What Bon Iver Taught Me About Creating Great Art

How does an obscure, little-known artist rise to the top of the indie music scene?

How does a low budget recording with a guy hand plucking an acoustic guitar seemingly take over the world?

Enter the world of Bon Iver (aka Justin Vernon). You may or may not love his music. You may not “get it”. You may wonder what all the hype is. But this guy has risen to the forefront of modern music.

I’ve been listening to Bon Iver for a couple years now. It amazes me how often I hear his music and see how far it has spread. In fact, he’s becoming on icon. Bon Iver may just join the ranks of U2 and Coldplay as an artist we compare everyone else to.

5 Lessons On Creativity From Bon Iver

As an avid music listener, I like to apply what I listen to. Here are a few things I’ve learned from listening to Bon Iver:

1. Create Your Own Map

If you’re an artist, don’t just follow an artistic template for success. That never works. You need an edge that sets you apart.

While Bon Iver draws his comparisons, he has his unique sound: that crooning falsetto. He knows how to sing it and how to sing it well.

It’s interesting to note that Justin recorded all his vocals with wordless melodies. He  then crafted lyrics based on what fit the melody. If you want to stand out, you need to be different.

2. Be Honest

Don’t just paint a beautiful picture of a non-reality. Your art needs to reflect your pain, communicate your experience, and present your view of the world.

Justin Vernon had just experienced a breakup before recording “For Emma, Forever Ago”. The songs reflect his deep sadness, pain, and a touch of anger. People are drawn to that honesty.

He was also bedridden with mononucleosis. It would have been easy for him to live in denial and give up. Instead, he pressed into his pain and created from that place.

You see, your art will feed others if you write out of your experience, write out of your pain. Don’t deny it.

3. Don’t Create Out Of Pressure

Don’t get me wrong. Deadlines are good. Routines are healthy. But to create and release your art out of pressure will kill it. Separate yourself from the noise and you may just create your best art.

When Justin created his debut record he separated himself in a Wisconsin Cabin for an entire winter. The quality of the project reflects focused attention. And I’m sure his sales show as well. It was a smashing hit. He probably wouldn’t have experienced the same success if he were surrounded by noise.

Walk the tension of creating deadlines for yourself so your work gets done but not caving into external pressure to dumb down your art.

4. Experiment

The new Bon Iver record is quite a departure from the first. Bigger drums, more guitars, and even more epic ballads. If you create, always push the envelope. Try new techniques and styles. Resist the temptation to stick with what is safe or what “works”.

Are you a writer? What if you experimented with a new genre? Are you a musician? What new instruments are you being inspired by?

Go and do something new. Today.

5. Don’t Fear Simplicity

It’s easy to overproduce our art. A bad song is not made better with more production. It just magnifies how bad it is. A great song is a great song regardless of its musicianship. Still, that’s what we often hear on the radio – overproduced, meaningless music.

The beauty and strength of Bon Iver’s music is its fragile simplicity. Delicate. Thoughtful. Patient. Deep.

Question: Who are some of your favorite artists and what do they teach you about creativity? You can leave a comment by clicking here.