"Just be yourself" is terrible advice.

Which self?

The self that wants to make rent? The self that wants to make art? The self that wants to be liked? The self that wants to make an impact?

Your identity is complex. You’re more than a single self.

The goal isn't to find your "true self" — it's to decide which self to bring into your work.

Authenticity is the creative world's favorite gospel — and its highest security prison.

"That's not authentic to your brand." "Stay true to your voice." "Don't sell out."

This language isn't protecting your creative integrity. It's protecting everyone else's comfort by making you predictable. It’s dulling your edge.

The authenticity police wants you:

Meanwhile, the people preaching authenticity the loudest are making bank off your creative identity crisis.

Here's what they don't tell you: Your creative identity isn't something you discover. It's something you continuously build.

Start with rage, not reflection.

What makes you want to set the world on fire? Not mildly annoyed — actually fucking furious.

Those rage points aren't problems. They're your values waiting to be integrated.

Creative work is shadow work.

Quick exercise: List all the shit that pisses you off about your field (or the world). Then ask yourself: What would I create if I had the power (and the balls) to fix these things?

That's your values compass. Everything else is a distraction or mere decoration.

Embrace your complexity.

Stop trying to find your one "authentic" self. You contain multitudes.

Instead, facilitate collaboration within you:

Your best work happens when these parts collaborate, not when one takes the spotlight.

Build operating principles.

Mission statements are for corporate retreats. You need a creative philosophy — principles that help you choose which “self” drives each project.

Mine is simple (and always evolving):

I make things that make people think twice. I don't make things that make people comfortable. I care more about impact than income, but I need income to scale impact. I evolve constantly, while always staying consistent to my core values.

Yours will be different. But write it down. Making hard decisions is easy when you know what you actually stand for.

Everyone has opinions about what you should create:

You can't make everyone happy. But you can be strategic about whose opinions matter when.

Don’t stress. Here is a simple solution.

The Audience Matrix:

Who pays you? (Listen to their business needs)

Whose respect you need? (Consider their creative input)

Who experiences your work? (Serve their real problems)

Who supports your development? (Value their long-term perspective)

Most creators try to please everyone and end up serving no one. Smart creators know whose opinion matters most for each project.

Your creative identity is who you are. Your brand is how you package it.

Do NOT confuse them.

Your identity can be:

Your brand needs to be:

The best creators have simple brands and complex identities. They know which parts of themselves to highlight and which to keep private.

Stop looking for your authentic self. Start choosing your useful self.

Every project should force you to make a choice:

Your creative identity isn't discovered. It's decided.

Daily. Project by project. Choice by choice.

Brick by brick.

The authenticity police want you to find yourself once and stay there forever.

Fuck that.

Build yourself. Rebuild when necessary. And always choose consciously.

Impactful work is rarely authentic but always useful.

If you don’t believe me, answer me this:

Would you rather have surgery done by a professional doctor or an authentic doctor?

Exactly.

Be a professional.

Huge shoutout to the homie and long-time reader, Carlos, who put me on “WASH” by Jon Bellion. Carlos, went the extra mile and also sent me the behind the scenes of the making of “WASH” — and I’m fucking obsessed.

There’s something about seeing a creative in the zone making love to their art. Pure flow state.

If you're pressed for time, just watch these 60 seconds. Do it for your creative soul. You'll leave inspired and ready to make something. The whole album slaps too 👇🏽

Got a song on repeat?
Send it my way.
If I feature it, you get some love in a future issue.

You fucking legend.

I've gotten a lot of questions about personal rebranding — mostly from creators who feel trapped in a niche they've outgrown.

I'll dive deeper into this in future issues, but here's a video from Leila Hormozi that nails the internal work behind successful rebrands.

The Hormozis are not usually my vibe (too hustle-culture for my taste), but this specific take is solid. Worth your time.

Love,

Santi