What’s Your Musical Archetype?

This morning, during my daily YouTube Divination practice, I was gifted with this video by Dr. Andre Frudd on alternative musical archetypes. In it, he presents 3 musical archetypes that challenge the stereotypical “pop star” image our culture has conditioned us to expect. As per usual, this exact topic was on my mind only hours earlier as I showered before bed.

Defying Industry Norms

I’ve wrestled with my relationship to music and what it means to be a musician in this era for years; especially as an introverted, disabled, hypersensitive studio tinkerer coming from a non-musical family building their “career” mid-twenties with zero official qualifications…Shouldn’t I be performing regularly? Recording and sharing more often? Attending more concerts? Have a natural inclination to promote my work and utilize social media?

What’s crazier is that I feel all of this pressure and identity discord despite knowing that many of my favorite musicians are in the same boat. Kate Bush despised performing and rarely toured. Fiona Apple goes on extended silent Buddhist retreats and listens exclusively to old jazz standards before each jaw-dropping record is dropped with little warning. Glen Gould, as pointed out by Dr. Frudd, suddenly renounced the stage at the height of his performance career in favor of a life in the studio, recording and perfecting his works. SZA frequently struggles with intense anxiety and panic attacks before her shows…the list goes on.

On my journey to better understand what drives my compulsion to create and what its greater purpose is, this video was both a revelation and relief. It may seem obvious to others, but I never considered that one could be successful (e.g. create with passion and make a difference) without practicing the industry standard advice or those million-and-one indie music blog formulas. 

My Archetype: Musician as Listener & Host.

I now know it’s possible to cultivate community around creation in quieter, deeper spaces - even online. I think the Listener’s Lodge has been my way of defining my musical archetype: Listener and Host. A homebody who longs to share the beauty they discover, to host salons inviting conversation and living room concerts bringing comfort and solace. 

What’s your archetype?

If you’re a creative of any type (even those whose practice is separate from their income), I encourage you to do some digging and explore what your personal creative archetype might look like. What does your art do for you? For others? What do you do for it? If you’re like me, you may find that there’s more value there than you previously realized. 

With love,

Elizabeth