Blog post no. 23: Slow-brew creativity. But once the pot is full…
Last week, after a few days of boredom, the first song came. Not in a burst, but slowly dripping throughout four consecutive days. (It’s not even closely finished, but came to a point in which it makes sense as a standalone piece of a song so I let it be for now.)
I gave my best to not to start pushing, not use the classic ”give me that monkey wrench and I’ll unclog these pipes right now” attitude, but instead let my ultraslow coffee drip drip drip one drop at a time so that it wouldn’t lose a single inch of its taste.
On Friday when I decided it was done for now, I fell into an exhaustion and sadness. Is this it, my glamorous creative process in Africa? Like pushing a rope. Trying so hard not to judge, not to get ahead of the whole process (I mean I had been here less than a week), yet this glimpse of returning home with a few super tired and useless almost-songs haunts me.
I wasn’t really giving up already?
No, not really. It just is what it is. Waves of emotions. Still always hit me afterwards.
So the next day I got myself distracted at Grand Popo’s local market and it did the trick. Two small ideas for later processing, and the day after another actual song started to unfold. Didn’t get rid of that haunting feeling though.
Yet I’m not alone with this process. I got my creative guardians sitting on my shoulders. Whenever I calm myself down to contemplate I can feel them. We are still in the process of creating our way of communicating, but it’s coming. Seems like they want to make sure I’m ready and serious, so they make me wait and be bored and read and nap and wait and listen and sit by the sea and meditate and do yoga and wander around the village.
And I’m starting to getting so many signs. Signs that once that coffee is so to be brewed, all ready to be served for the whole stay. Then, just pour it in the cup and enjoy!
But it’s not ready yet. But soon. Drip by drip.
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I’m an artist working on my album to be released later in 2018. These blog posts will be used as building blocks for a book about creativity once the album is done.
Listen to my music, and come say hello on any of my social media channels (FB, IG, TW). Also, don’t hesitate to send me an email at annimusicinfo (at) gmail (dot) com. Thanks. xo
