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FERAL WRITING ABOUT KIM NAMJOON AS PRESIDENT Of THE WORLD’S MOST CREATIVE PEOPLE.
What stood out the most in the recent interview was Kim Namjoon’s answer to Sakshma’s question about how they feel about constantly reinventing their music with each comeback -
So when Namjoon spoke about how it’s never been easy to make albums of multiple songs (8-10? Some even more?!), twice every year, sometimes thrice a year, while reinventing their style and trying to say things in a deeper way + the visuals + other content (games, variety shows, interviews, behind the scenes). He says there’s hardly any artists doing putting out THAT much music. AAAND he attributes this to be a major reason for their success.
So okay pause. Yes BTS do do that & we love them for it. But there’s something special about #Namjoon here - because basically he’s been the leader of this band for 8 years now. Maybe I’m wrong but he’s KIND OF been the creative director of this music making machine that has KEPT ITS SOUL ALIVE.
That is NOT EASY. I’m hard pressed to find something harder to do. Just in terms of the success, I think equating BTS to Apple and Namjoon to Jobs would be a fair show of the scale at which they are.
Except that I think BTS are more egalitarian & better for the physical & mental environment of the world. They have an integrity that is essential to live a soulful life and I know they’re loved for it but it needs to be appreciated more!
Now the more interesting part, the part that makes me go a little bit mad - the sheer creative prowess this frickin 26 year old has MUST BE INNNNSANE. It’s not just the lyricism, the wordplay (which, for me, is brilliant in its fearlessness) it’s also that he’s been solving problems - creative, administrative - for eight years. Which basically means that apart from the talents we know and love in him, he’s also BASICALLY A MASTER IN DESIGN THINKING!
This, along with honing his craft, getting more aware about both worlds - his internal universe and the external world. I’m in awe.
Ofcourse BTS have all done that. Ofcourse the members (& crew & the producers) are all responsible for it but you know what I’m talking about right? Even the members talk about Namjoon’s genius and the level of responsibility on his (gorgeous) shoulders. As an artist, a songwriter, a composer, a rapper, a leader - Namjoon is a CREATIVE LEGEND.
Need proof? The man talks about the three Bs of creativity here - like it’s no joke - bath, bed & bus- three places where ideas flow.
He speaks about a literal net of thoughts that he spreads across the world and then knowing that an idea is caught. This is the most creative description of the creative process I have ever heard. In one line, Kim Namjoon broke my mind and the matrix.
So yeah, he needs to be asked more questions about creativity. Such as -
1. Explain more about the net of thoughts and catching ideas.
2. What does he think of the word Genius?
3. What does he do when fear, comparisons crop up within him / within the members?
4. Thoughts on the quote - ‘the best writing comes through you, not from you’.
5. What does he do on “off days”, on days when the ideas just don’t come?
6. How does he stay curious?
7. Rest & play (purposeless fun) - how important are they to his inner well-spring of creativity? How does he get rest & play?
8. How does knowing different languages affect his perspective?
It must not be easy at all. There must be days that might be really hard. Thank you, Kim Namjoon. Hope you’re doing okay. We are grateful affff and extremely proud of you. 💜