Meet Briano King

We recently connected with Briano King and have shared our conversation below.

Briano, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

Honestly, it’s creativity that keeps me going! I really believe that as humans, we need to create in order to feel fulfilled and balanced. For me, that creative outlet has always been music – especially since my day job is pretty analytical. Having music as a way to express myself helps me keep that balance in my life.

Of course, there are times when I feel like my creative energy just runs out. When that happens, I’ve learned it’s important to listen to the body and mind. That might mean just taking a break to recharge, but sometimes changing my environment can also help – whether that’s taking a walk or even traveling somewhere new. I find that feeding the mind with different experiences, both familiar and completely new, can do wonders for creativity.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I am a composer and music producer based in London, UK. My work spans across genres including neoclassical, orchestral and what I like to call cinematic electronica. I love how music can tell a story; provoke; transport; and evoke strong feelings. That’s the kind of music that speaks most to me, and which I try to create.

My favourite instrument is the piano, which is the first one I learnt and where I probably start 90% of my compositions (yes, even the orchestral and electronic ones!). You can often find videos of me doodling new musical ideas or playing my favourite pieces on Instagram or Tiktok. I’ve never actually been a big fan of social media, but one of the things I have really appreciated over the past few years is the ability to connect with listeners and fellow music enthusiasts.

I’m always fascinated to hear how music makes people feel, the imagery and stories they attach to it, and I often channel that into my creative process. You can find my music on most streaming platforms, where I have been releasing my work since 2022. I plan to one day in the not too distant future perform these live!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

To create and to innovate, I believe that it is important to be open-minded. We live in a world which is becoming ever divisive and in which following trends seem more important than embracing differences and making room for nuance. I think this ultimately has an impact on creativity, as what we produce is a function of our life experiences and outlook.

I think it is also important to be honest and true to oneself. In the music industry, it can be tempting to just chase the latest trend, and that can work to some extent. But it can also mean you lose your creative identity – and the audience’s interest – over time. It took me a while to find my own sound, but I am glad I invested the time to do this. And of course that doesn’t mean being oblivious to what the audience wants! Connecting with listeners and hearing their feedback has also really helped to hone my craft.

The third quality I’d highlight is humility. A while ago, I watched a fantastic TED talk called “Your elusive creative genius”. As a creator / artist, it can be tempting to go into a mode of self-absorption – a spiral of self-destruction if things don’t go to plan, or at the other end of the spectrum to indulge in a level of narcissism when things do go well. This mindset can not only stifle creativity but is probably not the best for mental health. I think this is one of the things that the ancient Greeks and Romans managed better; decoupling inspiration from the creator and recognising that it is a privilege to be visited by ‘genius’, rather than seeking or claiming to be one. I found this concept so compelling that I even wrote a piece inspired by it, called “Muse”.

Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?

Good question! I confess I am quite greedy when it comes to wanting to learn new things, which can sometimes mean I’m juggling more projects than I should! I think it’s important to recognise your own strengths and build on those, but I would say you should always be aware of – and carve out time to work on – things that need improvement. The art is knowing how far to go! One example from my personal experience is that I have always been comfortable with composing, but production was something I knew I needed to work on, especially when it came to electronic and cinematic music. I therefore decided a few years ago to study music production and sound engineering. That is arguably a career in itself! But my aim wasn’t to become a professional sound engineer – it was so that I could have an appreciation of what is involved in the end-to-end process and build on my production skills whether I’m working alone or collaborating with others. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned from my studies, it is that feedback and collaboration are key as everyone has different strengths. As an artist, it is important to tap into that – whilst not losing your own voice of course – as it can only improve what you produce.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/briano_king
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/briano_king_/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BrianoKing
• Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5JF837zREMtlJJrY0qbgKS?si=freip0YkSI2K8kICb4Mbrg