Unifying the Human Experience with Music: Jacob Collier
Can you gather a range of human experiences and lives into one room and unite them in one language? Jacob Collier’s fluency in the language of music would suggest the answer is “YES.”
I had the pleasure of seeing Jacob Collier perform live at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN, and the experience can be defined in one word: “Unifying.” Three sections can explain why this embodies Jacob Collier’s performances. Maybe these sections will help spark a new experience in your own life as a creative, consumer, or overall human being:
Uniting Crowds with Artists: A Goal of Gratitude
From his first steps onto the stage, Collier makes it clear that the audience is going to explore the world of music and presents himself as nothing more than an experienced guide. As he talks to the people, there is no show of the “rockstar” mentality, nor is there any indication of the desire to be placed on a pedestal. His focus remains on his passion for music itself and his gratitude towards the crowd for giving him a platform to share this experience with.
Collier’s introduction is explosive as he jumps on stage and rushes to the piano, playing with a whirlwind of chord progressions and arpeggios in rapid succession. His introduction afterward highlights Collier’s sense of humor and style of speaking. It’s the perfect balance between professional and insightful yet personal and charismatic. He leads his comments with the same status as an energetic music teacher and shows the humor of a friend at school. After his first ventures are covered on stage, he thanks the audience for having him and welcoming him to the venue. He proceeds to compliment the city, the country, the music studios, the culture of Nashville, and every artist/musician with him that night. He establishes connections with everyone and his music using gratitude at every step.
One artist he brings along is given a huge highlight in the middle of the set since it was her hometown. The audience cheered for her and gave her a warm welcome back to Nashville. During this time, Jacob Collier steps out of the spotlight and ensures that every musician and artist is given respect and praise for their skills and reputation. There’s no sense of competition, passive aggression, ignorance, or arrogance toward the other players on stage. Collier continues to hold them in high esteem throughout the night with a refreshing display of humility.
From sharing the warmth of the audience to celebrating hometown heroes, Jacob Collier figuratively lowers himself from the stage. He creates a close, intimate atmosphere with the audience, putting everyone on the same level. The feeling is very similar to being at a friend’s house with everyone sitting on the couch enjoying music from the friend who happens to know how to play piano. It’s just in this case, your friend happens to be a modern Beethoven.
2. Uniting Music with Mind: Wonderful Wandering
Jacob Collier plays music in a way few modern-pop artists do (though his genre may not be best defined as “modern-pop”). He doesn’t play music in a forced way with backing tracks. Collier allows the music to move him in different directions and listens for emotional paths to take with each chord. His compositional intelligence allows him to make his way into different alleys, and the music itself seems to draw him into new styles and ideas every minute. Where artists see a 4-chord progression, Collier sees 12. Where some artists might feel a song needs to end, Collier resurrects it. His music flows so naturally it’s become an extension of himself. This extension is cultivated further through a one-of-a-kind electronic keyboard that Collier uses to switch his voice into a rich, smooth vocoder with its own unique tone.
Collier at the keyboard
Jacob Collier is known for his expert-level musicianship and doesn’t shy away from showing that during his concerts. His piano playing is filled with riffs and key changes, his drumming is frantic yet controlled, and his vocal abilities cover an impressive range with even more remarkable control. His almost childlike sense of wonder for music also greatly contributes to his musical prowess and expanded vision for the world of instruments. This can easily be seen when he asks the audience if they would allow him to “play a song for you on my 10-string guitar,” which he claims to still be learning. He can feel grooves, hear notes, and see new paths in ways that the vast majority of musicians can’t quite see. However, where some might gatekeep this talent to push themselves up, he humbly shares his experiences.
Jacob Collier also shows many interesting visual elements of his music through the use of multi-colored lights. While his focus is on music, this music makes itself visible through the expert showcasing of lights. This is something that needs to be seen in person to experience fully, but I believe even his lighting was moving in polyrhythms. Every part of his music is filled with complex ideas, but he keeps them digestible and expertly translates them into songs that are complex enough to break out of the mold yet digestible enough for people to consume. This careful balance, mixed with his desire to share his love for music and instrumental education, leads to a beautifully crafted experience that leaves audience members consuming plates of pure inspiration, and this is where the magic of Collier happens.
3. Uniting Community with Inspiration: A Choir of Connection
Collier has a staple in his shows called the “Audience Choir.” It’s exactly what it sounds like, utilizing everyone in the crowd in a harmonious and often heavenly soundscape. This has become such a large staple for him that he worked with Native Instruments to create software that allows you to replay parts of the crowd for different music projects (I’ve used it myself, and it’s quite good!). In these moments, Jacob takes on the role of a conductor, raising the notes of each section in the crowd to different intervals, creating beautiful chords for everyone to be a part of.
Jacob Collier conducting his audience choir
“What a weird time to be alive, and yet, what a very beautiful time to be alive.” These are the words he shares in his show, talking about the moments we have now to create, be inspired, and all join together in the same world, making music and enjoying music with each other. I believe that Collier’s truest joy is in exploring music and sharing each discovery with the world, and it’s something that resonates with all types of musicians in their own creative journeys. From Collier’s experience, we can learn to make music, not for fame, money, or anything in between, but for the beauty of making music itself and contributing those creations to the human experience. Whether you’re a musician or a listener or both, we all contribute to a unifying experience, one that Collier understands quite well.
It’s a beautiful time to be alive.
