Finding creative clarity in unlikely crossover interviews
What artists can learn from a conversation between Harry Styles and Haruki Murakami.
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Let’s dive into today’s topic:
Finding creative clarity in unlikely crossover interviews
Why an interview in a running magazine might be the best piece of music strategy you read this week.
Why it matters
Academics read scientific journals. Advertisers read advertising magazines. Finance professionals study market and trend reports. Every field of expertise has its own specialist literature to sharpen its practitioners.
But what is the professional literature for music artists? You could argue that reading magazines about gear, plugins, and music production keeps you up to date on the craft.
However, being an artist is about much more than creating great music. It requires an understanding of how to communicate your perspective to the world.
I believe that to become better professionals, artists must step out of their own echo chambers and peek into the creative frameworks of others.
How it works
When I heard that Harry Styles was interviewed by Haruki Murakami for Runner’s World, I was immediately intrigued. I am an avid runner, and so is Haruki Murakami, who is also one of my favourite authors. Within my hyper-specific niche of running enthusiasts who also love music, Harry Styles is known for running a sub-3-hour marathon.
Strategically, the interview and accompanying photoshoot are a brilliant piece of PR to promote Harry Styles’s new album and Haruki Murakami’s upcoming book. However, between the lines, the conversation reads as a masterclass in creative positioning.
Two core takeaways for building an ecosystem around your brand:
Artists as consumers: During the interview, Haruki Murakami rejects the romanticised notion of the divine creator.
“I don’t even think I’m a creator; I’m just a recipient. I love to listen to music, I love to read books, but I’m just a reader, just a listener.”
I believe it’s great that he perceives himself as a consumer or a fan first. To become successful, you must be a passionate recipient of culture.
I cannot understand artists who expect people to buy their records when they do not actively buy music themselves. Support your scene, buy concert tickets, buy physical media, and remain a music fan.Artists as observers: Harry Styles consciously distances himself from the interpretation of his work.
“I think I’m of less importance... my job here is to just remain a person, and to keep recording that. That’s what my job is. Rather than me being supposed to deliver the answer and let everyone know what life is about.”
For some artists, it can be hard to accept that once a song is released, it no longer belongs solely to the creator, and listeners interpret it in ways that differ from the artist's original intent.
Harry Styles encourages listeners to discover their own interpretations. By removing obstacles from the listener’s journey and avoiding dictating a “correct” meaning, he enables his community to project their own understanding onto his music.
Yes, but..
I understand it is a stretch to frame a promotional magazine interview as “professional literature” for independent musicians.
We create mental frameworks to make sense of our complex industry. When two highly successful people from completely different creative fields sit down to debate their similarities and differences, they step away from their heavily rehearsed, pre-framed PR answers. That is where the genuine, actionable insights hide.
Take action now
Read the full interview. Study how both creators discuss their routines, their audiences, and their creative boundaries. Then find other interviews in which two creators from entirely different disciplines interview each other. Take notes on how they describe their connection to their audience.
Your thoughts
Further reading
Harry Styles Is One of Us (Runner’s World)
Why listeners interpret songs differently than songwriters intended (The Fanbase Builder)
Artists should normalise buying music again (The Fanbase Builder)
We’ve forgotten how to buy music (The Fanbase Builder)
The Guanxi approach to networking in music (The Fanbase Builder)
Four industries that beat artists at fan growth (The Fanbase Builder)