Nick Cave recently shared a statement on his newsletter, The Red Hand Files, and reflected on his journey to overcome self-doubt in his singing career.
In his newsletter, the rocker answers questions from fans. A 17-year-old fan named Eugenio wrote that they are conflicted about releasing an EP with their band. They are proud of the instrumental part but feel their singing could be better. They’re considering waiting to improve but also don’t want to miss a chance to record in a great studio and hold up the process. Cave said in his response:
“Dear Eugenio, when I started as a singer, I was exactly the same age as you are now, and I had no idea how to sing. I was generally regarded within my band, which was made up of school friends, as the ‘unmusical’ one.”
From Doubt To Confidence
He went on to explain how he became the singer not for talent but for his boldness and confidence:
“I became the singer not because of any explicit talent but because I had the tenacity to stand up in front of people, replete with nothing but lack and swagger, and blithely step into the condemnation of those who had the misfortune to hear me. I sang and sang and sang some more because I knew that that was what singers did.”
The singer then shared how he eventually found his voice, saying:
“Eventually, I found a voice that I could call my own and that could mostly carry a tune. Through this, I learned something valuable – a kind of defiant resilience to the messages, mostly in my own head, that told me my singing could be better. I got tough and protective of my vision and learned that the thing that ‘could be better’ was actually the ever-vital energy that propelled me forward.”
In the rest of his message, Cave advised Eugenio that if he wanted to be a singer, he must seize every opportunity to sing, including recording in the studio. He emphasized the importance of embracing these chances to avoid regretting missed dreams.
Cave’s Ongoing Battle With Career Doubts
Despite his nearly five-decade music career, the musician confessed in a June chat with Dazed that he sometimes wondered if he should keep going. Cave shared his doubts about continuing his career, explaining:
“Sometimes you think about giving this stuff up. I’ve been doing it for a really long time. The world doesn’t need another Nick Cave record. It doesn’t need another Nick Cave film. And it probably doesn’t need another Nick Cave Red Hand file. But what I fall back on is that I think doing something of value has some knock-on effect. It has some meaning. [And that’s why] I keep doing it.”
The new Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds album is also on the way. The rocker confirmed in July that he was in the studio to finish the upcoming record. He also recently let the fans know that he was ready to mix the album after wrapping up his North American tour.
