Help Me Release My First Solo Album

Hi, I’m Cara — the band leader of Give it to ’em, FLORABELLE! — a Montana-based musician, and songwriter.

For over a year I've been curating a solo album. This is a collection of songs I’ve carried close to my heart for a long time. They’re the quieter, deeply personal songs. The type of tunes I don’t usually play with my big band. They've been living in a secret sanctuary in my heart and I've come to realize they need their own space. (If you know me well you know that this small collection is one of nearly 12). For years, they’ve just been mine. Now I finally have the courage to give them a real home and share them with my community. They're easy listening, dreamy, and circle themes of love, loss, empathy, rage, nostalgia, and the importance of family and friendship.

The good news: the album is actually finished! I've been lucky enough to have some of the best musicians I know featured on this album. It's a beautiful collection of local Missoula folk and many other heavy hitters:

Cove Jasmine

Sean Howard Burress

Jake Ransom

Evan Nesbit

John Sporman

Bethany Joyce

Pat Lyons

Owen Thayer

Owen Ross

Nathan Crawford

Vince Dicola

Kenny Mereideth

Engineers: Tanner Fruit, Owen Ross, and Kenny Mereideth

Mixing: Kenny Mereideth

Mastering: Robert Voss

Why does it cost so much? Because artists absolutely MUST be paid for their hard work. The art of -tracking, mixing, mastering, producing, at a high level costs money, as it should.

The only thing standing between these songs and being released is the final stretch of production costs.

So far, I’ve already invested $6,825 of my own money into this project. This includes studio time in LA and Montana, musicians, tracking, and production. What’s left is what makes the record truly release-ready:

• Remaining LA studio time: $1,125

• Remaining Montana studio time: $1,000

• Mixing: $3,000

• Mastering: $1,500

• Total still needed: $6,625

I’ve spent years building music, community, and shows around big, joyful, full-band performances. This project is a little different, it’s more intimate, more personal, and really special to me. These songs feel like pages from a journal that finally get to be turned into something you can hold, hear, and keep. Get the tissues ready!

If you’ve ever come to a show, shared my music, or supported me along the way, thank you. And if you’re able to help now, please know that every single dollar goes directly toward finishing, mixing, and mastering this album so it can be released the right way. I'd release it tomorrow if i could.

I’m so excited (and honestly a little scared, in the good way) to finally share this side of my music. Thank you for helping me give these songs a home. ❤️

With love,

Cara / FLORABELLE