Few things are as difficult as a musician following up their acclaimed first album. When an artist is first starting, no one expects anything of them yet; they’re allowed to explore, reinvent, and create without pressure, and they have all the time in the world to do it until it’s just right. This is why many artists that make an initial splash soon find themselves struggling to recreate it, unable to juggle the immense pressure, expectations, and timeline now thrust upon them. Before they know it, they’re yesterday’s news, forced to play their greatest hits (if they even have more than one) to pay the bills and forced to experience their star fade.
