Artistic Identity Is Not Linear
Discussing artistic identity is never simple. It’s never linear — and that’s exactly why it’s artistic and not robotic. Every artist’s path is unique, like a fingerprint, yet deeply influenced by culture.
In music, we share languages — that much is obvious. But defining how, within that language, a personal story breathes is a different challenge.
Tradition vs. Tribalism
Tradition matters. It’s about passing knowledge from one generation to another — a bridge connecting the past and the future. That’s essential.
BUT, let me share with you a division I make:
Tradition has memory, tribalism has fear.
Tradition is something alive — a place that has lived but is not yet complete.
Tribalism is a reaction rooted in fear and survival.
Memory reshapes sound itself, transforming it into something human, imperfect— but authentic.
Image: Wassily Kandinsky, “Improvisation 28 (Second Version)” (1912). Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons.