Sting Does His Creative Thinking While Walking
Sting does his creative thinking while walking, according to a recent interview with USA Today. The musician credits going for a stroll as his process to metaphorically “fish” for good ideas in his music and creative projects.
“It’s like fishing. You throw the line in and sometimes you get something and sometimes you don’t. But the more you do it, the luckier you get.”
Does the legend prefer to stroll in any particular location? No. Sting specifies no preference and clarifies that there is no singular location that is more inspirational to him throughout his legendary career.
“If I knew where the spot was, I’d be there all day,” he quips.
While walking, Sting maintains an open mind by being quiet and being receptive to a new idea. Part of his process is to allow the walking to put him into a “Zen state,” as he notes that by not prejudging anything, he remains more open to a new influence.
“Creativity is a mystery to me. There is no button to press. There is no code.”
Sting’s creative mysteries found him performing at a private event in the French Riviera at the posh Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc on Tuesday. The event hosted executives from the media and entertainment company iHeartMedia and MediaLink in celebration of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
Besides singing his hits “Roxanne” and “Message in a Bottle” to a smartphone-wielding crowd, Sting recently collaborated with Ivy Levan in her new single, “Killing You,” which will be released on August 7. The excited newcomer gushed about having Sting sing on her debut album.
“That’s the voice I grew up with. That’s the iconic Sting,” she said.
Keeping busy and catching quite a few great ideas while “fishing” for them in his walks, Sting is also coming off of his Tony Awards season. The Inquisitr reported that Sting’s Broadway show, The Last Ship, was nominated for Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations. He has plans to continue touring the show in Europe.
Surprisingly, for a music legend, Sting prefers silence over music when it comes to relaxation.
“I love music. Music is my life, but it’s very hard for a musician to listen to music without analysis,” he explains. “You’d never see me relaxing on a sofa, going, ‘I’m loving this music.'”
It could be that the secret to Sting’s successful career has something to do with giving himself enough time to relax without music. Whether it is walking or quiet time to himself, the former member of The Police seems to have found what works best for his creative process over the years.
[Photo courtesy of Tony Barson/Getty Images for iHeartMedia/USA Today]
