What David Bowie Taught Me About Showing Up as Yourself

If you are a David Bowie fan, seeing David Bowie's "You're Not Alone" immersive exhibition at the Lightroom is a must. It's so good.

I went the first time with my partner, who is also a fan, and I literally cried. It reminded me of moments from my teenage years, when I had just started my creative journey, and David Bowie was a huge inspiration. A huge example of someone original and non-conformist. It was the 90's after all, when I first got to know him and listen to his music, back when non-conformity was still a thing.

There was the promise of first loves, and of bigger-than-life music, musicians, and friendships. The kind that cover up the loneliness of your teenage years, when you are still trying to find your place in the world. He offered the option to belong even when you didn't feel like you belonged.

Visiting the Lightroom, it all came back up. And I was in tears, aware of the passing of time, the road I have travelled, and a certain naivety left behind when those friendships did not last and I had to conform to all sorts of life's demands. I enjoyed the immersive a lot, and had so many thoughts afterwards that I asked if I could get a complimentary ticket to go again and write about it. To spread the word for others. The Lightroom people agreed, and so here I am, sharing my thoughts with you.

Bowie was the OG of personal branding, and he did it all wrong (brilliantly)

The main thing that struck me was how much David Bowie was the OG of personal branding. But he did it in the exact opposite way to what everyone recommends these days in the Instagram and TikTok world.

He was a shape shifter. Constantly changing form, adopting new characters. In his own words:

"I have never been sure of my own personality. I am a collector, and I've always just seemed to collect personalities."

His playfulness and creativity came from inventing himself again and again and again as a new person, adopting a new persona. And within that persona, he was able to express different things.

In today's social media era, everyone is told to show ONE thing. To be ONE thing. To sell one thing. If you want to build a personal brand, you are told to present a very limited persona and ideally one offer, so that you can show up again and again looking the same, so your audience recognises you instantly, and therefore you sell more.

Well. That is just the opposite of what Bowie did.

And funny enough, David Bowie became one of the biggest rock stars in history. He was expansive, generous with his creativity, and above all, even though he considered himself a starman, he was human. So human.

The reason I find this so relevant is that in the age of AI, there is a serious need to return to human. The polished, one-offer thing? AI will do that better than us. But the unpolished, human, rich and diverse way of showing up, with the flaws and the humanity and the accidental stuff, that is for us humans. That is the part that cannot be automated.

As a brand designer, a creative, and someone who has worked in design for years and is now venturing into counselling and psychotherapy (and what is more human than that), here is what I can recommend to you: show up as yourself, but know that yourself can be fluid. There are different parts to that self of yours, and you are allowed to showcase them all.

Mix it all up

Another thing that stood out to me in the exhibition was how much Bowie borrowed from everything. Art, fashion, books, poetry, theatre, and more. He mixed it all into something new. He created something that had not existed before by combining things that already did.

So ask yourself: what can you mix? What else can you bring into your brand identity that sits outside your comfort zone and your immediate work, but could make your message richer? Your communication more exciting? More inspiring?

You do not have to invent from nothing. You simply have to combine in a way that only you would.

The immersive itself

The immersive delivers, big time. You walk into a space that is so containing, like being held, and you get to spend an hour, or in my case a couple of hours, in the company of one of the greatest, most courageous creators of our time. One-of-a-kind, OG persona.

What is more, the fact that Bowie considered himself first and foremost a writer came as a surprise to me. But it justified the poetry in his lyrics and songs. It made sense of why the words stayed with me for so long.

Because I was listening to him at a time when music, art and friendship were a lifeline, when I was still trying to work out who I was and where I fit, David Bowie's presence made sure I was not alone. And I am forever grateful for his music.

The question I want to leave you with

So here is what I keep coming back to: how can you use your brand, your business, or your art to connect people and help them feel less isolated? Especially in this day and age, when social media so often does the opposite, separating and isolating us instead of bringing us together.

Bowie made a lonely teenager feel like she belonged. That is not a small thing. That is maybe the whole thing.

I hope this gave you some insight, and most importantly, some inspiration. New ways of showing up. For yourself, your business, and your life.

You are not alone.

And if you find yourself at the immersive, do drop me a line. I would love to hear your thoughts, or any new ideas my writing may have sparked in you. Thank you for reading. Sharon x

And I bought some merch!