Overview

Hello world! My name is Car’dell Smart and I'm a singer-songwriter here in the beautiful city of Atlanta, GA.

Since the age of four, I knew that music was going to be a constant in my life. From singing in the children’s choir at New Birth to writing, releasing, and performing my own music, the past 18 years have been filled with blood, sweat, tears, and a whole lot of singing. Now that I’ve gone to college and received a degree in a field that I love, I know the next step that I need to take in my musical journey. That step is sharing everything I’ve learned with you. “And what is the best way to do that?” you may ask. The answer is simple…why new music of course! 

The material is ready, and the musicians are waiting -- this Plaid Dog campaign is the final step toward creating my first ever, professionally produced studio album

This campaign is raising funds for my professionally recorded album with Carter Sanders in Boston, MA. Carter is a seasoned Boston-based producer and engineer with experience working with both established and up-and-coming musicians. Together, Carter and I are digging into my original material, writing arrangements, and reaching out to local musicians to bring the songs to life. 

We’ve been able to cover the costs of recording and producing one song, which is ready for you to check out right here on this page. This first song is called “Southside,” and you can check it out below!

While I’ve been able to fund the recording process for "Southside” on my own, to create an album of songs of this quality, studio costs add up quickly. With that said, this campaign can give us a unique opportunity to collaborate and make great art together. Your donation will cover the following costs of my project:

1. Pre-Production: This is where everything starts. Carter and I will start crafting the arrangements for each song slated for the album. We’ll hold rehearsals to fine-tune the songs and arrangements and talk through new and exciting ideas for how to approach the recording process.

2. Recording: This is when we enter the studio and start capturing the music and where the songs become what you'll hear on this album. This campaign will play a huge role in making sure we have enough time to capture great performances for every member of the band.

3. Mixing & Mastering: Each track will get mixed to create the right balance between instruments, texture and color that make up a track. As a final step, the album will be mastered from beginning to end so that the listening experience is cohesive and carefully choreographed from start to finish.

And what will you get for your generosity and support? So many awesome things!

I am so appreciative and grateful for any support you can lend to this campaign. In exchange for your generosity, I've put together a really exciting group of gifts that are available exclusively through your participation in this campaign.

Check out some examples below and a full list to the right!

It's hard to express how much this project would change my life.

I feel like music is one of the only units of communication that allows us to express ourselves. We are complicated beings that can experience a whirlwind of emotions in a matter of seconds. To me, music is the perfect way to capture those moments and make them both audible and tangible. It activates our emotions, whether we ask it to or not. As a singer/songwriter I consider it an honor to be able to create music based not only on my experiences but the experiences of others as well. 

Music is, for me, fundamentally a collective process--incredible musician friends who push me to be better, my classmates in high school who I performed alongside, and my family (especially on my mother’s side) for introducing me to music and giving me my OG vocal lessons! Music is about community and connection, and I've shared musical experiences with so many people in my life. One of my hopes is that this project will help me find new collaborators in my networks to make more music together

This is going to be the biggest project I have ever released, and I know that everything I have learned in the past five years has prepared me for this. While learning never lasts for one season, I know now that it is time for my preparation to meet my execution. So I thank God in advance for this season of execution. Along with your help, I will be able to create an opportunity to showcase myself and my art to the world. 

If you're ready to contribute, just click the "Back This Project" button on the top right of this page! Every little bit counts, and I’m so grateful for all your support.

If you have folks in your network that would be interested in supporting me, please feel free to share this page with them.

Thank you so much for checking out my campaign page. I can't wait to share this music with you.