"Do you like that thing? It's ugly!"

I was working with an artist who had just finished a tour and was beginning the creative and writing process for their next record. I asked them to tell me about the production piece that was on stage with them, the main image/artwork/merch. And the artist said “Oh yeah, that is someone on my team came up with it, but I didn’t really like it.” And I said “ I could tell. It doesn’t look anything like you.”  It didn’t represent how I know the artist on stage or off. “The most important thing is that everything created for your stage performance, merch, art is spearheaded by you.It’s your artistic vision everyone needs to manifest”

I began an exercise to help him reconnect to characters and childhood aspect of himself.

And by just doing this singular exercise he became very clear about not only how off the last element was but where he wanted to go. We spent the next couple months diving into this.

Soon he identified two very clear qualities and the name of his next record. And we talked about how every song as it’s written and produced needs to have these two elements.. And we talked about the images of some of his childhood influences and we both reflected about the elements and the aspects that were very prominent in them and even what I remember off the top of my head that stood out to me from my memory of them. We researched, he spent time examining the elements that resonated with him, had an impact on him.

The production on his record went quite fast, his drive and clarity was so strong. When I saw the artwork for the first single only he and I would hew the source of inspiration and it was nowhere near a copy, it wasn’t anything like his source material, but I could see the elements of influence that created his original artwork. The photography. He captured the essence he wanted. He expressed the qualities he focused on.

Moving forward for this whole record he now had very clear inspiration/artistic ideas/focus that makes the entire project very congruent. The audience will never know his source of inspiration but everything that comes from him, every element he produces will make sense because he and his team know what they’re going for. 

He can create a congruent brand and most importantly he is empowered, able to express his vision because the work we did created clarity, sources of inspiration and language for his vision.

If you’re interested to know more about my method and specifically how to accomplish getting YOUR unique insights to BUILD A MAGNETIC BRAND check out my course COMPASS

For professional recording artists, producers + songwriters.