Your Message Is Already in the Music — Now Build Around It

A real talk article by Jack Righteous, for AI music creators ready to stop coasting and start building

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I didn’t start with music.

I started with a story—a decades-old character called The Righteous Ass. He had a voice. A worldview. A message that challenged people to see things differently.

Jack Righteous came later.
He was the evolution of that voice. The public-facing version.

And when I discovered AI music tools like Suno, it wasn’t just about making songs—it was about seeing what was possible. Could I build something new on my own? Could I distribute music without a label? Could I take this character and give him a soundtrack?

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🎵 It All Started with a Coffee Shop

My AI music journey started with a track called Coffee Shop Romance—a simple, pop-leaning song about two people meeting in a café. It wasn’t a grand artistic statement. It was an experiment.

I wanted to see if I could make a full song with AI and get it on Spotify. And it worked.

But I was brand new to all of it—

• Writing lyrics

• Structuring compositions

• Understanding what kind of visuals or content to post

• When to release

• How to connect with listeners

• How to stay consistent

I’d follow up a dubstep track with a roots reggae song. Then pop. Then rap. One week it was a full lyric video rollout, and the next track would have zero promo. I made cultural commentary songs (like one about Drake and Kendrick), tried cover songs I never released, and approached each drop differently—because I didn’t yet have a system.

That first year wasn’t strategic. It was trial by fire.
But it taught me a lot—and I’m still learning.

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🧨 Most People Don’t Understand What They’re Holding

Let’s be real: what Suno can do right now is wild.
If this had dropped two or three years ago, it would’ve broken the internet.

But we’re in a weird moment.

A lot of people still don’t know what AI music tools are capable of. And many of the ones who do are playing it quiet—worried about copyright, worried about backlash, waiting for clearer rules or a cultural shift.

Meanwhile, most creators are either:

• Making tracks with no plan,

• Waiting until the scene is “safe” to speak up,

• Or giving up after a few months because the money didn’t come fast enough.

But if you’re not a lazy creator, and you’re using tools like Suno as a genesis device—something to build new worlds, not just new content—then you’re holding the most powerful opportunity equalizer of the digital age.

This isn’t about chasing trends. It’s about building something real.

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✍️ Before You Analyze Your Music: Get Honest About Your Brand

Before you plug your lyrics into prompts or try to turn songs into a business, take 10 minutes to sketch your baseline. This will ground everything else you’re about to do.

🧠 Quick Brand Snapshot Exercise

Answer these honestly—no overthinking.

Element	Question
Mission	What are you trying to say or change with your creative work?
Vision	What does this become if it works? Where are you taking this?
Voice	If your brand were a person, how would it speak? Calm, bold, chaotic, curious, smooth, etc.
Values	What principles or themes show up in what you create again and again?

Save your answers. This isn’t your final brand book—it’s a rough sketch. But it gives you something to measure your music against.

👀 Curious what this looks like for me?
In Article 2, I’ll share my actual answers for Jack Righteous, and how they evolved over time.

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🎧 Now: Pull 3–5 Suno Songs and Prep the Lyrics

This works best if you actually have your lyrics in front of you—or can play back the tracks and take notes on recurring words, scenes, and moods.

Write down:

• Any recurring emotions or perspectives

• Any themes or values that keep showing up

• A few lines that feel the most “you”

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🤖 ChatGPT Prompt: Connect the Music to Your Message

Act as a creative strategist who specializes in turning early-stage music into brand foundations. You’ve worked with thousands of AI-native artists who are still shaping their message. Your job is not to flatter me but to help me see the gaps between what I’m creating and what I say I want to build.

Here’s a rough version of my brand identity:
- Mission: [insert]
- Vision: [insert]
- Voice: [insert]
- Values: [insert]

Here are lyrics or emotional themes from 3–5 of my Suno AI songs: [paste them in].

Please help me reflect on the following:
1. Where does my music match my brand identity clearly?
2. Where might it be sending a different message than what I say I stand for?
3. What themes are strongest or most consistent in my songs?
4. What kind of audience would likely connect with those themes?
5. What kind of product, platform, or project could extend that message without feeling forced?

Rate the strength of alignment (✅ strong, ⚠️ partial, ❌ misaligned) and give one example from my lyrics to support each point. At the end, tell me what I should refine, cut, or double down on.

If I want to go deeper, suggest 3 smart follow-up questions I can ask you.

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✅ Self-Check Alignment Scorecard

Once you’ve reviewed ChatGPT’s analysis, use this quick self-check to rate your brand alignment:

Checkpoint	Yes / No	Notes
My music reinforces the message I said I want to send.	✅ / ❌
My lyrics reflect the values I say I care about.	✅ / ❌
The emotional tone of my songs matches the voice I described.	✅ / ❌
The themes in my tracks could attract the audience I want to serve.	✅ / ❌
My songs suggest a clear direction for content or product ideas.	✅ / ❌

If you get mostly ✅: you’re more aligned than you thought—now refine and build.
If you get mostly ❌: great—now you know where the gap is. That’s where the work starts.

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🛍️ Let’s Redefine “Merch”

You don’t need to make fan merch.
You need to make message-aligned products.

Examples:

Song Theme	Brand Angle	Product Ideas
Food & Culture	Celebration of home/roots	Recipe blog, affiliate lists, journals
Nature & Stillness	Mindfulness / Eco-awareness	Guided journals, nature soundscapes
Breakups & Healing	Emotional wellness	Affirmation kits, playlists, eBooks
Tech & Future	AI empowerment / tools	Prompt guides, tool bundles, case studies

You're not selling t-shirts. You’re extending the experience of your songs into products people can live with.

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🔚 Final Thought: The Tools Don’t Matter if the Message Isn’t Clear

Yes, Suno is mind-blowing. Yes, AI tools are getting better every month.
But if you’re dropping songs without a message—without a reason—don’t expect it to grow.

Music is your content. Message is your brand.

If your tracks are already saying something—build around it.
If they’re not—start creating with more intention.

The AI wave isn’t about speed. It’s about focus, alignment, and systems.
And if you’re serious? You’ve already got everything you need to start.

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Next up: In Article 2, I’ll break down how to take the message you’ve found and turn it into a real, launchable brand foundation—without wasting time or getting stuck in overthinking.

Let’s build it right.

— Jack Righteous