Bruce Dickinson, emblematic singer of Iron Maiden, passionately shared some advice to young musicians wishing to break into the music industry, during an interview organized by the Musicians Institute. For him, the key to success lies above all in self -confidence.
“Self -confidence is capital” : Bruce Dickinson’s advice
Behind the scenes of the event MI Conversation Series In Hollywood, Bruce Dickinson took the time to evoke the importance of certain fundamental qualities to succeed in music. Questioned by the YouTube channel of Musicians Institutehe explained: “One of the most important things is self -confidence. And that cannot be taught. It is a question of character.”
He illustrated his words with a bitter but realistic observation: “I played with incredible musicians, but some were condemned to stay in their room because they did not trust them, they did not dare to be, to happen, to stand out. You can be the best guitarist in the world, if you play in the middle of the desert of the Sahara, nobody will see you. The universe is not fair.”
Bruce also warned against the traps of ultra-specialization: “Avoid locking yourself in a single musical genre, even if you love it. Be curious.”
Express a true emotion, not just to talk about oneself
For Dickinson, confidence should not turn into narcissism: “There is an irony. Yes, you have to believe in yourself, but if your whole performance revolves around you, people will go. Nobody is as interesting as that.” He insists on the importance of telling something sincere, to touch the listener: “Use your talent to tell a story, express an authentic feeling. That’s what’s talking to people.”
He compares the concert to an emotional game: “It’s like a game of emotional tennis. You send a bullet, the public sends it to you, you react, and so on. This is why the concerts are always better at the end than at the beginning.”
-A lucid criticism of the modern music industry
Bruce Dickinson also spoke about the evolution of musical distribution and streaming challenges for young artists: “When the file sharing happened, the record companies saw nothing coming and sunk. For the established groups, it was still going, but for those who started, Spotify was a disaster.”
He encourages musicians to show creativity in their way of presenting themselves: “Today, everything happens online, on Instagram, YouTube. Some people succeed with podcasts or weekly lives, but that will never replace a real concert with a physical community.”
An inspiration always turned to the future
Despite more than four career decades, Bruce Dickinson continues to question himself: “What motivates me is what I am doing, not what I did 40 years ago. I do not often listen to my old recordings. When I do it, I am sometimes pleasantly surprised, sometimes horrified. It’s the game.”
Currently in full preparation for his next solo album planned for 2026, Dickinson does not seem ready to slow down. After the release of The Mandrake Project In March 2024, he will soon left on tour with Iron Maiden to celebrate the group’s 50th anniversary.
A living example of determination and resilience for all musicians in the making.
