So this guy wants to become a pro musician. He grew up with a traveling family, military people or some such, and went from one big city to another: San Francisco to New York, to L.A to Chicago. At best he lived a couple years in the suburbs, but never more than a few miles away from a bustling human development.
Now he’s of age and has taken the firm decision to live off of his art. He looks around him, and, after thinking a little about it, concludes that the country side is less crowded with musicians, therefore more ready to welcome him. He packs his belonging to move to a remote place on the map.
I say no! Think again!
I do not mean to say that every artist needs to be living down town, it’s just that you have to know your strength and get your stability from it. This guy knows urban areas, that’s his turf, that’s what he’s familiar with. He navigates the resources of a big city with ease. I’d say start there! You will have time later on to go explore the life of a farming musician. Right now, keep a familiar territory to begin your career because there will be a lot of things unsettling happening in your life. You will need any stability you can get.
When I talk to someone who wants to be a pro I always take a million things into consideration. And where they are coming from is very important. The people who do not know how tough the New York scene is are in for a surprise, for example. Now, of course, there are exceptions, like the James Dean of our times: Farm boys that have made it big. But these are exceptions because there are 10 million people unsatisfied with their acting career for every James Dean.
My advice is this: after you decide to become a pro artist, first, try to settle in a familiar territory. That’ll help. Once you have understood how to get the rudiments of the artist life and made a living at it for awhile, you can look again at your location and make a big move if you want, you won’t be going into it without any tools. Whatever experience you’ve amassed in your area, you will use in your new place.
Build upon your stability. The goal is to be a musician, an actor, a painter for a long time. Your life starts where you grew up, anchored in reality, not in a figment of your imagination.