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Eric Sleeper Discusses Reconnecting with Ourselves and the Perils of Social Media

As evidenced by his latest single, “Dragons,” Eric Sleeper has some strong opinions when it comes to social media. He joins us for a guest blog about this very topic!

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Eric Sleeper

As an artist and a musician, Eric Sleeper has really paved his own way to where he is today, getting by via his talent, his will, and his steadfast commitment to himself. He released his latest single, “Dragons,” in February, a thoughtful, ambient track about the misconceptions created by social media and the entertainment industry about an ideal life devoid of flaws. Sleeper has grown beyond this shallow, displaced reality, and he encourages listeners to do the best they can with the hand of cards they are dealt, creating a sense of optimism for better days ahead.

Sleeper has been on the pathway to being a musician ever since his early teen years when he first tried his hand at guitar. After somewhat figuring out his way with a guitar, he proceeded to try his hand at songwriting, a journey that has taken him in multiple musical directions. Indie, acoustic, rock, folk, these are the cornerstones within which he operates as a songwriter. Growing up inspired by Bob Dylan, Nick Drake, Elliot Smith, Tom Waits, and more, Sleeper has always been particularly taken with the aforementioned artists’ minimalistic approach to songwriting. That no-nonsense approach is one he has exported to his own work.

As evidenced by “Dragons,” Sleeper has some strong opinions when it comes to social media. Joining us today for a special guest blog is Sleeper himself, who holds nothing back in discussing his feelings on the medium within the context of his single, and why we have to find a way to reconnect with ourselves and our own being, disconnected from this unreal world that has been created around us.

Why Social Media Is Just a False Reality:

“In today’s landscape, we find ourselves more and more entrenched in the thralls of social media. Don’t get me wrong, some of it can be good and serve to connect people and share ideas. But it is quite common for one to compare their behind-the-scenes to someone’s highlight reel and search for others’ validation. However, comparison can be the thief of joy.

My most recent song, ‘Dragons,’ captures the chase for something that is not real and unobtainable, rather than living in the moment and enjoying the ride. Music, to me, is more about the creative process and expressing yourself, but can often take shape into a more materialistic image on social media and can taint the image of what you think you need to strive for. It is so easy to get drawn into the machine, and a lot harder to get out of that comparative mindset, and understand your potential, especially if you are just starting off.

Eric Sleeper “Dragons” single artwork

Eric Sleeper “Dragons” single artwork

If you find yourself constantly ‘chasing dragons’ or something that is not real, it can create a constant cloud over your head, especially as a musician. We set really high expectations for ourselves, and sometimes have to take a step back from the wishing and keep doing what we love and living our lives our way, whether it is a common way of life or one that differs from the norm. This is something I feel we all struggle with, since what you want to do as an artist may not be accepted or encouraged by others. But that does not mean you need to listen to them and your inner critic.

Lastly, nothing was written for us, and there is no script as an artist. We need to create our path, and find out who we want to be, rather than predetermine that. It is vital to respect and enjoy the process, which in my case, is songwriting and creating sounds. I have been actively writing and recording songs and have no plans of stopping, since it is what I have always done, and it is therapeutic. Wherever that takes me is fine by me, and if I can connect with others along the way that is even better!

Feel free to follow my journey @EricSleeperMusic and listen to my music on all platforms!”

Born in 2003, V13 was a socio-political website that, in 2005, morphed into PureGrainAudio and spent 15 years developing into one of Canada's (and the world’s) leading music sites. On the eve of the site’s 15th anniversary, a full re-launch and rebrand takes us back to our roots and opens the door to a full suite of Music, Film, TV, and Cultural content.

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