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KEY POINTS

Background: Micah Edwards is a biracial (Black/White) artist from California who has spent over two decades in Houston, Texas. This dual heritage deeply influences his artistic identity.

Musical Style: Creates "Texas Soul" - a unique fusion of soul, Americana, and pop that blends classic country storytelling with R&B grooves, influenced by 1940s Boleros through 1980s Country.

Professional Experience: Self-managed independent artist with significant streaming success and extensive live performance experience, earning over $10,000 annually from music.

Current Situation: Balances life as a husband, father of two, and remote worker while pursuing music career. Music income helps support family and allows his wife to be a stay-at-home mom.

Project Status: Working on sophomore album "Texas Soul" - a double album preceded by three EPs (Pasadena, Concan, and Hidalgo). Six songs complete, five in production, six remaining to record.

Technical Plan: Working with established team including mixing engineer Jack Gulielmetti, with clear timeline for completion by April 30, 2025.

Marketing Strategy: Planned release schedule for 2025-2026 including multiple singles, EPs, and full album. Goals include growing Instagram following to 20K+ followers.

Business Understanding: Demonstrates strong grasp of music industry operations, including publishing, collection entities, and streaming optimization. Currently published and registered with PRO.

Impact Potential: Grant would accelerate album completion, reduce financial strain, and help establish "Texas Soul" as a distinctive genre bridging multiple musical traditions and cultural identities.

QUOTES

"Texas Soul isn't just a sound; it's a reflection of identity—of my identity—and of a state that thrives on its contrasts. It's a reminder that there's beauty in being both and neither, in straddling worlds and finding your place right in the middle."

"As someone who's half Black and half white, a California transplant shaped by over two decades in Houston, I've spent my life between worlds—never fully one or the other, yet belonging to both. That duality is at the heart of my sound, blending the storytelling of classic country with the groove of classic R&B."

"My streaming revenue allows my wife to be a stay-at-home mom, which means we get slow mornings, spontaneous afternoon walks, and the chance to be fully present for these fleeting moments in our kids' lives. That kind of freedom is priceless."