“In the end, to challenge our fans is to love them, even if it means losing them.”
Every artist should read this.
When asked if he worries his existing fans won’t like his band’s evolving sound, Nick Cave explains why you shouldn’t fear losing fans.
He points out creating art specifically to please fans can be patronizing and exploitative and suggests the only way to move and affect people is to challenge them.
Related: How to make something so unique it can’t be ignored.