Detours

In sixth grade, I sold love poems for a dollar. Today, I can take a memory and turn it into a song. Apparently, I never stopped making things. My creative toolbox just got bigger. I’m Angie Norris, and this is Side Hustle GPS. Today, we’re stopping in Creator Coast to explore Custom Songs—and how your creativity can evolve. One of my favorite songs started with a lunch outing in San Diego. I was there speaking at an event about side hustles, and a group of friends decided to visit the Barbie Cafe. Ten ladies and one guy. We walked into a world of pink. Pink decorations, themed drinks, swings, a skating rink, and a life-size Barbie box you could stand inside. There were little kids everywhere. And then there was us, having the time of our lives. Did we look a little embarrassing to the younger crowd? Possibly. Did we care? Absolutely not. I made a reel of our adventure, and I wanted music that captured that playful, pink, feeling-young-again energy. Rather than using a song from the movie, I turned to Suno to create something new around our own experience. And I loved the result. It gave our memories their own soundtrack. That’s what excites me about custom songs. You can start with details that mean something to the people involved. Their names. Their inside jokes. Where they went. What made the day special. Those details are what make it personal. Another song I love came from a trip with my daughter. We were in Gulf Shores for her soccer college showcase, and during our free time, we went horseback riding. It was such a beautiful experience. I wanted an upbeat song about a mother and daughter on a girls’ trip, having fun and making memories. When I heard the result, it captured a feeling I wanted to keep. I can still hear it in my head. I’ve also made songs for friends’ birthdays and to remember family members who are no longer with us. Funny songs. Celebration songs. Songs that hold something tender. And that gives you a service to explore. Someone might want a personalized birthday gift. A couple might want a song about their story. A family might want to celebrate a milestone or remember someone they love. Your job starts with listening. What do they want this song to say? How should it feel? What details would make them smile and say, “That is so us”? Then you work through the words, the music, and the revisions. AI can help you create possibilities, but you still need to listen carefully. Did it pronounce the name correctly? Did it get the story right? Does the mood fit the occasion? Sometimes the first version is wonderful. Sometimes you need to keep shaping it. That’s part of creating something personal. If you plan to sell songs or use them in monetized content, check the tool’s current commercial-use terms and the rules of the platform where you’ll share them. Creating a track doesn’t automatically mean every use is covered. For me, the clearest starting point is making something meaningful for one person. So here’s your first money move: Choose an occasion and create a sample custom song. Start with a short brief: who it’s for, the occasion, three personal details, and the feeling you want. Use your own words and story. Listen to the result, refine it, and see whether it captures what you intended. Then you’ll have something to show a potential customer. You can build a simple offer around that process, with clear expectations about the finished song, revisions, and how it can be used. So here’s your question today: What memory would you love to hear turned into a song? Explore Custom Songs in Creator Coast at SideHustleGPS.com. Maybe your creativity started with poems, like mine. Maybe you’ve always loved music but never imagined making something yourself. Give yourself a chance to explore. Your creative toolbox can grow. And your next creation might become somebody’s favorite memory.