I often ask the singers and artists I work with to do something simple:
List the artists you love.
The ones you actually return to.
Then look again — not at the names, but at the patterns.
Because the artists you love are not random.
They tell you something about:
- what you value
- how you see the world
- and the kind of artist you are becoming
A Useful Framework
One way of understanding this is through archetypes.
You don’t need to overthink it, but here’s a useful set. You might resonate with one word more than another within each group — that’s the point.
- Maiden, Innocent, Virgin, Child, Dreamer, Idealist (Sees the world through hope, sensitivity and openness).
- Nomad, Explorer, Seeker, Wanderer, Adventurer, Pilgrim (Feels most alive when moving, discovering, following curiosity)
- Sage, Truth seeker, Wise One, Teacher, Philosopher, Scholar, Mentor (driven to understand, question, make sense of life)
- Hero, Warrior, Champion, Knight, Protector (Wants to face, fight and overcome, values strength and resilience).
- Wild woman – Rebel, Outlaw, Revolutionary, Rule-breaker (Feels a strong need for freedom and authenticity, rejecting anything that feels false or imposed. Truth over approval).
- Lover, Romantic, Sensualist, Seductress (Experiences life through feeling, connection, intimacy, feels deeply).
- Artist, Creatrix, Inventor, Maker (Sees the world as something to bring into form or shape, full of ideas, imagery).
- Humourist, Jester, Fool, Trickster, Entertainer, Clown. (Relates to life through play, humour and irreverence, using lightness to expose truth).
- Mother, Caregiver, Healer, Helper, Guardian. (Drawn to support, protect or nurture others, attuned to emotional needs).
- Everyman, Common Person, Neighbour, Citizen, Realist. (Grounded in shared human experience, connection through relatability.
- Queen, Ruler, King, Leader, Sovereign, Authority. (Pulled towards structure, control and leadership, wants to shape environments or outcomes.
- Mystic, Visionary, Magician, Wizard, Alchemist. (Experiences life as layered and symbolic, drawn to meaning, transformation and what lies beneath the surface).
Most artists core sits in two or three of these core archetypes, but will traverse them all in moments.
My Own influence Map
When I map the artists I love, patterns become very clear.
For example:
- PJ Harvey – Rebel • Creator • Lover – Explorer
- Patti Smith – Rebel + Creator + Lover
- Julianna Hatfield – Rebel • Everyman • Lover
- Sinéad O’Connor – Rebel • Lover • Sage
- Yoko Ono- Rebel • Creator • Explorer
- Annie Lennox – Lover • Sage – Queen? or Mother
- Beth Orton – Lover • Everyman – maiden
- Bob Dylan – Sage • Rebel • Creator
- Carly Simon – Lover • Everyman • Creator
- Charlotte Gainsbourg – Lover • Creator/artist – Explorer
- Jewel – Innocent • Lover • Sage (bit of wild woman)
- Jane Siberry – Creator • Magician • Explorer
- Kate Bush – Creator • Magician • Explorer
- Marianne Faithfull – Rebel • Lover • Sage
- Nick Cave – Sage • Magician • Rebel
- Neil Young – Rebel • Everyman • Sage
- Nina Simone – Rebel • Sage • Caregiver
- Patti Smith – Rebel • Creator • Magician
- Paul Simon – Sage • Explorer • Creator
- Sarah McLachlan – Lover • Caregiver • Creator
- Tori Amos – Magician • Creator • Lover
(You can do this with any artists you love — it becomes very revealing very quickly.)
What I’m Drawn To
When I step back and look at the patterns, it’s very clear:
- Rebel
- Creator
- Lover
What That Means
I’m drawn to artists who:
- tell the truth rather than perform for approval
- create their own artistic language
- feel deeply and express it
Artists who are:
- a bit wild
- a bit vulnerable
- a bit defiant
Knowing yourself can be super helpful as it can inform every area of your work; from your production standards to your clothes, to the way you want to show up in the world as an artist. It can help you with your decision making process.
Try It Yourself
Make a list of the artists you love.
Map them.
Look for patterns.
Then ask yourself:
- What am I actually drawn to?
- What kind of artist am I becoming?
- What am I here to express?
Because hidden in the artists you love is something very useful:
a map of your own artistic identity
Return to your self
Sometimes this exercise can be surprisingly revealing.
You might recognise a part of yourself that feels very true — something core — but also realise it’s not currently being expressed.
You can see the kind of artists you’re drawn to. The energy, the honesty, the freedom… and yet your own life doesn’t quite reflect it.
Not because it isn’t there.
But because it’s been quietened, overthought, or put to one side.
That’s the work.
p.s. It’s also worth saying this.
Sometimes we don’t feel like the artists we admire at all.
Not because we aren’t like them, but because we’re not currently making anything. We’re stuck in our heads — comparing, overthinking, scrolling.
The shift isn’t to become someone else.
It’s simply to start again.
Make something small.
Make something imperfect.
Come back to the work.
That’s where your voice is.
If you recognise yourself in this, this is exactly the space I work in with people — helping you reconnect with your voice, your instincts, and your work.
