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INSPIRATION
| A social book by |
Pharrell
Williams
And
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WELCOME TO THE SOCIAL BOOK
It might seems crazy what you’re about to read,
but this book isn’t like any other.
INSPIRATION is the first book written by an artist,
Pharrell Williams, and rewritten online by a worldwide
community.
By getting this book where you will discover revelations
on Pharrell’s sources of inspiration. This way you
contribute to help Pharrell’s association, which supports
disadvantaged children to hopefully rewrite many
of their lives.
We hope you’ll enjoy reading it as much as people
enjoyed rewriting it.
Sponsored by
and More informations on the project on tippex-socialbook.com
INSPIRATION
Pharrell
Williams
Once upon a time…
8
Just kidding, this isn’t
that kind of story.
It’s not a fairy tale even
though some days my life
sure feels like it.
9
PART ONE
Music
I guess you can say this
is sort of like an adventure.
It’s hard to look at my
musical journey any other
way. I still can’t believe
I get to make music with
some of the most brilliant
artists on the planet. I will
never ever in a million
years get used to that.
I feel blessed each and
every time someone says
they want to make music
with me.
Grateful.
I’m from a small town—
Virginia Beach, Virginia.
I had no idea all my
dreams would actually
become a reality.
I’m not sure
why, but the
universe created
some amazing
opportunities for
me that I managed
not to mess up.
13
1
Chapter
The ability
to make music
is a gift.
The ability to share it?
Well, that’s a gift, too.
Sharing it with the world
is no guarantee.
You know how many
amazing producers are
out there just waiting to
be discovered? Singers,
MCs and musicians too.
All I have to do is look
on the Internet for a
simple reminder of all
the great talent out
there. I am no more
special than any of the
others who do what I do.
Every man made
object came by
way of someone’s
imagination—
all physical
manifestations
of epiphanies.
Everything else
is organic and
simply the result
of the universe’s
mathematics.
15
Feeding
your
curiosity
is key.
A simple conversation
If you hear
could be a creative
something positive
catalyst if you let it.
You just have to be open about yourself
to the idea that a deeper again and again,
meaning may exist.
you start to
The conversation may
embrace it.
mean one thing within
seconds, but when you
look back on it hours
When you’re aware
later, you may see things of your creativity, that’s
in a new light.
when you can begin
to use it to its fullest
I didn’t know what the
potential.
word creative meant
when I was young.
Before then you’re
I never thought what
just stumbling across
I was doing was unique. it. This is the plight
A fish doesn’t know
of all humans because
it’s wet.
everyone has a talent.
I knew a lot of kids in
It’s what we’re all trying
school who did the same to figure out so we can
things I did. They could
live life exactly how
rhyme as good as me,
we’re supposed to.
if not better, others were
superb musicians. I was
happy to just play along,
keep up and participate.
16
This is the reason why we should
encourage children to explore their
interests from a super young age.
If we take a look at what they’re
thinking, all those curiosities they
possess, it will only help them grow
academically and artistically.
We need to help children figure out
who they are and not leave their
development to the odds. Don’t we
want the odds to be in their favor?
When you put
children in creative
environment that
challenges their
minds, it’s the
quickest way to
self-discovery.
The more options for mental stimulation
the better. If two teachers didn’t
encourage me to realize how interested
I was in music, I don’t know where I’d
be today. I always loved learning, but the
methods weren’t always ideal.
17
I got punished a lot for
daydreaming in class,
but now I realize I
needed an outlet to think
creatively.
Not all kids learn
the same way, but
we often penalize
children for not
following the
rules instead of
trying to figure out
what rules suit
them best.
I’m so grateful
my teachers figured
out my love for music
could help me exceed
in school.
18
2
Chapter
Making music
is a subconscious thing.
It’s crazy to take yourself
to zero and then wait for
inspiration. Lonely. Just
sort of suspended in black
space. All of a sudden
a wave comes over you and
you get it. You do your best
to chase it down.
While you’re chasing, you can’t act
like you know where it’s going or
else you’ll change it. If you’re like,
“Oh yeah, this is so cool,” then it’s
done, over. You won’t be able to get
it back. You have to shut up and wait
until the whole thing happens.
I create music not knowing if
it’s going to be a banger or not.
That’s how you know it comes from
somewhere else. You can only judge
it once you take a step back and
listen to what’s really there. When
you’re putting it down, in your mind,
you’re seeing the negative image.
You have to step back so your mind
can get used to seeing
the complete picture.
You put down what you
see in your head, but
only when you step
back you’re able to fully
see. This is how the
world will experience
it. The way it sounds
is what everyone else
hears. The negative
image is what we
feel, but we can’t fully
express it. You can’t
prove or illustrate to me
how you feel; I just have
to trust that I get what
you’re saying. But, you
and I can both pinpoint
what we’re listening
to. When you’re putting
down the sound, you’re
putting down the feeling.
That’s all you’re doing,
you’re going off of
feeling. If you take a step
back and listen, that’s
when you realize the full
picture of what’s there.
19
3
Chapter
Environmental
stimulation is the
best inspiration.
The crazy thing is I’ve been doing
that my whole life but never put it
into words. I’ve never seen myself
work. I don’t know what it looks
like when the lightning strikes.
I’m sure if you tape a producer
and his habits you’ll find formulas
he doesn’t even recognize he has.
There are memorized rhythms
to all of our activities every day.
Sometimes even down to our steps.
It’s kind of like things you do in your
sleep. They’re involuntary because
you don’t know what you’re doing.
You may roll over many times,
but you don’t acknowledge it
because you’re not aware you’re
doing it. It’s so hard to talk about
myself and explain how I do things.
It’s the person who sits on the
sidelines and watches the games
who really knows everything. You
can’t play offense and defense at
the same time.
You got to choose
a position. You
can’t be both,
the hunter
and the bear. If
I’m on the offense,
I can’t tell you
how I’m doing
on the defense.
I can’t tell you what
I look like when I’m
creating or performing.
It’s like when someone
says, “How did I do?
It’s because they can’t
see for themselves,
they only know from
our perspective.
20
Sometimes I wake up
thinking about making
a specific song, but most
of the time the music
is determined by my
environment.
If there are interesting
characters walking
around, they all play a
part. I didn’t realize one
sentence, a paragraph,
or a whole conversation
could spark inspiration.
The way a girl moves
her body, her position,
all those things weigh
in, but I never looked
at it like that before.
If a bunch of females
walk into the studio
and start clapping and
dancing all sexy, then
I’m going to make a
certain kind of record.
What a girl is
wearing and
how she carries
herself, I’ll take
all of that in. All
those things are
different layers
and colors to
me. If the girl is
waving her hand a
certain way, that’s
like one color.
It’s fun if she walks
into the studio talking
passionately about
something. It could be,
“I just lost 20 pounds,
today’s my son’s birthday,
I like wearing red lipstick
all day” and I’ll write
about that.
21
It’s like something in
the air turns into a story.
Something is happening.
It’s not like everyone’s
just sitting around
at the studio saying
we have to work on this
song. The something
that’s happening
is what inspires me.
Some people are very
methodical about
making music—do a
verse, ok let’s come up
with a melody, let’s do
the hook. I don’t like to
work that way. I need to
feel it and visuals help
tremendously.
Whenever I feel stuck
making music, the first
thing I do is go outside
and walk around.
My favorite recording
studios are the ones
that allow me to do that
easily. Smelling the air,
seeing random things,
all that is important
to me.
Anything you
concentrate on
can be a focal point
for your mind to
visualize what you
need to do.
Whether it’s in the shower or driving
your car, everybody’s mind wanders
off. When you’re in that place and
you ask yourself pertinent questions,
the best answers come. It’s awesome
when you realize you have that ability.
Nobody or anything on this planet can
take that away from you. It’s an infinite
source of inspiration to feel liberated.
It’s always about the energy and spirit
when it comes to creating music.
I’m just trying to keep a consistent
fingerprint through the whole thing—
present it my way so people recognize
me when they see it. You ever notice
how people name their animals?
They name their dog Cuddly for
a reason. It’s their way. Your way is
who you really are. That’s the distinct
difference between you and everyone
else in this universe.
22
4
Chapter
I’m so honored
I get to make music
as my career.
Music has been the
skeleton key that’s
opened the door for
every opportunity
I’ve had. I’m 20 years
in and only recently
began to understand
how I create my best
work. When you’re on
autopilot, sometimes
you don’t realize
what matters most.
Creative people are
often considered crazy,
and maybe we are, but
I believe crazy can be
a good thing.
Crazy forces
you to look at
the world in
a new way, see
what’s missing
and create it.
I’m not interested in
building what already
exists. That’s just boring.
In order to successfully
think in a crazy way you
need people around you
who handle the basics
so you can dream big.
That’s all I want to do.
I don’t want to only live
in reality. In some ways
many would say this
is a weakness, but it’s
a strength for me. This
is especially true over
the last year or so. It’s
been more of an asset
than ever because I’ve
surrounded myself with
people who completely
understand me. They
encourage me to be as
crazy as I want.
23
It took me a long time
to become comfortable
in my own skin. I was
confident in the
beginning with N.E.R.D.,
but then sort of lost my
way because I became
disengaged. Everything
started to look and
sound the same. Once
I figured out what could
get me back on track,
everything clicked.
It’s also when my
real musical journey
began. I wasn’t thinking
about making an album.
I had just gone back in
the studio collaborating
with other artists
because I was excited
about music again.
24
It was January 2013
when I heard Columbia
Records wanted to
meet with me. I had no
idea what they wanted
to discuss. The label
is full of legendary
music executives who
really care about music.
They treat it like art, not
just business. All I was
thinking is whatever they
want me to do, I’m down.
I was completely
shocked when they
asked me to make an
album.
I was so flattered
Columbia wanted to sign
me. It’s a record label
that’s super eccentric,
a place that encourages
individuality. It felt good
to hear they wanted me
to join their roster.
The whole conversation
from our meeting is mostly
a blur, but I do remember
them saying “Get Lucky” was
going to be the robots’ first
single. Mind you, at that
point, I didn’t even remember
what the song sounded like.
Literally not one note. I was
really jet lagged going
into that recording session
with the robots and to be
honest, I swear they zapped
my memory or something.
The OTHERS.
They’re home
to the weirdoes,
artists who
don’t fit into any
category.
I’ve never really fit in
in my whole life. Even
when the Neptunes were
first making noise in
the late ‘90s, we often
couldn’t convince artists
we worked with to let
us appear in the video.
And I don’t blame them
— we were weird! I think
they were especially
nervous I’d show up in
some wild clothes and
they were right. My style
was a curse for years
(case in point: trucker
hats, skinny jeans,
unconventional footwear,
etc.); it took a long time
for people to accept me.
25
When this label opportunity presented
itself, it felt different. I wasn’t thinking
about making an album so the fact
that I was asked immediately dictated
my approach. The first thing that
came to my mind was, “Oh, I know
exactly what I want to talk about.”
Sometimes you need to go away
and find subject matter.
Find an album direction, inspiration,
but I didn’t need to do that for this
one. I was so appreciative for the
opportunity. I just purely cleared
my mind. What is there to talk about?
So much…
26
PART two
Girls
Girl is where we come from,
girl is our survival,
girl is our disseminator,
girl is our origin,
girl is our light, girl is our power
and girl is the world’s pleasure.
29
5
Chapter
Existence is privilege.
Women are my biggest
inspiration.
The intelligence
they gather
and collect over
the years, the way
they utilize what
they’ve learned
and their way
of doing is their
fingerprint, their
identity. It’s the
way they do
things that make
them individually
special. They’re
my obsession.
I’ve always had crushes
on older women and
for girls that were
my age or younger,
it was about their fire.
But those older women?
Man, those women…
it’s like there was some
sort of magnetism or
something. Those older
women were simply
nice to me, but my mind
would always wish it
were sexual. There were
a couple of times where
one was flirtatious,
nothing happened,
but whoa. I think
that’s there’s where
my fixation just really
crystallized.
31
Sometimes I feel my fascination
with females is almost like
a chemical thing.
Maybe it’s whatever experiences
I went through, but certain visuals
just strike a chord for me.
I never liked
the regular girl
walking down
the street. The girl
with the perfect
face and perky
boobs wearing
the stilettos.
I just like what’s
different.
I would be more inspired
by the girl with some
cartoon leggings
than the one wearing
the short, tight dress.
Whether it’s my female
friends or girls who
catch my attention in the
world, there’s something
about them that moves
me. It’s like the nerdy
32
girl in class, yeah
everyone makes fun
of her, but it’s because
she’s the smartest and
does all the unorthodox
stuff. That’s what’s
interesting, what’s
inspiring to me. Anything
generic makes me run
away.
Certain females can
make me weak with
their beauty, intelligence
and strength. Even
memories of them can
do this for me. That’s
why all the songs on
my album were inspired
by their complexity
and trigger various
emotions. The music
is for everybody, but my
inspiration was women.
Isn’t like half
or maybe even 75%
of the music that’s
ever been created
about girls?
33
6
Chapter
Human beings
need to jam.
I think more than
anything else, I’m just
cutting out all the fat
and really pinpointing
the specific inspiration.
The cool thing about
this music is anyone
can relate to it.
I want everyone
to dance and just
feel good. I miss
seeing people
let loose at
parties instead
of documenting
every moment with
their cell phone
camera.
I tried to make the
music warm and red.
Heart color—just pure,
no filter. I kept my eyes
closed when making
the album. I didn’t want
anyone to show me
anything. I’ve seen that
process kill people.
I just went with what felt
good. I think everybody
should do that right now.
There’s a shift going on
in music right now.
The best songs
are the ones that
connect with
humanity in some
way. If you close
your eyes, you’ll
immediately know
if it sounds right.
35
7
Chapter
As much as women
are my inspiration,
I’m no expert.
I would never claim
to have all the answers
about them, but I know
females don’t want
to be classified. They’re
individuals and if you’re
going to love one, she’s
got to feel like she’s the
only one of her kind.
Labels don’t define her.
It’s empowering
to watch a woman
liberate herself
from chains.
Why be held
by anything you
don’t really agree
with?
At the end of the day
you run your life, you’re
the dictator of what goes
down unless you give
the power to someone
else. The good news
is we’re living in a day
where women know this
more than ever. It’s so
clear for the women with
great intentions. There’s
a level of sophistication
in the way they say what
they have to say.
They speak
volumes
while
whispering.
37
I don’t believe in
good or bad girls.
You need both
elements.
It all depends on how
you want to look at that
glass. Whether you
say it’s half full or half
empty, or whether a
girl is good or bad, it’s
your perspective. If you
want her to be bad, then
she’s bad, but that girl
has some good too. If
you want her to be good,
then she’s good, but at
some point, you also got
to know there’s some
bad in her too.You need
both to establish who
you are.
38
Nothing is 100%
and who would want
that? All good with
no bad? You need both.
The Internet is
connecting people
on another level. I think
that’s why there are
so many uprisings all
over the world. People
are seeing how others
are living and it’s
affecting them. It was
a huge milestone when
the ape looked into
the water and saw his
reflection. That was big.
Up until then they were
just busy being. When
they saw what they
looked like, they started
thinking about things
differently. That’s what
we’re dealing with right
now.
We’re at a time
where women are
like, “I can’t believe
I let this negativity
rock like this for so
long, no, absolutely
not, no more.”
They’re getting
their just due and
refusing to take
anything less.
39
You can’t hold
down the mother
of humanity.
Countries that oppress
women? Those places
are facing inevitable
change. I don’t mean that
in a negative way, but their
time will be up. You can’t
continue to hold women
back. It’s not always men
who want to knock them
down, but a mentality.
There are women with
broken minds who
possess these negative
views as well. With each
generation, anything
oppressive will eventually
get broken down. Right
now women know more
than ever they have the
power to feel free. It’s
awesome to see the ones
who understand that and
have the ability to set
others free too.
Think about a world
where there are no
oppressed women.
That’s a very different,
different place.
40
If all the women
in the world
decided they
weren’t going
to work tomorrow
or to have children,
they would shut
down our economy
and ecosystem.
How can anyone deny
their power? When
women are uplifted it’s
a statement to humanity.
Picture a female
president in the United
States. Imagine that
all the late night talkshow hosts are women.
Envision female athletes
making just as much
money as men.
There are more women
running corporations.
The most celebrated
painter in the art world
is a female. Women
go to Mars first.
Visualize that world.
It’s beautiful.
I know we’ll live to see
it, it’s right around the
corner, not decades
away.
41
Chapter
Happy.
I just think women do
everything better. Maybe
because they’re born
leaders, but things just
go more smoothly when
they’re involved. I just
feel more at ease when
they’re around me.
I know I’m not the
only one who sees
this female shift
happening. My album
is just a whisper, like
a foreshadowing of
the change I see on
the horizon.
I know my love for
women has helped
define who I am. In many
ways, this album is my
42
thanks to the female
species. It’s kind of like
a love letter to women,
not only from me, but
also from any man (or
woman) who loves them
as much as I do. I hope
females feel good,
proud of who they are
and confident in their
own skin when they
listen to these songs.
8
A liberated woman is
a woman who marches
to the beat of her own
drum, happy, satisfied
with who and what
she is. She has figured
out a way to service
humanity. These women
are our moms, sisters,
aunts, daughters, wives
and friends.
We owe it to the
universe to make sure
these women are
happy. It’s everyone’s
responsibility to make
sure we do everything
in our power to make
sure every female has
the ability to make her
own choices without
fear. It’s everyone’s
right to feel that kind of
freedom. We all deserve
happiness and I want to
live in a world where all
people can experience it.
I’ve seen what joy can do
on a small scale and it’s
infectious.
Being happy
inspires us
to make the best
choices.
The more people making
great choices, the
more we benefit as a
community. That’s the
world I want to live in.
Happy women can lead
this charge.
43
Is it any surprise I love
seeing females in the
audience at my shows?
It’s a rush to see them
having a good time
when I’m performing.
There’s energy there. No
colors, just a connection,
a vibe. It’s like we’re all
physically connected
to the music at that
moment.
This idea inspired the
interlude on my album
called “Freq.”
It’s short for frequency
and my intention was
to create something
the audience could
participate in. It’s
almost like a breathing
exercise, a meditation to
really ascend to a higher
frequency musically.
I know it’s ambitious,
but I wanted to try.
I hope the song can
push everyone to some
wavelength up above.
I envisioned the females
when I created “Freq”
since that’s who
motivates me, but every
listener is welcome
to take their own ride.
44
While you’re up there
catch some inspiration,
see a vision, work out
a problem, get some
guidance, feel the love.
Connect, ascend and
dominate.
Some people become
entranced by music if
they listen long enough.
People underestimate
that thing that
makes them run to
the dance floor when
a really great song
comes on.
Ever notice there’s
always somebody
who gets up and goes
crazy? That girl who
really wants to dance,
like, “Man, this is my
jam.” The drums are
beating; the bongos
are heavy, what makes
you so sure something
didn’t hypnotize her to
the dance floor? Like
something inside her
just reacted to it. All
I’m saying is there
was an impetus for
that reaction; it was
because of something.
The music! If a woman
likes what you’re
saying and is really
into the music, then
why couldn’t she hear
something through
escapism? If she lets
her mind wander off,
perhaps she’ll find
some new insight.
45
I’m not saying the
music is going to give
you any answers, but
maybe it will spark
something.
It’s hopefully music you’d want to
listen to over and over again. I tried
to make some of the beats on the
album feel hypnotic. The idea that
someone could let go while listening
to my music is just so cool to me.
Part three
Life
I’ve played my part
behind the scenes for
so long, it’s a bit strange
to be out front by myself.
I wanted to be an artist
in my teens, but when
it didn’t work right away
I gave up. I allowed the
rejection to scar my
ambition and crush my
dreams. I cringe when
I think about the time
I jumped on a record
company executive’s
desk during an audition.
He took a phone call
while I was rhyming
so I felt I needed to
do something to get
his attention. I can’t
help but laugh at what
that must have looked
like. Needless to say,
he wasn’t impressed.
There were other label
meetings, but they
all led to nowhere.
Since producing
music was going well
at the time, I put all
my concentration on
that instead. I know
everything happens
for a reason, and it just
wasn’t time. I needed
all my experiences,
all my grown man
perspective, to become
the artist I am today.
I know exactly who I am
and what I’m trying
to accomplish.
Music is art and if you
don’t have something
to say, what’s the point?
49
9
Chapter
I believe the
universe gives
you all the signs
you need.
If you pay attention,
you will easily find your
rightful path. How many
times has something
happened in your
life that just seemed
destined? Something
told you to turn down
that street and you
just happened to run
into your best friend.
You randomly decided to
go to some party and you
meet your future boss.
Or something in a movie
inspired you to do
something that ended up
being the best decision
ever.
I don’t think
anything in life
is a mistake. Even
the drama, pain
and struggle
are all part
of the process.
All artists find
inspiration in the
dark. If you’re
scared of the
dark, then you’re
not an artist.
It’s not the only
place, no, but at
night when the
lights are out,
before you go to
sleep, it’s just
a wonderful
place to think.
Now that may be due to
the fact you’re about to
go to sleep, but that’s
like saying an artist is
not inspired by walking
outside on a beautiful
night. The nighttime is
beautiful, the stars are
there and it’s obvious
inspiration overload.
51
If you look at
everything like
an opportunity
to learn something
new, you’ll always
be one step ahead.
We can sit around all day
and wonder why we’re
put on this earth. Or, we
can stop wondering and
actively start living. Isn’t
that the best way to find
answers? I don’t like
sitting idle or anything
that’s safe. If it feels
risky and completely
opposite of what’s going
on, I gravitate towards it.
I feel a pull, something
in my gut that tells me
to go there. I don’t feel
fear, just excitement. It’s
why I love collaborating
so much. Working
with people who know
more than you is such
a powerful place to
genuinely learn about
yourself.
52
I’ve tried my best to
inspire others to learn
from my journey.
I created my company
i am OTHER as a way
to connect people who
share my vision for the
world. I know I’m a bit
of a weirdo, but aren’t
we all?
We’re all unique
in our own way, but
we’re encouraged to
come together for
Put yourself
in new
situations
where you’re
not the
expert.
I never feel self-conscious
working with masters
in their field. I’m forever
a student and will always
surround myself with
people who know more
than me. I think it’s
obvious I wouldn’t be who
I am if all those people
didn’t share valuable
lessons with me.
our similarities instead
of our differences.
Sit me next to the
person at the dinner
party who’s lived a
completely different life
from mine. I don’t care
if they study insects
for a living or dress as
a clown for children’s
parties. I know I can
learn something from
them that I can apply
to my life and work.
Some may only feel
comfortable with
people who feel
familiar. I just
think that’s a
tragic way to live.
It’s much more fun
to have conversations
with people who
live in a world that’s
opposite from yours.
I especially love people
who are rule breakers,
who avoid anything
safe. I’ve tried to bring
those kinds of people to
the i am OTHER family.
Whether it’s music,
film, television, fashion
or art projects, our
goal is always to create
something new.
The world needs people
who strive to create
things that bring a smile
to humanity. If it fits the
i am OTHER manifesto,
then I’m all in.
53
Whenever I say thank
you, I always put my
hands together. It’s to
let you know where
it all comes from. It’s
as if to say this is an
antenna, beaming into
that strand of creativity
we all get to tap into
from time to time.
Everybody can tap in.
That’s how you get the
same idea as somebody
on the other side of
the earth. You’re both
tapping in at the same
time. If you’re paying
attention, you’ll see
certain rhythms to how
the world works. If you
notice what’s going on,
you sort of know where
things will go.
People do that all
the time with football,
basketball or whatever
sports they’re watching.
They can tell when
their favorite team
is not going to have
a good game. They
analyze the rhythm
of how they’re playing
and how it will impact
their performance.
54
10
Chapter
The process to create
is simple when your heart
is completely open.
Life is the same
way. When you look
for something in
the future, you
have to go there
mentally.
When you’re tapping
into that ethereal level,
things seemingly come
from oblivion but they’re
not. This is a source
we all have access to.
When I put my hands
together to say thank
you, I’m also thanking
the universe and God
because I know I’m just
a vessel.
Fear is
creativity’s
kryptonite.
Scare tactics don’t work
for me, and I refuse
to believe they truly
work for anyone else.
I don’t want to think
about possible negative
consequences when
I’m creating. I want my
creativity fueled by what
feels good, not by what
I think could have
success. The rules for
winning change all the
time, there’s no one
set formula. I don’t
want to sit around with
a calculator furiously
banging on the keys.
That’s never worked
for me. I guess in
some ways you can say
I’m sort of a hippie.
I just don’t like rules
or being placed in a box.
Freedom means a lot
to me. Stories about
people feeling trapped
depress me, it just
feels so unnecessary.
Even if your reality if
stifling, your dreams
are not. If you’re working
towards them with
tunnel vision, I believe
you can shift your
perspective to a more
open place. Visualization
can inspire in ways that
seem impossible.
Nature can often
spark imagination
in ways you didn’t
expect.
55
I feel really good about
the future. I’m especially
proud of my new
music and can’t wait
to share it with the
world. I’m totally not
the best singer, more
of a crooner, but I
really try my hardest
at expressing myself.
I’ve learned to accept
when people say they
appreciate my voice.
I’ve begun to believe they
hear something. I never
I know it seems hard
to believe, but I took
my first real vacation
in 2013. It was the first
time I really turned
off (ok, sometimes
I checked my phone),
and it was such an
illuminating experience
for me. I had nothing
to do, but relax and
completely let go.
I didn’t realize how
important stillness
is for your health.
Something
happens when
you stare at a
pitch-black night
flooded with the
brightest stars,
listen to the
waves crash and
breathe the air.
Everything around me
seemed like magic.
I felt connected with
the earth in a new way,
and it surprised the
hell out of me. When
56
you’re alone with your
thoughts, it’s mindblowing to see what
kind of things pop into
your head. I felt like
a computer downloading
important files, ones
that I desperately
needed, but didn’t know
were there. I know
I’ll never take nature’s
technology for granted
again.
Whether it’s on an island
or in a local park,
everyone needs to make
time to allow nature to
push the restart button.
intended to be a singer.
I originally sang on the
demos of songs out of
necessity. Somebody
had to sing the lyrics.
I never imagined artists
would want to leave my
voice on the song. When
those songs went on to
become hits, I still didn’t
think I necessarily had
a future in singing. I’m
honored the people have
shown that someone like
me could be an artist too.
I know I’m on the left
side of the road and I’ve
accepted that in my age.
I’m a quirky guy.
I’ve always known it,
but never really worn it.
57
The time is now.
59
WELCOME TO THE SOCIAL BOOK
It might seem crazy what you’re about to read,
but this book isn’t like any other.
INSPIRATION is the first book written by an
artist, Pharrell Williams, and rewritten online
by a worldwide community.
By getting this book where you will discover
revelations on Pharrell’s sources of inspiration.
This way you contribute to help Pharrell’s
association, which supports disadvantaged
children to hopefully rewrite many of their lives.
We hope you’ll enjoy reading it as much
as people enjoyed rewriting it.
Sponsored by
and
More informations on the project on tippex-socialbook.com
60
ISBN 9791093816067