Listen to the full podcast: https://bit.ly/SKMPCAROLL Music isn’t just something we listen to, it’s how we process heartbreak, find meaning, and understand ourselves. In this episode, Dawson joins me for a conversation about art, identity, and what it actually means to create something that lasts in an age built for consumption. We talk about why some artists hit us on a visceral level while others don’t, the strange line between authenticity and performance, and how taste is formed through pain, obsession, and repetition. Dawson also shares his journey through music school, leaving Berklee, and finding his own voice as an independent artist and why chasing validation often pulls creatives away from the work that truly matters. Follow Dawson: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawsoncarroll/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dawsoncarrollmusic TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dawson_carroll 00:00 Introduction 01:20 Music Preferences 03:29 Zach Bryan and Noah Kahan 09:13 Bon Iver's Influence and Unique Style 15:26 Artistic Struggles 35:48 Hemingway and the Romanticization of Hardship 40:08 The Cathartic Power of Articulation 40:54 Music Videos and Creativity 42:02 Dawson Performing a Song Live 46:46 Journey Through Music Education 49:26 Listen to the Full Episode in Supercast Listen to the complete episodes of Sky King's Mental Playground, sign up at skmp.supercast.com Follow Sky on X Subscribe on YouTube Follow Sky on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Propaganda, Art, Health, Regenerative Systems, Great Food, Economic Incentives, and building companies in an increasingly digital world.