Why creative selfishness will improve your music

As artists, we're driven by the passion to create something meaningful, something special. Naturally, we want our music to resonate with others, and it’s easy to get caught in the trap of creating with that goal in mind—trying to make something we think other people will like.

We start worrying about what the audience, record labels, or even our friends might think.

Will this artist like my unreleased track? Will this label sign me? Will my friends think it's cool?

On the surface, this way of thinking makes sense, right? If we want people to like our music, it seems logical to aim for that.

But here’s the thing: In my experience, the opposite is true.

The more I stopped caring about external opinions and the “rules” of what my music was supposed to sound like, the more attention it got.

When I focused on what I wanted—following my own curiosity, interests, and taste—my music started resonating with the right people. And, most importantly, I was having a lot more fun making it.

This is because we can never truly know what others will like. We can barely pin down what we love about music ourselves, so how can we guess what someone else will respond to? We just can’t.

While it’s hard to explain exactly what we love about certain pieces of music... we can ourselves create the music that reflects our taste. We get to use a five-minute slice of time as our canvas and paint it with sound just how we envision it, creating something deeply meaningful to us.

When we create from an honest place—without worrying about outside pressures or expectations—we produce something truly unique. Our own experiences, emotions, and weird quirks become the fuel that powers our music, making it unlike anyone else’s.

And when we make something we genuinely love, that’s the hard proof that the music resonates with someone who matters the most—ourselves.

And in a somewhat counterintuitive way, it makes it more likely the music will connect with others out there just like it does with us.

So the real magic happens when we create freely, just for ourselves. That’s when the music becomes special.

Those imperfections we love? They’re what makes the track memorable, unique, and impossible to replicate.

It’s the vulnerability of sharing something personal that gets listeners to lean in and think, “Did I really just hear that?”

It’s our unique view of the world that makes the music exceptional.

Creative success isn’t about others’ approval. It’s about making something you’re proud of—something true to who you are. Whatever happens after that is out of your control.

So the next time you sit down to make music, focus on what you want to say.

What feels important to you? What excites you? What makes the process fun?

How do you feel in this moment—physically, emotionally, mentally?

What if you made this track purely for yourself, with no one else in mind?

Let that be your guide during your next session. Don’t stress about the outcome—just follow your curiosity and see where it takes you.

And remember, the only person you’re competing with is yourself. As an artist, your focus should always be on evolving and expressing your ideas more clearly and authentically than you did yesterday.

Your authenticity and unique perspective are your greatest strengths. Trust them.

Big love

Eryk

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PS If you need guidance, feedback or someone to help you with your music production or creative direction, I offer online music production sessions where I can help you with all things music.