What stood out to me was how clearly your examples showed the idea in practice, not just in theory. Hearing those song choices side by side made it obvious how much is already happening before production ever shows up. You can take everything else away and the song still communicates. That’s a helpful gut check for me and anyone else writing right now: if it doesn’t move you in its simplest form, adding more won’t fix it. A fantastic music discussion to end the year on a high note Idris Elijah!
This really resonated even outside of music. The idea that something has to work stripped down feels exactly like writing. If the sentence doesn’t land without clever phrasing or stylistic tricks, it probably isn’t doing the real work. It made me think more about clarity and emotional truth instead of polish. The core has to hold before anything else can. Thank you Idris Elijah for doing a deep dive on so many great songs, I’m planning on listening to many of them on New Year’s Eve!
I enjoyed this because it reminded me why music matters in the first place. When my daughter and I dance together, it’s never about perfection or production. It’s about how the melody makes us feel and how the words connect us in the moment. This made me realize that what sticks isn’t the performance, it’s the feeling we share. That’s the part she’ll remember. Thank you Idris Elijah for all of your wonderful newsletters, short stories and e-books in 2025 and hope you have a great new year!
I love the idea of songs surviving when everything else is stripped away. Unforgettable has always been my favorite for that exact reason. The melody and lyrics still hold all the weight on their own, no matter the arrangement or era. That’s the kind of timelessness I’m always chasing and this put words to why it matters so much to me. Congratulations Idris on all the great content on The Potential Paradox this year and I look forward to seeing what you share with us in 2026!
What stood out to me was how clearly your examples showed the idea in practice, not just in theory. Hearing those song choices side by side made it obvious how much is already happening before production ever shows up. You can take everything else away and the song still communicates. That’s a helpful gut check for me and anyone else writing right now: if it doesn’t move you in its simplest form, adding more won’t fix it. A fantastic music discussion to end the year on a high note Idris Elijah!
So pleased you enjoyed this issue Brooke! Thank you for sharing your takeaways, they were splendid! Happy New Year to you!🎊🎉
This really resonated even outside of music. The idea that something has to work stripped down feels exactly like writing. If the sentence doesn’t land without clever phrasing or stylistic tricks, it probably isn’t doing the real work. It made me think more about clarity and emotional truth instead of polish. The core has to hold before anything else can. Thank you Idris Elijah for doing a deep dive on so many great songs, I’m planning on listening to many of them on New Year’s Eve!
That’s a wonderful idea! You are most welcome Chloe. Indeed the core does have to hold its own. Happy New Year!🎊
I enjoyed this because it reminded me why music matters in the first place. When my daughter and I dance together, it’s never about perfection or production. It’s about how the melody makes us feel and how the words connect us in the moment. This made me realize that what sticks isn’t the performance, it’s the feeling we share. That’s the part she’ll remember. Thank you Idris Elijah for all of your wonderful newsletters, short stories and e-books in 2025 and hope you have a great new year!
Thank you for sharing these great takeaways! And it’s been quite the year hasn’t it? Have a great New Year as well! 🎊🎉
I love the idea of songs surviving when everything else is stripped away. Unforgettable has always been my favorite for that exact reason. The melody and lyrics still hold all the weight on their own, no matter the arrangement or era. That’s the kind of timelessness I’m always chasing and this put words to why it matters so much to me. Congratulations Idris on all the great content on The Potential Paradox this year and I look forward to seeing what you share with us in 2026!
Unforgettable is a splendid song indeed. And thank you so kindly, wouldn’t be here without your support. 2026 should be interesting!