Modern Musician podcast interview with author and podcaster Molly Donlan on helping musicians unlock creativity and build an authentic audience in the age of AI.
Key takeaways Authenticity beats the algorithm: a 25M-view video took Molly from 3K to 500K followers in a week, but real community only came when she stopped chasing what worked and showed herself. Stress is a tiger: the survival response takes creativity offline, so you can't write a good song while panicking about rent. Two minutes beats sixty: two minutes a day is more effective than 60 minutes once a month, because consistency matters more than duration and counters perfectionism. Imperfection is the human edge over AI: rawness, like a voice crack, creates the resonance AI can't replicate. Ritualize what you already do: attach tiny sensory rituals to daily habits or songwriting, such as a candle, a scent or songwriting socks, and keep them doable on your worst day. Topics Mundane Magic book Skeptic to Reiki Audience building authenticity Viral growth burnout +5 more
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Molly describes her trauma-work background, chronic hip pain at 23, and the Reiki session that began to dissolve her skepticism. Turning point: she dropped the content that worked and showed her real self, and growth returned with genuine connection. Core maxim: two minutes a day is more effective than 60 minutes once a month. Practical advice: build a tiny ritual around something you already do, such as coffee, brushing teeth or 'songwriting socks'. Showing 4 of 15 — show everything
