ruined our entire marketing strategy? Is it good that you destroyed any little bit of brand cohesion that we had scraped together in time for this launch? If that is your definition of good, then yeah, you did good.”
Creativius was getting fed up with Fox. He had sat through two full days of marketing meetings with the Croak team, and all of it had felt… off. He had gone along with it because they all seemed so confident and professional, but when he had gotten onstage it had become clear. He had felt what his father had warned him about all those years ago – playing without passion. He knew right then and there that he was done with Fox, with Croak, and with this whole building an audience thing altogether. He was going to go back to strolling through the woods, playing whatever he wanted.
Creativius stood up straight, faced Fox head on, and said, “I’m done with you, Fox. I’m done with Fox and Partners, I’m done with Croak, and I don’t care whether I have an audience or not. I quit.”
Fox made a face that scared Creativius. “I guess I was wrong about you. Fine. You realize this is a breach of contract, right? It’s going to cost you. I hope you have the gold to cover Croak’s fee for the marketing campaign, the songwriting, the influencer budget… not to mention my hourly rate.”
Creativius didn’t have any gold. He was beginning to sweat.
Just then, Lion stepped around the bush. “Grrrrrrrreat set,” Lion growled. “A true rising star. That last song especially, brrrrrrrrravo! Fox, you really do have an ear for talent.”
Fox grinned and trotted over to Lion and whispered in his ear. Creativius couldn’t hear what Fox was saying, but he didn’t like the way Lion was looking at him.
“Well, well, well, what a delectable surprrrrrrrise. Fox, you know me too well. I just can’t rrrrrrrresist such a deliciously talented human!” purred Lion, prowling closer to Creativius. “I’m so sorry to hear that you’re struggling financially, but Fox has given me the opportunity to buy out your contract, and, well, I am going to take him up on it. You belong to me now, and I must say, listening to all that music has really made me hungrrrrrrrry!”
And before Creativius could say another word, Lion opened his mouth wide and pounced, and that was the end of Creativius.
They say that Creativius’ lute is still out there in the woods somewhere, buried in a fox’s den, and that if you go deep into the woods, by a pond full of croaking frogs, you might just hear the sound of Fox, trying and failing to pluck out a solo on that very lute.
But if you ask me, he probably just sold it to a traveling merchant and claimed it as a loss on Fox and Partners’ taxes.