Judge for Nate Stone

I am a singer/songwriter from Flagstaff, AZ that has been making music for ten years. The last six years have been spent with my rock band Mercy Fall. We released an album in 2006 on Atlantic Records and spent a majority of the year touring the country. I must admit, it was pretty amazing. A dream come true.
This last year has been one of tremendous significance for me. My perspective on life, music, and success has changed drastically. When we returned from the road we found ourselves back where we started; unsuccessful, broke, and without a record deal. I became extremely depressed and confused. With all the work that we put into this, how could this happen? What did we do wrong? I realized that my contentment in life was completely hinged on the success of the band and that even if we became wildly successful I would still never be happy.
I have lost the desire to become famous and revered. I feel that my desires in the past have been selfish and unimportant and I've learned that I am unwilling to let success or failure define me as a person and as an artist. I feel that the only way to become successful in life and in music is to become truly happy with myself.
With that said, I am embarking on a new journey, in life and in music.