Creators Foundation

Category: spotlight

  • Spotlight: Manuela Bosch on the power of dreams

    Spotlight: Manuela Bosch on the power of dreams

    This spotlight is dedicated to Manuela Bosch, a creative professional who has spent decades designing spaces for transformation, activation and realization.

    With transformation written all over the walls, now feels like the perfect time to start the creative process again with a blank space.

    In this interview, Manuela invites us to consider how dreams evolve and sometimes need to be released, much like the natural cycles of life and creativity. We’ll discuss the process of change, creativity as regeneration, and how we can rediscover ourselves.

    The past

    Could you tell us about yourself and what Dragon Dreaming means to you?

    Dragon Dreaming has been one of my core practices for facilitating transformation in projects and teams for many years, and it still essentially informs my internal operating system.

    In 2010, I travelled around India for three months. I had just left my job in advertising, which involved working on the launch of the first iPhone. I am grateful to have been part of this revolution, and I had some really great colleagues. However, it was also a conflicting job because I have always been critical of profit-driven systems, and I was working right in the heart of one.

    During this time, I didn’t feel complete; I felt divided. Neither a career in advertising nor simply being a ‘punk’ felt right for me. I hid my profession when I went raving in Bar25, and I kept my critical concerns at work to myself. While travelling, I discovered yoga as a practice and a philosophy. It is a philosophy based on promoting wholeness. I realised that my tension disappeared when I stepped out of an ‘either/or’ mindset and started thinking in terms of ‘both’ and creative complexity, embracing balancing acts.

    When I returned from India, I realised that I wanted to adopt this mindset in my life. However, I wondered how I could apply it to work, business and society. With this question in mind, I started working on a social creative project. The vision was to realise a gigantic multi-generational, multicultural endeavour through a collective building project in a central location in Berlin.  I quickly realised that the project management and facilitation skills I had acquired in advertising were not transferable to emerging, chaotic and volatile environments. A collaborator and later a close Dragon Dreaming colleague, pointed me towards Dragon Dreaming. And that was exactly what I needed. This framework and methodology was truly the answer to my heart’s longing.

    “Everything starts with a dream.” How do you understand this concept today, especially at this stage?

    I have to admit, I came to a point where I am questioning the idea of big visions. I don’t believe anymore that one just needs to have a strong enough purpose and vision in order to create something powerful or meaningful.

    On the one hand, I feel I have failed so often in my attempts to create something big and successful in terms of numbers. On the other hand, I believe the stories we tell ourselves about success are part of the problems we have in the world today. They promote ideas of ownership, control, and overestimation of one’s abilities.

    Dragon Dreaming, as I practise it, helps projects at every stage of their lifecycle, from conception to completion and beyond. When projects follow the Dragon Dreaming cycle, they undergo a powerful test. It soon becomes clear whether the collective dream that the group is carrying is meant to be implemented in this form, with this team and at this time. The process acts as a catalyst, helping to propel a project forward in the direction it is meant to go, rather than according to an individual’s preconceived ideas.

    I am currently reading Vanessa Machado de Oliveira’s most recent book, Outgrowing Modernity, which I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to ‘do good’. She writes, ‘Given our socialisation within modernity, we tend to underestimate the depth, magnitude and extent of problems, while overestimating the effectiveness of our solutions, consultations, dialogue, planning strategies and enthusiasm.’ I still believe in dreams and visions. However, I place greater importance on what we call ‘deep listening’ in Dragon Dreaming. This allows me to grasp ‘the depth, magnitude and extent of problems’ before I start planning and taking action. It is a type of listening that continues while I am planning and taking action, allowing me to consider alternatives, realign, and stop what I am doing if necessary. I’m not saying that I’m very good at it, but I can’t help but aim for it.

    What have you learned about collaboration from creative, social & regenerative projects?

    As early as the beginning of my 15-year journey working with social and regenerative projects, I had a big ‘aha’ moment. Collaborations in this field are not much different to projects in the dominant system. There are issues of power and control, as well as many blind spots.

    In a field where people are driven by strong beliefs about right and wrong, they can be even less open and collaborative when things go against their will.

    I realized that the challenges around collaboration can be even greater than in work environments with set hierarchical structures and job descriptions, where people know from the outset that their scope of impact is limited by these structures. Anyone who doesn’t understand might want to read the famous article ‘The Tyranny of Structurelessness’ by Jo Freeman.

    At the same time, it is especially regenerative and social projects that try new things and question their way of working that are interested in ‘collaborating sincerely’, as my friend Felix Weth promotes. Cooperative working structures and governance systems exist, and many social and regenerative projects apply them.

    In summary, I have learned that social and regenerative projects can only work if we dedicate ourselves to developing and expanding our relational and regenerative skills. For example, we must learn to manage conflict together, prevent burnout and exploitation at all levels, and recognise our complicity in creating harm while performing our ‘good deeds’. For me, these are the true future skills.

    The renewal

    You mentioned the power of letting go and creating space for renewal. How do you see “endings” as part of the creative cycle?

    Well, ‘endings’ are simply part of the creative process. I didn’t set a timer and decide, ‘Now it’s time to close’. This phase comes naturally, like the changing of the seasons. It’s been an evolution of events, combined with my desire for change in my life. I don’t feel that I’m ending things; I’m ‘allowing’ things to end. I pay attention to where things want to go. But it’s tricky, as the signals are not always clear.

    With all the projects I am closing now, however, I just did not feel I had enough energy, resonance or support to maintain them as they were. For them to be worthwhile, I felt that I would need to invest in them in a way that I am not able to. I would need to focus on one of them to do it justice. However, I did not have enough motivation to focus on one of them. So, although it feels scary and sad to let them all go, it is also actually quite exciting and liberating. I quite like change, and I have a lot of respect for what is coming next.

    What does it mean for you to “compost” your work?

    I am also inspired by Vanessa Machado de Oliveira’s approach to composting as a process of inner transformation. Of facing difficult feelings. It’s about owning my ‘shit’, such as complicity in destructiveness or even harming, and stories of self-delusion.

    I also picture the large, generous compost pile from my childhood home. The fertile soil it produces is used to grow delicious produce in the garden.

    The quality of the soil is determined by the ingredients of the compost. I definitely want to reuse what I put into my compost once it has gone through the composting process. Over the past few years, I have been active in many different fields, all of which are related to transformational work. These have included facilitating community projects, co-founding purpose-driven start-ups, operating within large-scale non-profits, working in the wilderness and facing practical ecological challenges, engaging in deeply relational practices involving the body and sexuality, and working on cultural and artistic initiatives addressing questions of power and inclusion. What might grow on such soil?

    How do you celebrate this new chapter and the end of the previous one?

    I celebrate by reflecting on my failures and successes, and by appreciating the gifts I have received. I am also reconnecting with friends I have met along the way and sharing stories. I also aim to be more open about my process. That’s why I immediately agreed to this interview.

    What do you think are the most important human qualities for sustaining creativity and connection in times of change?

    I think it is particularly important to be aware of our changing inner states, as well as what is happening around us.

    In Generative Facilitation, we assume that our inner state determines the quality of our creations and leadership. It is very difficult to contribute constructively when I am in a contracted, reactive state of separation, or even of hurt, anger or hatred. However, a sense of groundedness and resourcefulness that embraces ambiguity, chaos, openness and receptiveness to emergence will foster similar qualities externally.

    To foster this mindset, I believe we need to take good care of ourselves and each other. This involves tending to my physical body, nutrition, movement and touch; tending to friendships, family and contact with natural environments; and engaging in simple rituals, playfulness and stillness. All of these things help me personally. These activities support my ability to slow down and listen, and to sense when something feels “off” or simply right in my gut. I think this capacity is needed to step out of my comfort zone and face difficult issues, taking risks at a time when goals may be changing permanently.

    The dreams

    What kind of dreams inspire you now?

    Currently, my dreams are influenced by the urgent issues facing our planet. I am concerned about extremist tendencies in all areas. I dream of places where we can come together, despite our differences. I feel a strong urge to stand with others and speak out against what I perceive as wrong, while also continuously questioning the basis of my own opinions. I dream of relationships, friendships and communities based on care and kindness. I dream of kindness for no reason. I dream of relationships that can tolerate discomfort and withstand crises. I dream of circles of friends that come together for no reason other than enjoying each other’s company. Just because we enjoy each other’s company. I dream of disentangling the commodification of life.

    Another urgency: The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research recently published a report on planetary health. Seven out of the nine critical Earth system boundaries have now been breached. If the Earth were a patient, it would be in intensive care. Even more worrying than climate change is the decline in biodiversity. At the same time, innovative funding mechanisms in this area are accelerating. I hope that they are more than just a passing fad, and that they bridge the gap between the vast sums of financial wealth available and the initiatives in need. What if today’s cattle farmers become tomorrow’s nature conservationists, simply because something like biodiversity credits enables this? We need all our creativity and massive collaboration to get our patient out of intensive care. Success is not guaranteed, yet every metre of unexploited land is worth saving.

    Personally, I dream of working inside an organization that is undergoing change. I want to shift more towards taking on a leading role in the hands-on operational and sensitive relational work needed to facilitate the next step in an uncertain, complex and ambiguous setting.

    Finally, what advice would you give to creatives who might be afraid to slow down, to change direction, or to start dreaming again?

    I would prefer to avoid giving general advice. However, based on my own experience, if I realise that it is my fear preventing me from slowing down, then I have already come a long way. I would acknowledge my fear and try to become more familiar with it. As a creative person who enjoys experimenting, I would try some things that scare me but are safe enough. I might also change my environment. I would realise that I am a different person in a different context because who I am is not fixed, but changes depending on the situation. In my experiments, I would take time to notice what lifts me up and keeps me going. What is difficult but feels right? What have I simply finished doing and am not going to continue? When I am ready to take the plunge, I will ask myself: What could go wrong? I would do it not because it’s perfectly future-proof, but simply because it’s the best I can do based on what I know today. I am ready to be wrong and learn again.

    Portrait of Manuela Bosch ©Alexander Klebe for The Creators Foundation
    ©Alexander Klebe for The Creators Foundation

    This conversation with Manuela is part of the Creators Foundation’s Spotlight Series, which explores how creativity evolves, adapts and connects us through times of change.

    Manuela’s story reminds us that every ending contains the potential for something new and that creativity often begins again in moments of stillness and reflection. As we look to the future, our aim is to continue nurturing honest conversations that inspire courage, care and collaboration among creators everywhere.

  • Spotlight: Oliver Rednitz Bringing Love to the Streets

    Spotlight: Oliver Rednitz Bringing Love to the Streets

    For more than twenty years, Oliver Rednitz has been a quiet yet unmistakable force in Berlin’s urban landscape. His work isn’t confined to galleries or museums. It’s on the walls we walk past every day. Starting with a simple yet powerful statement, “Jesus loves you,” Oliver has turned the act of pasting posters into a long-running love letter to the city.

    I first encountered his message decades ago at the Carnival of Cultures in 2004, captured in one of my earliest photographs of Berlins blooming street culture. Later, when I finally met Oliver in person, what followed was more than an encounter with an artist. it was the beginning of a friendship between two creators who share a belief in the power of images to transform.

    My first visual reference of Olivers Work appeared in a 2004 photo of the carnival of cultures

    This week, during Berlin Art Week, I got to know one of Oliver’s most cherished places: the Haus der Liebe on Auguststraße. For over two decades, its façade has been his canvas, layered with poster after poster, until the building itself became a living archive of love. The site, once a Jewish orphanage, revealed its name only recently: Beit Ahawah (House of Love). A name as if written for Oliver’s life’s work.

    Oliver Rednitz, creator of Litekultur & Jesus loves you

    His latest show, aptly titled “THE SHOW – a SEHSCHAU over the last 22 years”, unfolded as both exhibition and intervention. Announced as a political gathering so that the space in front of the building could be used, it became something far greater: a temporary agora of art, memory, and presence. Visitors encountered collages, torn layers, and reassembled fragments: Oliver’s PAPERWORX. These works, born from décollage and reconstruction, invite dialogue about time, faith, beauty, and, above all, love.

    From the world’s religions to goddesses, from divine symbols to the simple recognition that we are all gods and goddesses Oliver’s journey has been one of peeling back illusions and reminding us of the essential: the love we carry for ourselves and each other.

    It was an honor and joy to capture this moment through my lens to document not just an exhibition, but the presence of a true legend of Berlin’s street culture.

    So here’s to you, dear Oliver: for keeping love alive on our walls, in our streets, and in our hearts.

    The photos of Oliver Rednitz at the Haus der Liebe – a visual homage to a man who has been spreading love in Berlin, one poster at a time.

    Oliver Rednitz - Bringing Love to the Streets

    photos: Alexander Klebe

    Who wants to learn more about Oliver’s work, can also check out his Youtube Channel for more Behind the Scenes.

  • Spotlight: Alex T. Steffen on Storytelling

    Spotlight: Alex T. Steffen on Storytelling

    For me, it’s clear: Entrepreneurs and solopreneurs need two things:

    👉 The ability to think in systems and build them.

    👉 The ability to actively shape their storytelling.

    In our new series Ping Pong & Personal Branding, I sit down with people who share sharp, practical insights on exactly that. The very first episode features Alex T. Steffen – speaker, coach, and consultant.

    In just 2 minutes and 20 seconds, he shows why storytelling is not a luxury but a craft every solopreneur should master.

    🎥 Filmed at Ocean Studio Berlin

    ✂️ Editing: Valentina Ciarapica

    🙌 Thanks to everyone who made this first episode possible: Ping Pong and Personal Branding.

    Your Action: Discover Your Origin Story

    Every brand begins with a story. Yet often, we only tell it on the surface or we think it’s not exciting enough. But the truth is: your origin story is the key to connection and trust.

    Ask yourself:

    • Which turning points in your life became milestones that shaped your current mission?
    • Which challenge or crisis was not just an obstacle, but the beginning of your actual story?
    • And what if everything that has happened to you so far was simply a narrative leading to your inner crystal—the core you now share through your brand?

    This isn’t a theoretical exercise. It’s an invitation to reframe your story—and in doing so, lay the foundation for authentic storytelling.

    Next Steps

    If you’d like to start shaping your origin story right now, take 15 minutes and write it down as if you were telling it to a good friend.

    And then: test it.

    Share your story in a post, a pitch, or even just in conversation. Notice where it resonates and where it doesn’t.

    Because storytelling isn’t perfected in isolation. It gets sharpened in dialogue.

    Join the Creators Foundation

    This article appears on the Creators Foundation platform – a growing community for creatives, solopreneurs, and entrepreneurs who want to build authentic brands.

    ✨ Subscribe to our newsletter for more insights and tools on storytelling, branding, and creative business building.

    ✨ Become part of the Academy and connect with others who are shaping their own stories with courage and clarity.

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  • Creators spotlight: AMADIS

    Creators spotlight: AMADIS

    Some artists are musicians. Others are storytellers. Then there are those who transform life itself into a composition.

    Amadis is one of those talents.

    A singer, songwriter, educator and experience host, his journey is as fluid as the rhythms he creates. With roots in Lisbon’s vibrant musical scene, he refines his own sound and nurtures the city’s creative spirit, uniting people through music. Whether in the studio, on tour or during impromptu jam sessions, Amadis embodies presence, finding inspiration in the moment and encouraging others to do the same, digging deeper into ourselves and uncovering the people we truly are beneath society’s masks.

    He is not just a performer; he is also a curator of experiences and a weaver of connections, seeking deeper meaning through sound. We are honoured to open our Creator’s Blog with this interview about life, love and the creative process.

    Amadis in the streets of Portugal

    Q: Music has been your passion for many years, but where did that love first take root? 

    Both sides of my Family are music lovers. One side musicians and the other side dancers! Through the eclectic music that they listened to, I began my own journey of dance and music, as far as I can remember! 

    Q: Were there any artists or individuals who deeply inspired you during your early years?

    In my early years, I was definitely inspired by watching my father play and other family members at first, but I’d say that the very different styles of music really got me and certainly over time many known artists (too many to mention) had influences on me.  I was an avid listener of sounds and melodies and perhaps individual songs were my ear candy as I loved to dance.. Later I would look deeper into different bands and artists and also genres, like funk, Afro music, reggae, neo soul, rare groove.

    Q: At what point did you realize that music was not just something you loved, but something you wanted to create yourself?

    There was this changing moment in my life, that felt like it was not enough to express myself with just words… and after a fateful meeting with a friend at a pub called The Old Diary, in London…  I returned the following week as I had been taken by the open mic occurring while we conversed and that made me want to play. It was here the real beginning of my dance with music started and where I was inspired to create my own songs… by musicians that took me in and guided me and became friends. 

    Q: Producing an album is a huge milestone for any musician. When did that dream begin, and what motivated you to take that step?

    The dream of making an album came at a crucial point in my life where things seemed to align and an opportunity arose and I was able to make a dream a reality when I met Jonathan Rodgers, the producer of the album. He was the missing piece in making this a reality. So I seized the moment.  I had the band and this was the moment in which I could find my sound and my place in this journey in music. It took just over a year from planning recording and having the album mixed. There are always challenges when making music and trying your best to convey what is in your mind to everyone involved when making such work. Very personal and profound experience. Through it all I learned new things and I’m ready for the next one. 

    Q: What does the title of your album “1979 Dig Deeper” mean to you?

    The song suspicious chicken is dedicated to my grandmother Leticia! While I was writing the song I approached her and asked her to help me write some lines in her language Umbundu. At this point she handed me a Bible written in Umbundo. Upon opening the book I noticed and it read “Printed in Plymouth, England” dated 1979!  History has been changed and given to us by people that have sought to change the narrative of the world, so sometimes we have to dig a little deeper and seek truth. Have you ever heard of the slave Bible? I’ll leave it there… 

    Q: Your music is very present, very much about the moment. How do you navigate between planning and improvisation in your creative process?

    The moment you play music you are opening a spiritual channel into the collective consciousness of the frequency of the universe and inspiration arises. Creativity is the outcome and when you’re in harmony, in an almost meditative state, it manifests. The creator can improvise, plan to create and recreate the same work in different ways. I don’t necessarily have a particular structure in which In my writing, composing, I have learned to catch the moments that bring forth fruits of imagination, creation and feelings that transcends our understanding.

    Amadis Interview with a musician

    Q: You have lived in different parts of the world and music has been your companion on this journey. What is it that you look for in the world around you?

    I guess as I travel, I keep my ears ever ready…arriving at a new place, new languages, delicate smells, listening to new instruments, the excitement of learning new scales and rhythms. While playing and jamming with musicians that share the same frequency creating lasting memories through sound that will forever be a part of the journey, binding people alike for a better understanding of humanity and love.

    Q: You are deeply connected to the Lisbon music scene, and your “blind jams” bring people together in unexpected ways. What inspired you to create these experiences?

    I had a deep connection with the music scene in London and this is certainly happening more and more in Lisbon. The blind jams were born out of this very process. It’s my way to continue to contribute to the very process that helped reach where I am today. I was asked by a friend to create a cool musical concept for an event in Lisbon and via Jose Saramago’s book Blindness, and the desire to create a jam that enhanced the experience of musicians, no matter what level, to play together and listen to each other. After an experience that I had playing blindfolded in India, left a mark on me… so I decided to mix the idea with jamming, for everyone and so the Blind Jam started. One of the persons that experienced it, said she felt free to sing and express herself while not seeing, but just listening. It is deeper than just participating, it brings all kinds of psychological factors into play when you can only listen, it helps to create more space and energetically bring the music together. 

    Q: Beyond performance, you are also an educator and experience designer. What role does teaching and community play in your journey?

    I was helped and encouraged by many unknowing educators, great musicians that became friends and guided me along the way and in the same vein, to share what I have learned about making music.

    Music community in Lisbon

    Q: Music is often a reflection of life. How do you personally stay in balance? What’s your secret to happiness?

    Maybe everyone has theirs, but balance is for me a key to contentment. Respecting the balance between us and nature, in this ever changing world. Understanding the energies that are for us and the ones that do not serve us. Nina Simone said “… the artists are the mirrors of the world… ” So I keep it simple and try to expand my knowledge and sing for the freedom of all peoples, physically and mentally.

    Q: Many artists have a philosophy that influences their approach to creativity and life. Do you have one that resonates deeply with you?

    Maybe my philosophy is more tied with nature and with fair survival and non destruction… all the experiences that I have had so far in my life have given me gratitude, sense of value and resilience to continue to make music and write new songs. My experience as a human being, an observer, was mostly a reflective expression. There is so much to learn that as the human paradigm shifts happen, future philosophies will make us work closer with nature and truly prosper… music is my philosophy!

    Q: Looking ahead, what excites you most about your creative journey right now?

    I’ve been writing and planning a second album, with the preliminary title “From the root to the fruit” and there’s a song that I have been singing quite a bit called “How does Love grow”  so I feel really good about this second album, hopefully we start recording next year. But new music is definitely on the way.

  • Creators Spotlight: FROMMER

    Creators Spotlight: FROMMER

    Hi Philipp, dich durfte ich als Recruiter kennenlernen und habe damals schon gestaunt, wie leicht sich das Arbeiten auf kreativer Ebene mit Dir gestaltet. Da wusste ich, in Dir steckt eine starke schöpferische Energie. Die Macht war stark im jungen Frommer.

    Es war dann nur ein Frage der Zeit, bis ich die ersten Tracks von Dir gehört habe und sie haben mich sofort angesprochen, obwohl ich sonst nicht so viel House höre. Vielen Dank, dass Du Dir die Zeit für dieses Interview genommen hast. Ich freue mich, Dich als Creator in unserem Spotlight vorstellen zu dürfen.

    1. Wann kam der Moment, in dem du gedacht hast, es ist eine tolle Idee, selbst Musik zu machen? 

    Erstmal danke für die Blumen, Alex! Kreatives Arbeiten klappt nur, wenn die Umgebung passt. Und ich erinnere mich noch genau, dass das Shooting damals mit dir ein super angenehmes und produktives Setting war.

    Tatsächlich ist der Moment eigentlich eine total ernste Szenerie gewesen: Das war am Tag der Trennung von einer langjährigen Beziehung…ein kalter Februarabend, es ist gerade dunkel geworden. Ich habe mir spontan noch irgendein heruntergekommenes Hotel organisieren können, checke ein, komme aufs Zimmer und schmeiß mich erst einmal erschöpft aufs Bett und lege mir Musik aufs Ohr.
    Und da war ein Track, der hat mich in diesem Moment so gepackt und emotional ergriffen, dass ich mir dachte: “Das will ich auch. Ich will auch Musik machen und es schaffen, andere Menschen mit meiner Kunst zu berühren.”

    2. Wow, das ist ja eine krasse Kehrtwende. Ja, “Verschwende keine Krise” ist auch einer meiner Lieblingssätze geworden. Und emotional verstehe ich die Kunst des Gestaltens auch als Therapie. Eine Art Reise zu mir selbst, wo Herz und Kopf wieder zusammenkommen und im Einklang agieren. Und wenn dann noch Talent dazukommt, ist es Magie. Lag die Musik dir schon immer im Blut oder wie hast du es gelernt?

    Seit ich 12 bin, spiele ich Schlagzeug und habe eigentlich meine ganze Jugend im Proberaum verbracht. Musikproduktion selbst war mir jedoch immer irgendwie zu komplex und suspekt. Technisch bin ich nicht die hellste Kerze und die Hürde, mich in ein neues Gebiet, in neue Software, in neue Art von Musik reinzudenken, war einfach lange zu groß. 

    Doch nach dem Erlebnis bin ich einfach ins kalte Wasser gesprungen: Habe mir das ganze Equipment gekauft, ein neues MacBook besorgt, damit es finanziell gleich richtig wehtut und dann erst einmal vier Wochen nichts anderes gemacht, als Tutorial-Videos auf YouTube zu schauen. Das hat erstaunlich gut geklappt.

    3. Nice, Du hast den Sprung gewagt. Was hat Dich dann ermutigt, Deine Tracks zu veröffentlichen?

    Wahrscheinlich war es die Neugier herauszufinden, was Menschen von meiner Musik halten, die nicht meine Freunde sind. Fremde sind ja erst einmal schwerer zu überzeugen und ich wollte wissen, ob das was ich mache, gut ist. 

    Sechs Monate später hatte ich meinen ersten Plattenvertrag in der Tasche – spätestens da wurde mir klar, dass ich die richtige Entscheidung getroffen habe.

    4. Deine Songs klingen für mich alle sehr persönlich, ich entdecke kleine Textzeilen, die mir sofort im Gedächtnis bleiben. Wie machst du das?

    Indem ich einfach nicht darüber nachdenke. Meine Songs entstehen meistens, weil ich irgendwo einen Soundschnipsel oder einen Soundeffekt höre, der mich inspiriert. Ab diesem Moment habe ich den gesamten Song und die Emotionen quasi schon im Kopf und muss es nur noch auf Papier bringen.
    Das war am Anfang ein riesiges Problem, weil ich im Kopf schon viel weiter war, als ich das Handwerk beherrschte. Mittlerweile kann ich meine Ideen aber ganz gut transferieren.

    FROMMER for Creators Spotlight

    FROMMER
    MUSIC

    5. Ziemlich bald hörte ich diesen Track von Dir: “Lost in the Ocean” und da wurde der Song zu einer Hymne für mich. Ich spiele ihn gerne im Studio und habe deine Geschichte neulich auch zum “Creators Eve” erzählt. Welche Bedeutung haben der Song und das Thema Ozean für Dich?

    Gefühle können meist überfordernd sein. Ich habe das vor allem nach meiner Trennung feststellen dürfen, weil ich mich da das erste Mal so richtig mit mir selbst und meiner Gefühlswelt auseinandergesetzt habe. Und da ich kein riesiger Fan von Wasser bin, steht der Ozean für mich symbolisch für das riesige Chaos an Gefühlen, in denen man schnell die Kontrolle verlieren kann.

    6. Wie leicht oder schwer ist es, im Musikgeschäft Fuß zu fassen? Kannst Du als Produzent damit deinen Lebensunterhalt bestreiten oder zumindest eine Auszeit finanzieren?

    In der heutigen Zeit bist du nicht nur Musiker – du bist Entertainer, Content Creator, Brand Manager, Moderator, Eventplaner und so weiter. Es gibt so viele talentierte Produzenten da draußen, die nicht gehört werden, weil sie sich einfach nicht in der Rolle der Unterhalter auf Social Media sehen. Und noch nie war Content so schnell so vergänglich wie heute. Da ist es schwer, mitzuhalten und nicht in Vergessenheit zu geraten, bevor man sich überhaupt an einen erinnern kann.
    Mittlerweile laufen etliche Songs von mir im Radio und die GEMA tut da ihr Übriges. Trotzdem ist es in der Größenordnung nichts, wovon man gut und ausschließlich leben kann.

    FROMMER for Creators Spotlight
    FROMMER for Creators Spotlight

    7. Was sind die größten Herausforderungen als Nachwuchskünstler und wie bist du zu deinem Namen gekommen? Frommer?

    Ich kann nur für mich sprechen, aber für mich ist es in jedem Fall eine Herausforderung, meiner Linie treu zu bleiben. In meinem Genre sind zum Beispiel Songlängen von 4-6 Minuten üblich und keine Seltenheit, während die Aufmerksamkeitsspanne der aktuellen Hörerschaft deutlich zurückgegangen ist. Wenn du dir die heutigen Charts anschaust, dann ist da kaum ein Track mehr als 2 Minuten lang. Ich erwische mich dann oft dabei, wie ich darüber nachdenke, ob ich mich einfach den Trends füge und meinen Stil der heutigen Zeit anpasse. Ich glaube, so geht es vielen Künstlern.
    Frommer ist tatsächlich mein Nach- und Spitzname. Ich dachte damals das passt zu mir, das bin ich, so werde ich gerne gerufen. Mir ein neues Alias anzulegen fühlte sich damals irgendwie befremdlich an, wo doch alles drumherum eh schon neu war. Der Name war da die einzige Konstante.

    8. Was würde deiner Meinung nach helfen, deine Reise durch die Welt der Musik nachhaltiger zu gestalten?

    So blöd es auch klingen mag, aber ich denke die Coronapandemie hat da mit am meisten geholfen. Du brauchst nur Internet, einen Laptop und Zeit und kannst in deinem Schlafzimmer zum Weltstar werden. Du  brauchst keine Tonstudios oder große Bühnen mehr. Die Stars von heute finden im Internet statt. Und das hat automatisch Auswirkungen auf eine nachhaltigere Kunst.

    9. Ja, das klingt logisch, wenn mehr Menschen die Möglichkeit haben, Musik zu machen, wird die Welt am Ende bunter und vielfältiger. Wie siehst du künstliche Intelligenz in deiner Mission, ist sie eine Unterstützung oder eher eine Konkurrenz?

    Als Konkurrenz sehe ich sie nicht. Man kann sich an Musik nicht satthören, oder sich die Hörer von anderen Künstlern wegschnappen lassen. Musikkonsumenten neigen dazu, ihr Repertoire stetig zu erweitern. Ob da die Tracks von anderen Künstlern von Menschen oder KI kommen, ist mir völlig egal.

    In meiner eigenen Arbeit nutze ich KI bei der Musikproduktion gar nicht. Bei der Erstellung von Artworks wie zum Beispiel Albumcover spielt sie aber eine entscheidende Rolle.

    10. Wo würdest du gerne einmal live mit deiner Musik die Leute zum Tanzen bringen?

    In einer Strandbar im Sonnenuntergang. Unter dem Motto “Lost at the Ocean”.

    Der Strand klingt auch nach einem schönen Ort, um Deine Musik zu geniessen. Da wäre ich auch gern dabei. Viel Erfolg bis dahin und darüberhinaus und Vielen Dank für deine Zeit und Offenheit in unserem Interview. Bis gleich.

  • Creators spotlight: Larissa Hellmund

    Creators spotlight: Larissa Hellmund

    In diesem Creators Post möchte ich euch das Drama, die Kunst des Geschichtenerzählens und eine freie Dramaturgin / Trainerin für diese Kunst vorstellen: Larissa Hellmund. 

    Ihr eigenes Leben gleicht einer unendlichen Geschichte, garniert mit reichlich Fantasie, einer gehörigen Portion Mut und viel Neugier auf die Welt und neue Technologien.

    Viel Spaß beim Spotlight Interview mit Larissa.

    1. Wie kam das Drama zu Dir? Gab es einen bestimmten Moment oder eine Begegnung, die Dich zum Erzählen und zur Dramaturgie geführt hat?

    Vor ein paar Jahren habe ich beim Ausmisten meines Hab uns Guts unter anderem meine alten Zeugnisse aus der Grundschulzeit wiedergefunden. Da findet sich im Zeugnis von der 2. Klasse als Bemerkung: “Larissa weist eine kreative Neigung zum Schreiben eigener Geschichten auf.” Und irgendwann dann, also so mit 7 oder 8, stand ich das erste Mal im Rahmen einer Schulveranstaltung im Bühnenlicht, um meine selbstgeschriebene Kurzgeschichte “Der Kartoffelkönig” vorzutragen. Wir hatten zu der Zeit im Heimat- und Sachunterricht das Thema “Kartoffeln” behandelt – und das hatte mich dazu inspiriert, mir eine eigene Welt unter der Erde auszudenken, die unter dem Zepter eines mürrischen Kartoffelkönigs steht. Also ja, ich denke, die Begegnung mit Kartoffeln war der Startschuss. Da begann meine Leidenschaft für das Erfinden und Inszenieren von Geschichten. Danach sind dann viele weitere gefolgt: geschriebene, gespielte und erlebte.

    2. Was unterscheidet eine „gute“ von einer „großartigen“ Geschichte? Gibt es dramaturgische Elemente, die oft unterschätzt werden?

    Es gibt diesen Spruch, dass das Theater der Spiegel der Gesellschaft ist – und ich denke, das ist allen großartigen Geschichten gemein: Dass sie eine Geschichte erzählen, die durch das Erleben einer konkreten Figur führt, aber dabei eigentlich das Menschsein an sich behandeln. In der Dramaturgie unterscheidet man verschiedene Konfliktebenen, die eine Geschichte bedienen kann. Die klassischsten sind die persönliche, die zwischenmenschliche und die übergeordnete bzw. philosophische Konfliktebene. Wenn man sich die Mühe macht, diese sauber auszutüfteln, steigt die Chance, dass sich das Publikum direkt auf mehreren Ebenen der Geschichte angesprochen fühlt.

    3. Wenn Dein Leben ein Roman wäre – welches Genre hätte es und gibt es schon einen Titel?

    Es wäre wohl so eine Mischung aus Reiseroman und Coming-of-Age. In der Literatur und im Film behandeln Coming-of-Age-Werke oft Themen wie erste Herausforderungen beim Erwachsenwerden, Identitätsfindung und den Umgang mit gesellschaftlichen Erwartungen. Diese Themen ließen sich gut mit meinen Reiseerlebnissen kombinieren. Denn am Ende haben meine vielen Reisen natürlich nicht nur in die Welt, sondern vor allem zu mir selbst geführt. Einen Titel gibt es noch nicht – aber vielleicht wäre so etwas wie “Kultur(schock)verliebt” ein guter Arbeitstitel 😀

    4. Wie wichtig ist für Dich das ortsunabhängige Arbeiten?

    Extrem wichtig. Es gibt mir die Freiheit, meine Ideen dort entstehen zu lassen, wo sie am besten gedeihen – ob in einem Café, beim Blick auf das Meer oder auf einem Flughafen zwischen zwei Welten. Auch Teamarbeit funktioniert für mich remote sehr gut, also ohne physische Nähe. Allerdings arbeite ich auch gerne multidisziplinär, also nicht nur rein visuell oder auditiv, sondern z. B. auch mit Performance-Ansätzen, Bewegungen und haptischen Erlebnissen. Meinen Workshop zum Überwinden von kreativen Blockaden beispielsweise würde ich nur sehr ungern in die Zweidimensionalität einer Online-Session pressen. Da sind mir Live-Erlebnisse schon lieber.

    5. Welche Künstler:innen oder Autor:innen haben Dich am meisten inspiriert?

    „The Artist’s Way“ von Julia Cameron ist meine persönliche Kreativitätsbibel. Die Idee, das eigene Leben als persönliches Kunstwerk zu begreifen und für das eigene innere Künstlerkind einzustehen, hat mich sehr geprägt. Ich sag häufiger “Storytelling hilft dabei, Identität zu finden und Integrität zu leben”. Denn die Auseinandersetzung mit der eigenen Geschichte und der, die man schreiben möchte, kann regelrecht therapeutische Züge haben. Genau darum geht es auch in “The Artist’s Way”. Ansonsten inspiriert mich als Künstlerin z. B. Marina Abramovic mit der ausdrucksvollen Kühnheit ihrer Performances. Erzählkunst hat ja ganz viel mit Ausdruckskunst und dem Mut, sich zu zeigen, zu tun.

    6. Was hat sich mit KI für Dich verändert?

    Für mich war die KI die bisher größte Herausforderung in meinem beruflichen Schaffen. Alles, was ich mir über die Jahre an Expertise aufgebaut hatte, schien plötzlich nichts mehr wert zu sein: Von Korrektorat über Lektorat bis hin zum Texten – das alles konnte plötzlich eine deutliche günstigere Maschine übernehmen. Ich hatte mit großen Umsatzeinbußen zu tun. Dann habe ich angefangen, “dem Feind” – so habe ich die KI zu Anfang wirklich gesehen – ins Gesicht zu schauen und mich mit ihr näher auseinanderzusetzen. Daraus ist dann immer mehr Faszination für die neue Technologie entstanden. Heute sehe ich die KI vor allem als meine kreative Sparringspartnerin. Sie hat mich nicht ersetzt, sondern meine Arbeit erweitert – und letztendlich zu meiner beruflichen Neupositionierung als Trainerin für KI-gestütztes Storytelling geführt.

    7. Wie siehst Du die Zukunft des Geschichtenerzählens – insbesondere mit Blick auf digitale Medien und KI?

    Ich glaube, dass in einer Welt, die (nicht zuletzt durch KI) immer mehr von Content überflutet wird, die Kunst des Geschichtenerzählens immer wichtiger werden wird. Unser Gehirn sucht nach Orientierung in der Informationsflut – und Geschichten sind nachweislich die effektivste Art, Informationen zu verankern. In einer Welt voller schneller, KI-generierter Inhalte wird die Kunst sein, sich mit authentischem Erzählen von der Masse abzuheben.

    8. Gibt es eine Frage, die Du Dir selbst immer wieder stellst, aber die Du oft anders beantwortest?

    Die klassische Autonomiefrage: Was ist dir wichtiger; Freiheit oder Verbindung? Mir ist beides unglaublich wichtig. Aber je nach dem, ob ich gerade viel Zeit und Nähe mit wichtigen Menschen verbringen konnte oder nicht, werde ich mal eher mit “Freiheit” und mal eher mit “Verbindung” antworten.

    9. Du gibst in Deinen Workshops ja den Rat: “Fangt mit dem Ende an.” Welcher andere Tipp ist aus Deiner Sicht ein Leitmotiv für Dein Tun?

    Erzählen fängt mit Zuhören an. Wenn ich Geschichten schreiben will, die Menschen bewegen sollen, muss ich ein Verständnis davon haben, was Menschen bewegt. Und das werde ich nur dann mit Wahrhaftigkeit erfahren, wenn ich eine offene Haltung beim Zuhören bewahre. Auch deswegen reise ich so gerne in möglichst unterschiedliche Kulturen: Denn dort komme ich mit den angelernten Bewertungskriterien aus meiner heimatlichen Gesellschaft nicht weit. Und das übt mich im bewertungsfreien Zuhören – und lässt mich so neue Geschichten sammeln.

    Du hast Lust bekommen, die Kunst des Storytelling mit Larissa zu entdecken. Dann schaue doch einfach mal auf Ihrer Seite vorbei. Hier entlang bitte.

    Herzlichen Dank auch an Larissa für Ihre Reise nach Berlin und die inhaltliche Abendgestaltung zum unserem 1. Creators Eve am 2.4.2025, als sie uns in ihre Welt der Erzählkunst mitnahm.