Overview

Hello world! My name is Skyelea Martin and I'm a singer-songwriter here in the beautiful city of Traverse City, Michigan.

My life has always been a musical. I was the kid singing in dance class, school, or while completing literally any task- I still am that way. I’ve been performing live professionally for 3 years now, and I love sharing my music with my community. After paying my dues and getting my “gigging chops” up, I’m ready to share the music that’s been on my heart over the past few years.
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,  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 “Moving Forward,” and you can check it out below!

While I’ve been able to fund the recording process for "Moving Forward” 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.  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!

Music has always been at the center of my life. Not just a part of it, but truly the heartbeat of it. I grew up surrounded by it: my mom’s a studio singer, my dad raps and break dances, and my grandparents ran a dance studio that has put on plenty of musicals and performances. There were times I quite literally lived in recording studios. That’s just how deeply rooted music is in my DNA.

I started writing songs in middle and high school, and after studying audio engineering, I realized how much I love recording and performing my own music live. Whether I’m at open mics, playing on the street, performing in one of the many bands I’m in, or jamming with friends, music is how I connect with people. It’s how I process, celebrate, and heal. For the first time, I feel ready to offer my music to my city and my community in a real, lasting way. Music has always been collaborative for me — shaped by friends, family, mentors, and bandmates who help me through every rough demo and rehearsal. I hope this project leads to even more connection, and new collaborators in my circle.

While I haven’t released a studio project at this scale before, I’ve been practicing my craft nonstop. With your support, I can take this next step and make something beautiful. Something we built together.

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.