Once upon a time there was a music industry without streaming music. Songwriting duo JJ and Dave Heller remember this day well. They once had sixty thousand of JJ’s CDs in their garage to prove it.
This week on The Slow Work, host Sandra McCracken sits down with JJ and Dave to talk about how they have built their music careers outside of the traditional music industry. Prioritizing artistic independence, family time, and intentional ambition, the Hellers talk about what collaboration looks like in their marriage, how fame changes things, and why they’re satisfied to go against the grain in an industry where formula is often the road to success. This episode offers a refreshing perspective on artistic work and needed encouragement to chart your own unique creative course.
Special Guest: JJ Heller and her husband, Dave, work creatively together co-writing and recording her songs. After 20 years making music full-time, Heller has 14 full-length albums, two Christmas EPs, and dozens of singles to her name.
In 2017, JJ began regularly releasing NEW MONTHLY SINGLES on the first Friday of each month. It’s a strategy that helped her grow from 800,000 to over 15 million streams per month.
The Slow Work is a production of Christianity Today
Executive Producer: Mike Cosper
Host: Sandra McCracken
Producer: Azurae Phelps
Editor and Mix Engineer: Dan Phelps
Music: Tyler Chester
Graphic Design: Chris Bennett
Social Media: Kate Lucky
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