Midwest Ghost Stories
A folk album about small-town disappearances
What it was meant to be
Recording a 10-track folk album inspired by true crime podcasts and Midwestern gothic literature. Wanted each song to tell the story of a real unsolved disappearance from small towns in Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Planned to self-release digitally and press 500 vinyl copies.
Where it stopped
Finished writing all 10 songs. Recorded demos for 7 of them. Booked studio time for professional recording. Had artwork concepts sketched. Never made it to the studio.
Why it stopped
The deeper I researched these stories, the less comfortable I felt turning real people's tragedies into entertainment. Started feeling exploitative. Lost the creative spark. Stopped returning my producer's emails.
What, if anything, replaced it
Started writing instrumental music instead. No lyrics, no stories, just soundscapes.