Finneas is the songwriter behind some of the world's top artists' songs: Selena Gomez, Camila Cabello, and most importantly, Billie Eilish. Finneas is the older brother of the singer Billie Eilish and he is responsible for co-writing a lot of her songs, alongside Billie. As of 2020, Finneas has won a Grammy for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical, a huge step in his career. This award comes after his work on Billie Eilish's music and his own pieces. Finneas has since come out with albums and singles showcasing his own singing and songwriting skills for his own work. Focusing on himself has allowed his talents and love for music to grow.
Finneas never started with the hopes of winning a Grammy or any big award, he just loves making music with his sister. Finneas and Billie started off making fun songs and posting them to Sound Cloud just so they could share their love of music with the world. They had not even dreamt that they would be household names. Finneas had no selfish desire with making music. This motivation can be classified as intrinsic motivation because Finneas is not out for fame or praise. Although he has definitely achieved what many extrinsically motivated individuals want, this has not changed his reasons for making music. Finneas loves what he does and that will never change.
When creating his work Finneas is focused on songs that he personally enjoys and that causes his audience to feel a range of emotions. Finneas wants to spark feelings and cause his audience to think about the lyrics in his songs. In an interview with Bandwagon Finneas stated that: "I just like people that break rules and make songs that are undeniable. Producers that are just - wow, I love this sound." When making musical decisions if Finneas is not feeling it he will continue to search for correct lyrics and sound no matter how long it takes him.
While Finneas often bounces ideas off of his sister, that is not his main creative process. His creative process is mainly centered around one concept, which is his Synesthesia. Synesthesia occurs in a select few individuals and it occurs when someone hears words that result in the perception of colors, shapes, etc. For Finneas whenever he hears words and certain sounds he can see certain hues of colors and shapes. These colors and shapes allow him to create lyrics and songs that are deeply routed in his senses and emotions. Synesthesia can also allow Finneas to enter a type of "flow state" in which he is making music for hours and it is coming naturally to him because of how he is feeling. For example, Finneas' song "Let's Fall in Love for the Night" is like a tangerine. He sees the hue of the color orange and can smell citrus whenever he plays the song. This unique creative process has continued to allow Finneas to stand out from those around him and continue to be successful no matter what project he takes on.
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One of the main takeaways that I got from this article was Finneas' motivation to do what he loved--make music. I feel that sometimes, we produce our best work when we are not fixated on the potential success of the outcome. Oftentimes, when we focus on making a profit or having a significant impact, we lose track of our own desires and internal drive. Finneas' work and attitude proves that success is not defined by the outcome of your product, but rather, by the passion of the journey.
ReplyDeleteI love the dynamic duo of Finneas and Billie Eilish! The music they make together and Finneas's individual work is brilliant. Together they have developed a very unique sound and brand that has really shaped the field of current music. I didn't know that Finneas has synesthesia until reading your blog post but it makes sense that this condition would help him tremendously with being able to convey his emotions through music.
ReplyDeleteIt would appear that creativity runs in the family with Billie Eilish and Finneas! They work so well together, and Finneas is able to step outside the shadow of his sister Billie. He makes great music, and the incorporation of synesthesia elevates it to a whole other dimension. I am pumped to see them this summer when they come to Chicago for Lollapalooza.
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