As a vocal coach in London and artist mentor for singers and songwriters, I know how important it is for artists to know who they are. It helps you feel confident and ensures you stay on track. Artists can be quite scattergun sometimes in their approach to their work and can find pinning things down challenging. While we may go in many directions over our careers, it’s good to start with something clear and understandable for ourselves, those we work with and our audience.
Let’s explore how knowing your artistic identity, vision and intention can strengthen your journey as an artist.
Artistic Identity: Who are you?
Your identity is what makes you unique. It’s about your background, what inspires you, and how you see the world. When you know your identity, your music feels real and personal. It’s not something you need to create, simply something to uncover.
Questions to Think About:
- What’s your back story? How have your life and experiences shaped your music?
- Who or what has inspired you most? Think about artists, genres, books, or even important people in your life.
- Choose a few of your most influential musical artists (pref. varied) so you can communicate this to others.
– Pick someone who is similar to you. Contrast this with someone who’s influenced you but is a long way from the other artist. E.g. “Tori Amos meets Velvet Underground”. - What makes you different? Identity? Fusion of styles? Instrumentation? Performance? Lyrical themes? What matters to you?
– “Meets English Countryside”, “Meets string quartet”. “Meets Anne Sexton”.
Try this for artists you like too – what’s their makeup? - What are all the reasons why you tell yourself you won’t succeed? These qualities that you might think of as obstacles (e.g. age/weight/unconventional traits) are part of what makes you, you and part of your unique identity.
- What’s your musical identity, palette of emotions, style, genre, vocal timbre, instrumental style (song orientated?)
- What’s your lyrics identity; subject matter, level of intimacy, colloquial language; country/urban, personal/everyday?
- Personal identity; attitude, visual image, interesting artistic journey? Do you wear your heart on your sleeve – to show the human condition.
Your identity helps you communicate and create music that’s honest and gives your audience something to connect with.
unique vision – What are you trying to express?
Listeners connect with music that has a strong, cohesive direction. This creates compelling art. If your project feels scattered, it’s harder for people to relate to. A clear vision will make it easier to find an audience, collaborators, funding, labels, it’s more likely people will write about you. You need to learn to communicate your vision through your work otherwise you end up with dull, uninteresting art that doesn’t reflect who you are.
What you are trying to accomplish as an artist? Maybe you’re trying:
*To create music that challenges societal norms and sparks meaningful conversation.
*To blend different genres in a completely new way, creating a unique sound that hasn’t been heard before.
*To use music as a tool for emotional healing and self-expression, helping others connect with their own emotions.
*To preserve and modernise traditional musical styles from their culture, making them accessible to a new generation.
*To inspire others to pursue their creative passions, leading by example in living a fully artistic life.
*To build an immersive, multimedia artistic experience that fuses visual art, music, and performance.
*To craft music that helps people escape, whether through joy, nostalgia, or a transformative listening experience.
*To innovate within a specific genre, bringing fresh ideas and pushing boundaries in terms of technique, sound, or performance.
*To be known for honesty and vulnerability in their lyrics, telling personal stories that others can relate to.
*To use music as a platform to advocate for social or environmental change, making an impact through both artistry and activism.
What resonates with you?
You might like to also ask yourself
- What story am I telling through this project?
- What emotions do I want to evoke in my audience?
- Which sounds, instruments, or production styles align with this vision?
- Style: How do your sound, visuals, and performances all work together?
- Does this Vision Statement clearly establish your goals for your work?
- Perhaps you have vision boards/mood maps
- Write down words or phrases that capture the vibe and purpose of your music.
Be able to state your artistic vision for your current project in 2 or 3 sentences.
What is your Emotional Intention?
The emotional intention behind your music is its driving force. It’s the energy that gives your work meaning. It’s the core of why you create and how you want it to impact others. When you’re clear about this intention, your music becomes a more powerful, authentic expression.
Ask Yourself:
- What do I want my listeners to feel when they hear my music?
- How do I want my music to resonate with your audience?
Once you know your emotional intention you can work on a strategy to achieve it. Check out Part Two!
Bringing artistic Identity, unique Vision, and Emotional Intention Together
When your artistic identity, unique vision, and emotional intention work together, your music becomes a true expression of who you are. Your identity shapes your vision, your vision gives direction to your intention, and your intention makes your music connect with others.
These ideas can change as you grow, but starting with a clear understanding of them will help you stay confident and focused.
Take time to figure out what drives you creatively, what you’re really trying to say, and how you want your work to live in the world. If you’d like support with this, I offer expressive vocal coaching and artist development for singers — through singing lessons in London and online singing lessons for adults who are ready to make a record that truly sounds like them.
