Last night I had the opportunity to see Mumford & Sons in concert. Whether you are a fan or not, what struck me was their authenticity. They were themselves, no one else, and they shined. If you take a good look at the band, they are quirky, the lead singer has kind of a strange voice and they play a banjo. These are not the workings of a pop band.
Whether you are a photographer, musician or entrepreneur, customers know if you are being authentic or not–and this may seem obvious, but it is not something you can fake. And, sadly, authenticity takes time. It’s not something that instantly happens when you pick up a camera. It takes time to develop a style and takes time to develop what is authentically yours.
During the concert the band said thank you to everyone for coming. They also said thank you to the “eight people” who may have seen their first concert in Portland, Oregon, five years ago. This “big” concert was actually their fifth one in Portland, Oregon. They formed in 2007 and have been doing their unique thing for six years. It’s taken this long to build a following for their unique style of music. And because they are authentic, they have a huge following that can’t be duplicated.
Any artist is the same. Be authentic, be consistent and you will find a following.
Be yourself, everyone else is taken ~ Oscar Wilde
