Tracy Kawalik

Learn more about Tracy and her work via her website here and Instagram here.

How is everything going for you at the moment?

Creatively, I feel electrified. There are a lot of seminal artists releasing phenomenal records alongside rising multi-hyphenated talent who are all warping boundaries, experimenting, and genre-bending to a maximal. More than that, what's exciting is that many of those people are engineering music with dancers in mind.

Publications and editors are commissioning pieces that amplify the cultural significance, unifying power, and expressive freedom of dance, which kinda felt like a long time coming to convince them of the powerful stories there to tell that back up the rhythms.

You have collectives like 2CPerrea and Suzio pumping salsa, rare 70’s Hector Lavoe records, amid a sweat-soaked rave set. You have a feverish UK footwork scene. So to have the chance to document OG dancers with the new-gen or street-born styles that are finally receiving the same level of respect as the music itself, that means a great deal to me—especially having been a dancer before I became a music journalist.

Outside of that, given the state of the world, so much of the music, art, and movement right now carries critically important messages—to educate, empower, and elevate. Subcultures are on tenterhooks, and grassroots venues that shaped the blueprint and sonic identity of the city are under threat. For me, it feels more urgent and inspiring than ever to document and preserve these histories before they're gone.

What are the challenges you’re facing?

It’s not all great news. Cash flow is a huge obstacle and staying afloat. Work is steady, but pacing it is a constant balancing act. I’ve definitely been guilty of saying yes to too many things out of fear that there won’t be more work down the line, then scrambling to figure out how to deliver. A lot of magazines and online publications are struggling too to make ends meet so invoices are sometimes paid late, or pieces are now commissioned for less, because it's that or no commission. Or publications you might have written for for ages, or steady paying gigs are slashing editorial (that’s been fall back security) to shift budget to other areas that’ll will help them stay afloat. Do you know what I mean?

Ultimately that creates problems like “I won’t be able to make my rent”. And if I lose this room, I lose the place I write from—the only constant I have in this city, the one place I have some semblance of grounding. So the solution is to take a bartending shift or dive into one of many side hustles I juggle. Then the downside: I’m fucking exhausted, worried I won’t hit a deadline, and terrified I’ll let down the editor who I’m so passionate about working with, the artists whose story I want to tell so badly —and risk not being commissioned again.

How about your music writer peers, do you have much insight from them, and are they facing similar issues?

For the most part, I think we’re all fighting the same fight.

What would you say are some of the deeper catalysts behind these challenges writers are dealing with?

Budget for sure; across the board. Like I said before, the artist and label might have to kick in major cash now to make a cover happen because the magazine doesn’t have it - everyone on the shoot might be paid less as a result. Other magazines don’t want to sell out and be packed with ads so they are commissioning less, or having to be creative.

Everyone’s trying to push their passion and preservere, all the mediums involved, but as a result - someone further down the line might have to compromise harder and make far far less. I’ve personally written a few times for a significantly reduced rate because I want the publication to keep going or support the artist.

What are some of the methods you’ve employed to navigate the current writing landscape?

Honestly? Hustling. Tenacity. I’ve always been freelance. I failed high school English, barely graduated, and moved here from Canada over 15 years ago. I fell into writing after my dance career ended—both my hips had to be replaced.

In the interim, I managed bands, worked bars, curated live music nights and pop-up shops for Soho House, taught first wedding dances, worked backstage at fashion shows, opened a punk rock shop in Camden, and ran a blog called Push Pony, where I somehow ended up interviewing everyone from Elton John, Pam Hogg, and Ralph Steadman to Soho’s neon king, the late Chris Bracey of God’s Own Junkyard. All driven my an incalculable love and magnetism towards subcultures and bold characters.

The reason I’m sharing the back story I guess is to say: I grew up backstage with my dad. I learned early that if you wanted to have skin in the game or make a name for yourself, you had to do it yourself and do it all. Writing wasn’t my initial plan, but there it’s beyond my greatest passion now. That being said I had no clue how the industry worked for writers, I’d always been on the performer and musician side.

Every contact I’ve made in this city came from me being out there—going to gig after gig, gallery opening, catwalk, talking to bands, thanking artists, showing up. I genuinely thought you started out freelance and eventually someone just asked you to be a staff writer!

When things were taking off and my heart was deeper and deeper in it - there was crazy high points, shitloads of anxiety and hard hitting lows I wasn’t sure I’d live to get out of. I was so scared that if I stopped chasing my passion at full speed and locking down every idea and byline I’d lose it all together. Many times I was beyond out of my depth as well. But the main thing is that kept me in the game and still does, outside of being a good storyteller I guess, is hunger and endless hustling.

How much support do you get from other writers, friends, family? How could writers be supported more?

Over the decade I’ve been writing, I’ve been taken aback so many times by how incredibly supportive editors, artists, PRs and other writers are and I feel like I’ve formed really tight bonds with a quality crew over quantity of people.

At first that’s not easy knowing whose got your back. But I’d say it’s been crucial for me as a freelancer in order to succeed and get to where Im at.

Big question, but if you could wave a wand and magically solve the issues we’re facing in the music industry, what would be your main target for positive change?

I know I’ve said it a lot but investment into these important and iconic publications so we can all keep creating powerful and inspiring work together.

Theres eye-watering money on one side of the industry and so so so many people who pushing with nothing but heart and pure dedication to their craft and music on the other side.

Any advice for emerging writers?

Be adaptable. Be open to cross into different subject matter, alternate realms of writing - bios, film, TV, press releases - take your ideas and expertise outside of music publications and apply it to sport, travel, culture, art magazines. Friends running bars might need copy or socials, they might have a tequila brand that needs a copywriter… hustling.