When Michael Jackson wrote Billie Jean he knew it was a hit. Quincy Jones, the moron/genius, didn’t like the song. He wanted to cut it from the album. Can you believe that? Billie Jean!?! Quincy Jones wanted to cut, what for me is, the most iconic MJ song ever off of Thriller!

Luckily for us Michael stuck to his guns and didn’t listen to Quincy. In fact, because the demo that Michael did was so close to the final product, MJ wanted to cut Quincy’s producer credit to only a co-producer credit.

That’s ballsy, that’s confidence, that’s what has to be done when you believe in your music.

So often people, even well meaning people, get in the way of our ideas and visions. Whether that be a vision for a song, or for an album, or whatever. They’ll tell you their opinion and give you their advice and I know in my case, too often I listen to them.

But no more I say. I will listen to myself first and foremost. I will follow through with my vision and accept no compromises. Reason and good advice will be heard, but if the music of Michael Jackson has shown us anything, is that without confidence in ones own self we would not have amazing music. Trust yourself.