Nick Cave has said that he can overlook the personal choices of artists he admires, as long as the art they make is authentic. In a new blog post on The Red Hand Files, Cave responded to a fan who had asked about his “religious turn” and the concern that he was letting down his “queer and female fans.” Cave spoke about artists who had in the past disappointed him, but who he continues to be captivated by because of their authenticity. Cave also noted that he used faith as a means of being true to himself and not bending to the needs of others, but emphasised that this did not mean he had disrespect for others who had different experiences and found truths in other places.
Cave was also recently in the news for criticising elements of woke culture, which he argued were lacking in mercy and forgiveness. While he supported social justice goals, he criticised the means used to achieve them, such as cancelling people and shutting down those who disagreed. Cave has also previously stated that he can separate the art from the artist, and that virtuousness is not a metric for making good art, citing problematic people as often creating great art.
Cave is due to release a new album, “Wild God”, in August and recently announced a European solo tour for the summer. The singer’s reflections on artists who have disappointed him but whose work he still values offer an interesting perspective on the nature of creative production and appreciation. Cave’s focus on authenticity also highlights the importance of being true to oneself in a world that is often devoid of genuineness
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