Kimaya Diggs Deeper 002: Make it at all costs

Why make cheap art? Why make 'bad' art?

Song of the day

The song of the day is a bunch of songs. Here’s a playlist called peach + mango summer

Make it at all costs

A few weeks ago, I released a new song called “Everything is Not Lost.” I worked super hard on it. I wanted it to sound professional, polished, and perfect. I spent a good chunk of money on it, and lots of time – the song was written in April, recorded in fits and starts from December through May, and released in June. 

I bought a gorgeous cake to use as the cover image. 

Then I took all the promotional photos myself, launched a PR campaign by myself (and landed in the Boston Globe!), and made what might be the objectively worst piece of visual media I’ve ever made: this lyric video. 

Whyyyeeeee did I do this? It might seem like I put in a ton of effort to make a shiny song just to fall on my face with a printer-paper-laid-on-my-clothes-filmed-with-my-phone video, but I did it on purpose. Okay, here’s why:

I wanted to get un-stuck from numbers.

My distribution platform shows me lotttttts of granular detail about my releases, including the fact that my new song has had 6800 plays. It also tells me that 5200 of those plays were “passive,” or plays that came from Spotify shuffling or making algorithmic playlists. I did not need to know this! It does not make me feel good! Making a low-qual video for approximately $0.00 is a great way to stop wondering if people will like something, and a truly bulletproof way to stop thinking about if it will inspire views / likes / shares / etc. It’s the polar opposite of “don’t forget to like and subscribe!!” 

It’s more of a “will you watch this all the way through? No one knows! And when you’re done, you’ll ask why did Kimaya make this??”

Art-making is not a meritocracy.

Just because I spent all my nickels and dimes on this dang song and legitimately made an excellent piece of music does not mean it will be listened to or cared about more than a song that took less effort and has less heart. The fact that art isn’t a meritocracy is a source of freedom to me, if I can only remember to see it that way. I’m actually grateful not to be in a who’s-best race with a bunch of my friends. 

Lowbrow is a kind of magic.

The only antidote for taking yourself too seriously is to roll around in the mud and enjoy it. I like wearing my one pair of real sapphire earrings with a plastic necklace and clown-lite makeup. I like wearing my inherited Coach clutch with a children’s Backstreet Boys Japan Tour t-shirt that I cut the sleeves off of. The things that we take seriously are absolutely steeeeeeeeeeped in cultural context that’s completely made up. I took this song so seriously that I legitimately considered not releasing it due to the fact that there were some differences of taste during the production process. I was actually like ugh this is a disaster, what if I’m wrong here? What if I have bad taste and I’m humiliated when the song comes out??? I feel like no one needs to hear this and I’ll be happier if I never release it. Okay, past self!!! Take several seats, binch! 

Art simply MUST be made.

Ultimately, this is really the long and short of it. If you are alive, you possess creative potential. If you have a mind, you have a Self to express. I’m not enough of a philosopher to say that this is THEE purpose of life, but I’m fairly certain that it is. 

I’m here to share how I see the world with other people. To tell my story and to give you a glimpse into my perspective. I want the same from you. From everyone on earth. My most trusted and beloved friends are generous enough to share that with me, and it deepens our love and trust. The artists whose work moves me are generous enough to share their visions with the world. It’s the only way we can know each other, and what is all of this for if not the knowing, the sharing, the slow and uncomfortable and exhilarating process of understanding?

Making cheap art, making ‘bad’ art, is all part of my effort to honor the parts of me that want to be known, seen, and connected. It’s a rejection of the idea that you can only make a video if you have a good camera, editing software, and know-how. The idea that you can only record music in a professional studio on a $1000+ microphone. The idea that you can only sew a dress if you know how to read a pattern, that a Canva poster is less legit than a poster made in Photoshop. 

Make what you can with what you have.

Capitalism sure doesn’t reward heart, and sometimes regular-degular people don’t reward heart, either. But you know who gets nourished every time you make art with what you have on hand? Your soul!! Your mind. The little gremlins that tell you you’re not good enough finally stfu for a bit, if you’re lucky. Make something, move on. Make something, move on. I want to know who you are. 

Okay, good luck out there. Go make something cheap and bad! Throw it in the trash and then go sit outside for a bit. I love you.