28 Years in the Making
The Paradise Planets is the culmination of all my efforts over the past 28 years. When I was 15, I set out to make something of my music. I created my first full-length, original album, and I sold copies of that album to my fellow high schoolers at Spanish Fork High School in Utah.
Through the years, I've thrown so many ideas at the wall. I've been rejected thousands of times, failed hundreds of times, and come close to reaching my goals dozens of times. I've performed tours, produced YouTube channels and weekly livestreams, I've formed so many LLC's and revved the engine on so many ideas, and it all led me to The Paradise Planets. For context, here's a list of some of my near successes:
Top 30 on American Idol, Season 7
Emmy Nomination for my production, Vivir Bailando, and my musical performance with Choreographer, Mandy Moore
8-year tour of the US and Europe, ultimately raising $300,000 for music programs in schools
Reel Sessions recording studio tour that ended at Abbey Road Studios in London
CineStage concert series at the Megaplex Movie Theaters
SuperPop album and music video series featuring "My Turn" which got over 50 Million plays on Facebook for our Superhero Soccer video
Writer and producer of "Being Awesome" - the theme song for the Ninja Kidz which received 425 Million views on YouTube
Featured performance at Lucas Oil Stadium for Bands of America championship and Drum Corps International championship, performing original song, "Live for Music"
Live for Music TV series on YouTube
I consider all of these "near successes" because they didn't quite get me there. My goal has always been to write and produce songs that people will listen to for decades to come. Music can often be the ultimate form of inspiration, and I've always wanted to create that music that made a deep and lasting impact.
What I love about the creative process for The Paradise Planets is how it brings all my abilities together under one roof. After spending 10s of thousands of hours at the piano composing, arranging, and producing, as well as thousands of walks with a notebook and pen in hand, and after spending well over a million dollars in recording studios, I've finally figured out a way to bring it all together and make it count. Writing a novel provides a much-needed outlet for all my other-worldly ideas. Producing an accompanying album utilizes all my music arranging, composing, and producing abilities. Making the full-cast, immersive, and musical audiobook required the use of all my skills acquired over a lifetime of musical careers and pursuits. With the challenge fully accepted and now realized, writing and creating The Paradise Planets truly is the next phase in my journey, and quite possibly, the final one.
by: Shaun Barrowes
