C O N C I O U S N E S S




In a nutshell, what do you do?

I write electronic and acoustic music which is sometimes played by other people (orchestras and stuff), sometimes used in films etc. and sometimes performed by me and my band.


What’s your creative process; how do you get stuff done?

It’s all pretty self-governed. I draw a lot of sketches which determine the pacing and ‘architecture’ of my music, and then make a sort of mood board to realise those shapes. I then write all my stuff – even purely electronic pieces – in classical notation software (with lots of checking back to my shape/map to check it’s doing what I want it to do) and eventually move to a more electronic software like Ableton. Normally I need to have some kind of deadline breathing down my neck to cross the finish line.


Everyone works differently. When did you become aware that your creative process is your own?

I’m not sure there was a particular moment. It’s probably more a general realisation that after years of trying to do things in the way other people do it, and it not really working for me, that I had to figure things out for myself. I don’t think the way I write is probably that unusual or original but it feels like I’ve figured out the best way to make use of my own skills and shortcomings!


When are you most creative?

Normally on the stomp in to my studio. I get about 50 times more writing done then than I do in front of my computer.


Can you be creative in a vacuum or do you need outside influences to help?

I’m a big fan of the vacuum. I find the more I listen to other people’s music (or even engage with any other art form) the less strong, decisive and sure of my own process I am. So I listen to a lot of audiobooks and watch a lot of atrocious TV. Somehow I find that more helpful!





E X I S T E N T I A L I S M




Did you seek being creative or did creativity find you?

Woah! Deep! I’m not sure about this one! I’ve always liked being creative but have always liked to have a reason to be (creative)… I find a lot of my ideas are triggered by the brief/deadline/parameters of the project. Even when making something that’s totally me – like my albums – I still self-impose rules or experiments I want to try, to make it all more controlled.


Do you think your background has had an effect on your creativity?

I have a really supportive family so have been very lucky to feel like I could pursue creative work rather than have to fight to do it.


Have you ever struggled with creativity?

This might sound a bit dick-ish but I can’t think of too many times I’ve struggled to come up with ideas. Though I do struggle with the idea of refining and re-working, and have a bit of an unhealthy conviction that if I don’t get it right first time, it’ll just keep getting worse.





D I S R U P T I O N




Is there any one person, thought or thing that’s changed the way you think?

Cheating a bit, but I’ve got this group of composer friends I’ve known since music college. We all came from the same, quite restrictive (in those days) kind of training but have since gone on to do very different kinds of writing. We’ve given each other the confidence to try stuff out and mess things up and keep it in perspective. It’s helped me so much amidst what can be quite an isolating process.


Do you have one piece of advice for anyone starting out as a creative?

It’s pretty cheesy but I think it’s really important to work out what you want to be doing, not what you think teachers/judges/critics/audiences might want – find something that you actually love making. If you don’t like your own music or (insert appropriate art form) then it’s hard to think why anyone else should!





R E F L E C T I O N




Do you think creativity has defined you?

I’ve spent so long making new stuff that I’m trying at the moment to balance it up with other types of work – like touring my existing music rather than constantly generating new stuff. I increasingly think being creative is quite a precious resource and I’m trying to pace and balance my work more so that I’m not going totally crazy.


What would you like to do if you weren’t doing what you do now?

I’m pretty good at Pictionary. Not sure if there’s a career in that somewhere...






T H A N K   Y O U






Find Anna Meredith on Instagram and via annameredith.com. Her latest album ‘FIBS’ is released on Moshi Moshi Music. Her music is available on Bandcamp.

Photo credit: Gem Harris.