"Music is the force that can break through the "us and them" mentality."– Mutlu
Every artist has their first introduction to their passion. When asked about his first encounter with music, Mutlu chose to travel back to his childhood and share how he used to listen to classical music and play the violin as a child. Moving forward, he shared that he had resisted playing the violin as a child because his parents wanted him to do that. Mutlu is a self-taught artist. He taught himself guitar by practising with records and notes taught to him by his friends in college.
Mutlu also discussed criticism as an artist. He started by distinguishing between criticism and mean-spirited criticism. He also stated that artists look for validation. Mutlu says that he is fond of deep conversation about music, which he practises in his podcast and which opens him to new records, artists, and a feeling of being part of a community away from mean-spiritedness. He says that the best part of having guests on his podcast is getting to learn more about and relate to the other artists and their struggles.
On being asked about how an idea becomes a song, the Philadelphia-based songwriter replied that there are a number of ways. Sometimes an existing idea takes a while to ripen into a song, whereas some songs can just be put together in 15–20 minutes. It is never a static or definite process. Regarding the presence of deadlines, the singer has a fair perspective. He says that sometimes deadlines help the writer frame his work better. It also depends on the situation and the environment one works in.
Ever wonder what inspires a composer to write a song? Well, Mutlu voiced his opinion on this after being asked one such question, saying that first and foremost it's a personal thing. According to him, a composer first starts to write a song to express himself or herself, and then they look forward to making something that is relatable. The composer and singer also shared a preview of his upcoming album, which will be released next year. He also talked about losing himself in the song while performing. "The more I am thinking, the less the vibe is happening."
And art connects and brings together not just the audience but also the artists. The songwriter talks about having a "musical brotherhood" with one of the most well-known names in music, Amos Lee. Mutlu expresses how the need to commercialise art takes a toll on the creative edge of an artist. He also calls art and commerce two different things that often clash, and an artist is needed to balance them. In the conversation with Aditya Veera, the remarkable artist shared how a lot of people discovered him as an artist after his collaboration with Daryl Hall on the Daryl's House Club Show.
"Creating a career out of an art form or commercialising it is a challenge for artists," says Mutlu as an artist. He talked about how the whole process of accessing a record has changed from buying it from a store to a click of a finger with the intervention of technology, whereas the hard work behind preparing it is almost the same as earlier. In this dynamic world of newly emerging forms of assets and art, Mutlu finds himself digitally unfamiliar when it comes to NFTs, but he believes that there is always room to learn. When asked what keeps him going, the vivacious artist says it is always the journey rather than the goal. He looks forward to building an audience. The thing that drives him is performing in front of a huge audience, creating connections, and adding value to their lives. Mutlu also looks forward to building a loyal community that has longevity as a future prospect in this world that is producing new art and artists every day. According to the artist, good and quality songs always find their way. The Philadelphia-based artist loves getting applauded by people whom he admires and who are already well-established names in the industry. He believes that music is the force that can break through the "us and them" mentality.
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