Social media has been an incredible tool to connect to my fan base, and collaborate with people around the world. Some of my biggest breaks have come through people hearing my music on the Internet and then contacting me through social media.

In Europe, radio stations are owned by a variety of different entities, so there is less uniformity on radio programming and more opportunity for artists to get radio play and break overseas.

No matter what you're going through, there is no temporary feeling or circumstance that can take away the core of who you are.

There is no question that the US market is the hardest to break into. I believe that the reason for this primarily has to do with the fact that the majority of the most powerful radio stations in the US are owned by Clear Channel. They are massive and have the ability to break artists worldwide. For the most part, they are dealing directly with the major labels in the US, with whom they have had long relationships. If you are an artist that is not being pushed by Clear Channel radio in the US, your chances of becoming a household name are slim.

If you want to be a songwriter and place a song with a popular artist, then it's ok to follow the trends. This is mainly because many labels are afraid to take big risks on something that sounds too different than the status quo.

Being a songwriter requires versatility while being an artist requires you to create a cohesive body of work. I truly enjoy both.

I have to say one of the lessons I learned is to always be prepared.