⚡️ Is a mental health disorder necessary to be creative?
PLUS: Remembering Tina Turner | Groundbreaking ideas, from naps
Clayton Hester
May 25, 2023
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The Precap
Remembering Tina Turner
The Copyright Royalty Board has made a significant decision for Phonorecords III, granting a substantial increase of up to 44% in royalties for U.S. songwriters and publishers
Universal Music Group (UMG) has joined forces with Endel, an AI-powered company specializing in creating soundscapes for work, meditation, and sleep.
May is Mental Health Month. A perfect time to highlight healing creativity.
The historian Roger Ekirch discovers a forgotten aspect of sleep known as "biphasic sleep" or "double sleeping" that was prevalent in the preindustrial world.
Discover the magical world of Anna Devís and Daniel Rueda, a couple from Spain who have mastered the art of merging poses and architecture in their photography.
George Church, a renowned Harvard geneticist, is a narcoleptic whose most groundbreaking ideas come to him during his narcoleptic naps.
Legacies
Tina Turner, the iconic soul and rock legend, has passed away at the age of 83. Her powerful voice and electrifying stage presence captivated audiences for over six decades. In her memoir, she courageously shared her struggles with health issues and the support she received from her husband, Erwin Bach, who saved her life by donating a kidney. Turner's musical journey was shaped by diverse influences, from country to gospel, blues to soul. She fearlessly made other artists' songs her own, infusing them with her unique style and emotion. Turner's resilience and talent earned her eight Grammy Awards, and she became a symbol of strength and inspiration. Despite enduring a tumultuous relationship with her first husband, Ike Turner, she emerged as a solo artist and achieved massive success with her groundbreaking album, Private Dancer. Turner's legacy extends beyond her music; she was a trailblazing performer and an influential figure who commanded the stage with unmatched energy. Her life story teaches us the power of perseverance, self-belief, and the ability to rise above adversity.
Angela Bassett: “She gave us her whole self. And Tina Turner is a gift that will always be ‘simply the best.’ Angels, sing thee to thy rest…Queen.”
Billboard shows her life in photos.
In Short
Trends & Changes
The Copyright Royalty Board has made a significant decision for Phonorecords III, granting a substantial increase of up to 44% in royalties for U.S. songwriters and publishers. This ruling, which spans from 2018 to 2022, gradually raises the royalties each year. While the streaming services appealed for certain limitations and rate caps, the determination strikes a balance between the interests of the music business and the streaming platforms. The complex formula used to calculate these royalties considers multiple factors and has undergone a lengthy process of appeals and remands. The decision reaffirms the headline rate and subscriber count calculations proposed in 2018, while also introducing a rate cap and adjustments to total content cost calculations. The ruling provides some certainty to songwriters about their rates and is expected to boost the music industry financially. However, it also highlights flaws in the Copyright Royalty Board system.
Universal Music Group (UMG) has joined forces with Endel, an AI-powered company specializing in creating soundscapes for work, meditation, and sleep. Through this partnership, UMG will license Endel's technology to empower its artists in producing "science-backed" soundscapes that promote listener wellness. The collaboration includes the development of new music and fresh renditions of catalog tracks. Endel's innovative model incorporates various factors such as weather, time of day, location, and heart rate to tailor audio streams for individual users. Notable artists like Grimes, Miguel, Richie Hawtin, and UMG's own James Blake have previously collaborated with Endel. UMG's Chief Digital Officer, Michael Nash, expressed excitement about harnessing ethical AI as a creative tool to support and enhance their artists' talents. The patented AI technology provided by Endel aligns with UMG's artist-centric philosophy, creating music soundscapes that prioritize audience wellness while respecting artists' rights. Endel's generative elements enable musicians to employ AI to endlessly expand their music, perpetually generating artworks in their distinct style. Co-founder and chief composer Dmitry Evgrafov described their ability to create albums with the push of a button. However, recent controversies surrounding the use of copyrighted music to train AI models have prompted UMG to take action. They issued takedown notices to platforms like TikTok when a song purportedly simulating the style and voice of UMG artists Drake and The Weeknd emerged. UMG's senior vice president of communications called for platforms like Spotify and Apple Music to block AI platforms from engaging in such practices. This story reveals the remarkable potential of ethical AI in supporting artistic creativity and enhancing listeners' well-being. By leveraging AI technology like Endel's, UMG seeks to create transformative music experiences that respect artists' rights. The takeaway for readers is to embrace technological advancements ethically and responsibly, recognizing the importance of supporting artists and preserving human creative expression.
Are there ways you can leverage AI or other innovative tools to enhance your own creative pursuits?
Mental Health
May is Mental Health Month. A perfect time to highlight healing creativity.
Discovering the transformative power of poetry during the pandemic, the author of a piece in Well+Good reflects on the relationship between their mental health challenges and creativity. While there may be a link between mental health struggles and artistic expression, it is essential not to romanticize or view them as a requirement for creativity. Instead, finding a creative outlet can be a meaningful way to process emotions and promote healing. Writing poetry becomes a coping mechanism, helping the author navigate anxiety and depression. It provides a space for catharsis, playfulness, and a different perspective on their struggles. The author's poems explore themes of finding joy, escaping pain, and seeking connection. The duality of their creative process reflects the complexity of their identity as a poet and person, allowing them to confront mental health issues with humor, heart, and a sense of wonder. The reader is encouraged to consider their own creative outlets and how they can serve as vehicles for self-expression and well-being.
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Check It Out
Discover the magical world of Anna Devís and Daniel Rueda, a couple from Spain who have mastered the art of merging poses and architecture in their photography. With their attention to detail and whimsical approach, they create mesmerizing images that bridge the gap between buildings and people's curiosity. By infusing creativity and humor, they make architecture more accessible and captivating to everyone.
The History of Us
The historian Roger Ekirch discovers a forgotten aspect of sleep known as "biphasic sleep" or "double sleeping" that was prevalent in the preindustrial world. Through his research, he finds numerous references to the practice in historical records, literature, and cultural traditions from various regions. This pattern involved people sleeping for a few hours, waking up in the middle of the night for a period of activity, and then returning to sleep until morning. The "watch" period between sleeps was used for various purposes like work, religious practices, reflection, and even socializing or intimate moments. However, as artificial lighting and societal changes occurred during the Industrial Revolution, the biphasic sleep pattern gradually disappeared. Ekirch suggests that this ancient way of sleeping might have been the natural default for humans, inherited from our prehistoric ancestors. The story raises questions about the impact of modern sleep patterns on our well-being and the possibility of reclaiming a more natural sleep cycle.
Breakthroughs Today
George Church, a renowned Harvard geneticist, is a narcoleptic whose most groundbreaking ideas come to him during his narcoleptic naps. Despite the inconveniences of his disorder, Church believes that the benefits outweigh them. He credits his quick and simple method of DNA sequencing, his concept of genome editing similar to CRISPR, and even his idea for a space probe that could reach distant stars within 20 years to his narcoleptic naps. The link between sleep and creativity has long been debated, with stories of artists, inventors, and scientists finding inspiration in their dreams. Scientific studies support this notion, suggesting that the stage of sleep known as REM, as well as the transitional state between wakefulness and sleep called N1, are particularly conducive to creativity. N1, experienced by narcoleptics during daytime naps, allows for hybrid states of mind that foster creative thinking. Research has shown that even short bouts of N1 sleep can triple the chances of experiencing a moment of creative insight. These findings have led scientists to explore methods of harnessing this creative potential, such as using neurofeedback to identify and induce the brain states associated with creativity. The story of George Church and the relationship between sleep and creativity prompt us to consider the untapped potential of our own sleep experiences.
Do you leverage your sleep patterns to boost your creativity?
In a groundbreaking study published in Nature, scientists have achieved a remarkable feat by providing a paralyzed patient with the ability to walk again. Gert-Jan Oskam, who had been paralyzed from the waist down for over a decade, now has control over his lower body thanks to a "digital bridge" created between his brain and spinal cord. Implants placed in Mr. Oskam's brain captured his thoughts and translated them into signals that stimulated his spinal cord, allowing him to regain voluntary movement. Not only has he regained the ability to walk, but he has also shown signs of neurological recovery, even walking with crutches when the implant was turned off. This incredible breakthrough in spinal cord injury treatment offers hope for individuals facing similar challenges. The study demonstrates the power of connecting the brain and technology to restore mobility and bridge the gap between mind and body. The researchers' use of artificial intelligence to decode intentions and match them to muscle movements opens up new possibilities for restoring autonomy and blurs the boundaries between the brain and technology. While the current treatment is invasive and requires further advancements to address all aspects of spinal cord paralysis, it serves as a beacon of progress in the field. The researchers envision making this technology more accessible and effective worldwide for those in need.
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