$20,000. A boatload of songs. One question.
Instead of buying a car, can I build a music career?
I'm Robert Vicens. As an artist, I'm Ravicens. I'm starting with $20,000 and documenting what it takes to turn my songs into an album, a live show, and a career.
Follow the experiment
Make the music. Document the making.
Project Ravicens is both an artist project and a record of how it gets built. My goal is to develop a 60–90 minute show of original music with students from the University of Utah, alongside an album and an artist identity that feel like me.
As I spend the budget, I'll document the decisions: producing the songs, building a brand, and figuring out how to reach an audience. The successes and the missteps are part of the project.
Artists have been finding their own paths and sharing what they learn long before this project. I hope to add one more honest account to draw from: successes for encouragement, failures to learn from, and practical lessons you can adapt to your own music. If documenting my experience helps another artist move forward, that's part of the value.
From demos to the stage.
The project is underway. Here's where I'm starting.
- AcceptedI applied to the University of Utah and got in.
- OutreachI've appealed to professors about the project.
- CreatedI have a large collection of demos, all created using AI tools.
- The goalDevelop the songs into an album and build an original live show with University of Utah students.
What I'll share along the way
Where the money goes. How the songs evolve. The choices behind the brand and marketing. What works, what doesn't, and what I'd do differently.
New tools. My taste. My voice.
I'm exploring how AI can help me make the most of my strengths in singing and songwriting while staying true to my taste. For me, the creative choices are the heart of the work.
I believe there are thoughtful ways to use AI, and problematic ones. Part of this journey is examining that difference: being open about how I use the tools, considering artistry and ownership, and sharing what I learn as my approach develops.