My Music Episode 703 - Jorge Wilson

What happens when you know exactly how you want your music to sound… while still insisting you don't really know what you're doing?In this episode of MyMusic, Graham Coath talks to Jorge Wilson about creativity, perfectionism, independence and finding a sound that actually feels like your own.Jorge describes himself as a self-taught musician who often plays by ear, layering instruments according to what sounds right rather than what the rulebook says he should be doing. Yet behind that apparently instinctive approach is someone with a remarkably clear idea of the tones, textures and atmosphere he wants to create. They talk about the influences behind both Jorge's music and his distinctive visual identity from David Bowie, Steve Lacy and Michael Jackson to Richard Ashcroft, Johnny Marr, Tame Impala and Mac DeMarco and why imperfection can sometimes be precisely what makes music interesting. There's also the story behind Life Goes On, a song Jorge describes almost as a message to himself. As a perfectionist and an over-thinker, he wanted to remind himself to let things go rather than allowing everything to keep playing on his mind. His songwriting often works that way: the emotion comes first, and sometimes he doesn't fully understand what he's written about until the song is finished. The conversation gets into the strange trade-off that comes with becoming a solo artist too: complete creative freedom also means being on your own. Jorge talks about needing people around him who will give him an unfiltered opinion, including producer Steven Griffiths, and why he'd rather hear that something isn't good enough than receive comfortable praise. And perhaps most importantly, they discuss learning to accept that not everybody has to like what you make. Jorge's approach is wonderfully straightforward: if somebody doesn't like his song, that's fine. If he still loves what he's created, that's what matters. Plus: the borrowed Höfner bass that made Graham jealous, why having too many instruments can actually make creativity harder, Jorge's first song after seeing Richard Ashcroft, the forthcoming debut of the black suit on stage, and why Paul McCartney and Johnny Marr represent musicianship at its best.Jorge's debut EP JPW is available on streaming platforms. MyMusic conversations about the lives, stories and creative processes behind the music.My Music is sponsored by 13th Floor Sound