Beginnings

I plan to write a blog more consistently in an attempt to bring to life some of the finer details of being a creative person, trying to discuss the real challenges of bringing new ideas out from your imagination into the world—from internal struggles, financial barriers, fundraising, and the pure actual task of trying to make the thing good.

I reckon it will interest people who like to create things, but honestly, like most things that are created, I’m trying to make sense of it myself. So—let’s see what we discover.

I spent today with the amazing opportunity to enjoy a 360 mixing session at the World Heart Beat in Nine Elms with one of my favorite collaborators, Julian Wharton. As is normal for me and Julian, we kicked the day off with coffee and a deep philosophical chat. Afterward, we spent four hours troubleshooting the d&b 360 sound system. Eventually, it started to work, and we began our collaboration side by side with the phenomenal Aaron Holloway-Nahum, CEO of Riot Ensemble.

Last weekend, I was in Berlin, running from club to club with Asher Young (Challenge Your Imagination) and Femi Oyewole (Femdelefem).

Last Thursday, I spoke directly to 10 high court judges about the criminal justice system and its inability to cope with cases of sexual violence.

Tomorrow, I will be working towards the fundraising target for the two shows I am pouring myself into: "Bodies Tilted" and "Violet."

I find myself in the mood to kick-start this blog in an attempt to begin to communicate this incredibly vast thing, which is—to live a creative life. Around one month ago, I presented the most recent draft of my new piece "Violet" to 12 of the kindest people.

Two hours of material to listen through—a feat of audience generosity. Of course, this project is not finished. I won’t be done until the music is released, the story is shared, the videos are made, the audience reacts, and the next passion project is begun.

But I do feel a new moment. I feel the intimate, soul-searching bit come to a close.

This is part of creativity. Cycles of creativity, reinvention, clarity, and unclarity. A never-ending sense of fear, and doubt, and different realworld obstacles. And, essentially—our job is to stay in touch with out ideas and to stay creative. That doesn’t even mean always physically outputing creativity. It’s a perspective. It means, no matter what you’re doing, what work, what job—stay playful and engaged.