What happens when you stop creating for the algorithm and start creating as yourself?
Musician and content creator Oli Howe has attracted millions of views and a huge online audience by doing almost everything creators are told not to do: three-minute videos, no conventional viral hooks, simple editing, a deadpan stare, plus music he genuinely wants to make.
His reharmonisations of well-known songs have attracted millions of views and attention from artists including Justin Timberlake, Lenny Kravitz, Chaka Khan, David Foster and TLC’s Chilli.
But behind Oli’s success is a much deeper story.
In this conversation, Oli talks openly about losing his father, the suicide of his sister, depression, PTSD and complex PTSD, severe panic attacks, physical illness and the period in which he lost his ability to perform and create and, with it, much of his sense of identity.
We talk about creativity as a way of processing emotion, why creative block doesn’t mean you’ve stopped being creative, perfectionism, knowing when your work is “good enough”, the pressure of numbers and likes, and why authenticity may be far more powerful than trying to manufacture virality.
Oli also explains the surprisingly deliberate structure behind his videos — the recurring jokes, musical payoffs and tiny familiar moments that keep millions of people watching.
A conversation about creativity, mental health, grief, resilience, perfectionism, social media — and finding your own way of doing things.
P.S. Get ready to cry!!
Find Oli on Instagram: @oli_howe_keys
WHOLE: The Podcast explores what helps us live, create and work in closer alignment with what genuinely matters to us. Head to wholeframework.com to learn how you can do the same.
