I feel like everything we do comes down to how it looks. Even no branding is branding. For example, you had no face or image to put to my music at first. That was branding.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of perception in branding, suggesting that even the absence of a visible image can be an intentional branding choice.
In this quote, The Weeknd reflects on the concept of branding and its pervasive influence on how art and music are received. He suggests that all actions and representations are shaped by their appearance, highlighting that even a lack of branding can serve as a statement and contribute to an artist's identity. This underscores a core principle in the creative industries: perception shapes reality and how an audience engages with art is closely tied to its visual presentation, even when that presentation is minimal or abstract.
In practice
In a marketing presentation, you might use this quote to illustrate the significance of branding strategies.
When you're traveling constantly, every day you become inspired, and it shows in my work, sonically, lyrically, visually. Conversations with women with different accents and stories told in those accents. I like to create characters based on different people I've met, and relationships. I like to tell stories loosely based on real-life events.
People always say when they meet me that I'm not what they expect. I assume they think I'm this super dark and depressing guy, but I like to channel all of those emotions into my work.
At one point, I didn't care. Now I want as many people to hear my music as possible.
Entertainment has to come hand in hand with a little bit of medicine. Some people go to the movies to be reminded that everything's okay. I don't make those kinds of movies. That, to me, is a lie. Everything's not okay.
Which is more musical: a truck passing by a factory or a truck passing by a music school?
Hip Hop is an idea. It is the pursuit of one's authentic being through the arts. It is not a physical thing; it is an attitude - even an aptitude.
You can understand nothing about art, particularly modern art, if you do not understand that imagination is a value in itself.
Because beauty consists of its own passing, just as we reach for it. It's the ephemeral configuration of things in the moment, when you can see both their beauty and their death.
People are craving this great progress in electronics, going after computers, the Internet, etc. It's a giant progress technologically. But they must have a balance of soul, a balance for human beauty. That means art has an important role.
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