How to Play the Long Game as a Musician feat. Jon Kabir Artwork

State of the Creators

State of the Creators is a podcast that explores what it means for creatives to build something out of nothing. Digital creative Tawsif Akkas sits down with talented creatives from Bangladesh to Australia - and around the world - to talk about the process of creating, the struggles of being a creative and explore how to leave a legacy in this fast paced digital world. Through State of the Creators, Tawsif not only aims to deliver a compelling podcast series but also build a creative community to help the next generation of creators flourish. Find out more at www.tawsifakkas.com.

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State of the Creators

How to Play the Long Game as a Musician feat. Jon Kabir

August 11, 2023 • Tawsif Akkas

SEASON FINALE! Watch the video: https://youtu.be/JOGMObhQcvk

@JonKabir widely recognized for being a musician and a prominent vocalist hailing from the Bangladeshi rock scene. Jon started his career almost 20 years ago and burst into the scene with the popular band Black. After Jon left the band, he has been delivering the goods with popular rock band Indalo and as an established solo act.

The thing that I find most interesting about Jon’s journey is how he has always reinvented himself as a musician. Neither Indalo nor his solo act pull numbers like his early works - but that hasn’t stopped him from staying true to his authentic creative pursuits - and that’s what I absolutely love about Jon’s career.

Beyond all this Jon is also a fellow podcaster - because that’s also a term these days. So this was also a very cool discussion to have with someone who has been doing this for a few years too.

In this episode we talk about what it's been like to make music for the last two decades, Jon’s creative process and how the digital world has completely shifted the landscape for musicians today.

Special thanks to Akib Shahriar for the camera work and to @SameerScane for the studio space!

This episode was recorded in early 2023, and the artwork in the animation was done by the talented @ahmedfahim-exe

00:00 - Intro
01:55 - Why Jon started a podcast
04:09 - Effects of not reading books on writing
08:52 - Writing songs in Bangla
09:51 - Bangla language's limitations to craft songs
13:04 - Who is 'Jon Kabir'?
14:26 - Why music?
17:30 - Staying authentic as an artist
23:26 - Starting career anew
25:33 - Confronting challenges
27:11 - Defining Success in Music
30:54 - Teamwork as a 'loner'
33:04 - Balance between Creativity and Execution
36:35 - Identity struggles within bands
37:08 - The Metallica Syndrome
40:12 - Jon's thoughts to change the industry
43:35 - Breaking the language barrier for global audience
46:08 - Defining quality music
49:41 - Tackling memes and criticism
50:52 - The artistic challenge
52:19 - Making money as a musician
53:57 - Perspectives on new generations
56:50 - The role of emotions in music
57:33 - Creative ruts
58:10 - Creative routine
01:01:22 - The future of music in Bangladesh
01:02:23 - Personal goals
01:03:34 - Jon's favourite artists
01:03:57 - Advice for aspiring artists
01:04:51 - Outro