We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Julian Bennett a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Julian , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
Honestly…my purpose kind of found me. I felt like for a large part of my life I was lost. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do or how I wanted to express myself. Music was just always an escape from reality for me. It’s like you can listen to any album & just immerse yourself into another world, so it’s been like that since I can remember. As a kid, I really just loved writing & reading stories. I always had a big imagination so once I started writing & making my own music, it was like I was creating my own world. I feel like everybody has that ability & can create their own world if they really listened to themselves. The one thing about purpose is that it’s never that far from where you are. I mean, I remember entering into the school talent show when I was in 4th grade & rapped in front of the whole school. No lie. I had that cafeteria rocking! Thinking back when I was younger, it was really there the whole time, it just took me a while to realize it.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I create art through making songs. It takes a lot for me to share it because it’s very special to me. My process basically is capturing my emotions, thoughts, etc. and painting a picture of the world the way I see it. A lot of what I make is intentionally introspective because I look at music as an empathy tool. My whole being centers around being a “BLACK SHEEP”, and it’s something I’ve been all my life. I feel like a lot of people can relate to it, but my message is not just about being different or not being accepted, it’s more so about owning the fact that you are unique and living life on your own terms. I’m really excited for the future because I’ve met a lot of other BLACK SHEEP on my journey and they’ve inspired me to create stuff only for us! I got some real heat coming soon & I know the HEARD is gonna love this next chapter. So make sure you stay tuned…it’s gonna be special!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The first quality that was the most impactful on my journey definitely was self-awareness. No doubt about it. Exploring who you are & what you love to do is the key ingredient. I feel like that part of the process can’t be rushed though. It has to be natural because it comes from a pure place. Like I said earlier, it took me a while to really tune in to myself and understand who I was. Honestly I started to lead with the things that came easiest to me, and often times these things were connected with my childhood. The second quality that I feel has helped me so far is confidence. It’s one thing to find something that you love to do, it’s another thing to feel like you’re the best at what you do. I feel like that comes with time too. It’s really just having confidence in your ability, and most importantly who you are. Sometimes you have to remind yourself, or even the people around you. My wife helps with that whenever i’m “sleep on myself.” However long that takes for you to get that, that’s something you can’t rush either; especially if you’re not a naturally confident person. Start by doing the small things that you’re good at and then build up from there. The third one is actually something that i’m currently working through but it’s learning to love the process. Working towards your idea of success is going to be a grind, and if you don’t find a way to enjoy the process or at least endure it, it’s a journey that’s not going to last very long. So that’s where i’m at right now, chop wood, carry water. Learn to love the daily grind just as much as you love the progress, because there will be times where it seems like there’s no progress and you can’t give up or slow down. Gotta stay with it!
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
It’s gonna sound cliche, but when I feel overwhelmed, I just breathe. Breathe through all the anxiety and stress. As soon as I start to feel overwhelmed or anxious about something, I just close my eyes, center myself and take 5 deep breaths. The key to doing it though is to clear your mind while you’re taking the deep breaths. Seriously, don’t think about anything. After the 5 deep breaths, it really feels as though the problem went away. Well, maybe not the problem itself, but the emotions that I was feeling about said problem are alleviated. Once I open my eyes, I can then start planning how to move through my situation. Not only am I able to attack it with a clear mind, but the solutions start flowing as well. Best technique i’ve ever learned.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thejulianbennett/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/_julianbennett
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@julianbennettofficial
- Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6Vv7FXt4TS82tR8p2khHrl Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/julian-bennett/279891283 Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thejulianbennett
Image Credits
Photographer: Tobe Mokolo Photographer of Cover: Mike Jaja
