Composers & Cover Artists

As a strategist in this program I’ve always struggled with people referring to us as the “non-creatives.” I’ve pondered whether or not my role is actually creative because of it, but have always returned to the idea that while our creativity differs, it shouldn’t be discounted. If you’ve wondered this too, I hope to share an analogy I stumbled upon that I think brings to light an answer to the question: “Are we creatives or not?” The analogy came during my visit to Sound Lounge while we were having a discussion about the difference between composers and cover artists. The discussion centered around how both make music, but their creativity differs. They explained the differences like this: a composer is someone who pulls sounds seemingly from thin air. The music they make comes from within as they create unique sounds based on what they think best portrays the story they are trying to tell. While on the other hand, you see cover artists creating unique remixes and cover songs. Their creativity uses intuition when hearing different music. They pull together many sounds to create a well layered blend. Their music thus comes through discovering new and interesting ways to fit various sounds together. This, I think, is precisely the difference between creatives and strategists. Creatives design and write from within, while strategists gather outside pieces and blend them together. So just like composers and cover artists, though our processes differ, in the end we are both equally capable of creating something beautiful to listen to. Kenzie Backous