Global Connection
I ran into a couple of challenges when putting together my project on Music and Mental Health. Much of the research was very ethnocentric, focused on studies done in the US and on genres most popular here. Also, my action didn't really have a "global connection."
At first, I considered doing a survey of high school students around the world to get their views on music and mental health, and how it might differ from region to region, including genre preferences. However, there were logistical and permission challenges that would be tough to overcome and I was correctly advised that his might not be the best course of action.
So, I landed on the idea of continuing to interview artists around the globe to understand their creative process and how it might differ depending on region and genre, how challenges may play a role in their process and music, and what kind of reaction they've received from fans. I wanted to make sure that I asked questions that weren't intrusive, but that allowed me to gain deeper insights that I could learn from and connect with.
After my initial survey responses, which were primarily from US based artists, I focused more on trying to get both a cultural as well as a musical genre diversity. While at first I found this challenging, as I expanded my own views on music, I found that I was able to connect with far more artists than I had ever anticipated!
At first, I considered doing a survey of high school students around the world to get their views on music and mental health, and how it might differ from region to region, including genre preferences. However, there were logistical and permission challenges that would be tough to overcome and I was correctly advised that his might not be the best course of action.
So, I landed on the idea of continuing to interview artists around the globe to understand their creative process and how it might differ depending on region and genre, how challenges may play a role in their process and music, and what kind of reaction they've received from fans. I wanted to make sure that I asked questions that weren't intrusive, but that allowed me to gain deeper insights that I could learn from and connect with.
After my initial survey responses, which were primarily from US based artists, I focused more on trying to get both a cultural as well as a musical genre diversity. While at first I found this challenging, as I expanded my own views on music, I found that I was able to connect with far more artists than I had ever anticipated!
Finding My Global Connection
When I completed my initial interviews, I had connected with twenty four different artists and musicians from around the world. I was able to cover many different regions and genres of music to truly gain a global perspective on music and its connection to mental health and well being.
The artists that I spoke with, initial by email and social media were mostly very excited that I was focused on music and its connection to mental health and well being. They didn't avoid my questions, in fact most leaned into them and were more open and transparent than I would have expected. Some talked about their own struggles with being challenged, insecure, not accepted and music being a part of them finding their way. Others opened up more and spoke about depression or PTSD or even suicide and how music helped them to find their path or as importantly, their voice. For many, music was a personal journey, one that helped them to find their direction, or their path, but all admitted that it was a continuous journey, one filled with ups and downs.
Another learning, one that surprised me, many of these musicians didn't define themselves by a single genre but rather talked about a variety of different influences that went into creating their own style of music. I can't say if this is a generational thing, but more artists talked about being inspired by multiple artists, styles and genres and how they would fuse them together in their own work.
As far as interactions with fans, most artists not only appreciated it but feed off of it. When I asked if there was a song that most fans called about as being helpful, just about every artist could point to that one song that fans deeply connected with. What wasn't consistent, for some artists that "one" song was one with a very deep personal meaning for them, in other cases, it was just "a song" and they were surprised that so many fans had connected to it in an unexpected way.
This is the list of artists that I was able to interview, by email, social media or in person by the time of my presentation. The QR code leads to a Spotify Playlist that features a song that each artist chose as being personally meaningful to them, or that fans have connected with more deeply (or both).
SXSW 2023: Recap
This is a short video that I put together after my three days at SXSW. I've never been to a conference like that with so much going on, from music to art to technology.
Many of the artists were there for the first time, spending their own time and money to be discovered. Others, they come all the time. But each one took time to speak with me and it was a two way conversation that I wish I could share with everyone!
SXSW Video 2.mov
SXSW 2023
Several of the international artists that I had met and interviewed through email and social, I found out were traveling to Austin for SXSW. My dad and I took three days and I was fortunate enough to meet with several of them in person, including NTsKi and the tiva from Japan, Annie Hamilton and Nat Vazer from Australia, Yasmin from Malta, and Le Mpendulo from South Africa.
Meeting with them in person and in some cases, hearing their music live gave me a much deeper perspective on the answers that they had given me in writing. Having NTsKi, an artist that I admired apologize for being "awkward" and hearing Le Mpendulo's journey of how she discovered herself through her music were two of the moments that I really connected with. I spent two hours with Joon in an interview that turned into a two way conversation where she asked me about how my mind processed information with ADHD because her partner had the same challenges. I didn't get much of an opportunity to speak with the tiva but saw them perform live and their answers to my questions, their emotions came through very clearly in their music, both in the lyrics and the sound itself.
Being able to speak with the artists live and connecting with them personalized the experience and gave greater context to what at that point had been an email or social exchange. I could sense excitement or awkwardness or engagement in their body language. When I had the chance to listen to their music live, you could feel their emotions coming through their lyrics and their instruments, making their answers to my questions even more understandable.
There was also an unexpected lesson. I went to one music showcase that featured one of the artists I had interviewed (the tiva) and continued with several artists that I am huge fans of and looked forward to seeing, like Lucy. By the time Lucy went on stage, I wasn't in "project" mode I was in "fan" mode and just looking forward to their show! However, they were having equipment issues and kept having to do soundchecks. During this time, they would play more known songs that weren't theirs or part of their set so that the crew could keep trying to fix the problem. They smiled, joked, kept trying to connect with the audience who were supportive at first but then some became impatient. This was Lucy's one performance at SXSW in Austin, their chance to showcase their music to a whole new audience and some started shouting "just play your damn songs!" In the end, they had to cut back their set dramatically because the main act had to go on as scheduled. I had the chance to meet them afterwards - they were friendly, engaging, and didn't seem to let it bother them but you could tell that it bothered them as much as it would bother any of us. We all have struggles, we all deserve support and understanding.
This is Nat Vazer and her band mate, Ben, from Australia. I interviewed her several week before but we agreed to meet at SXSW despite her US tour (she came in the night before from LA!).
Me with the band the tiva from Japan. I had interviewed the lead singer via email a few weeks prior, and had the chance to see them perform live at SXSW and you could feel the emotion in their music.
I was very excited to meet NTsKi from Japan, who flew over to perform at SXSW for the first time. Her music is captivating and after the interview, we connected later in the day and spent more time together.
This is me with Le Mpendulo (which translates into "the answer") from South Africa. We met at the Convention Center and she was so warm and engaging and she played the most beautiful song for me live!
With Annie Hamilton from Australia. Full of energy and life, but she admitted that sometimes she enjoys playing on her own so that she doesn't need to worry about "screwing up."
This is Yasmin Kuymizakis, aka Joon, from Malta. We met at a cafe and our interview turned into a wonderful conversation and her wanting to discover how ADHD impacted me as her partner also has ADHD.
Le Mpendula edited interview.movMUSICREATES: Le Mpendulo
While at SXSW, I had the chance to spend time with several artists including Le Mpendulo from South Africa. She was one of the last artists that I was able to connect with via email and was excited to learn that she would be attending SXSW.
We met at the convention center and what started as me interviewing her turned into a conversation. She was very open and honest about her personal struggles, her discovery both of her creative and musical talents but also how the process helped her to heal.
There was a moment, that is not in the interview, but where I talked about how I like to compose my own music but sometimes am afraid to share it because without realizing it, I may have used something that I had heard before. She told me that I should never hold back on sharing my music, or anything that I create, because it may have been intended for someone else to help to heal.