Nick Cave gave me advice..
Wow. I sent a letter to Nick Cave via The Red Hand Files the other day. To my great surprise, I received a reply very quickly.
The response is important on several levels, because in his reply to me he also emphasizes the importance of live music, comparing it to a transcendent, spiritual experience unlike anything else. It feels significant to have a voice of such weight expressing this at a time when major cuts are continually being made to the arts and culture sector.
There are also many people who struggle with stage fright (which was what I asked him about), and who may benefit from his response to me.
Through his open letter project The Red Hand Files, Nick Cave has for several years answered questions about grief, love, art, and what it means to be human. In his reply, Cave met me with both seriousness and warmth. He does not downplay fear. Instead, he writes that stage fright is often a sign that something is at stake—that it matters.
Fear, Cave suggests, is not a weakness, but a gateway to presence and intensity. He points out that many artists expend enormous energy trying to fight fear, when instead it can be carried onto the stage. Audiences, he writes, sense when something is at stake—and this is precisely what creates connection. Vulnerability is often what they respond to most strongly.
He advises shifting attention toward what one wants to give, and what one wishes to communicate. Art, Cave writes, is not about control, but about surrender.
The response is typical Nick Cave: poetic, reflective, deep, and insightful. Perhaps this is exactly why The Red Hand Files has come to occupy such a special place among readers.
For those who struggle with stage fright, the message is clear: You are not alone. And fear does not mean you should not be there. Perhaps it means exactly that you should. In his reply, Cave met me with great understanding and reflection, emphasizing that stage fright is not necessarily an obstacle, but often a sign that what one is doing truly matters. It is about daring to remain in discomfort, and still meeting the world with openness.
Cave writes that fear does not necessarily need to be fought or eliminated, but acknowledged. According to him, nervousness and vulnerability are often tied to genuine presence, and audiences notice when something is at stake. He encourages shifting focus away from oneself and one’s own performance, and instead directing attention toward what one wishes to give to others.
Furthermore, Cave points out that art is not about control, but about daring to surrender to the moment. He describes the stage as a place where human uncertainty can become a strength rather than a weakness.
The Red Hand Files is known for Cave’s personal and philosophical reflections on art, life, and existence. His advice resonates with a broad audience, particularly artists who themselves struggle with performance anxiety and visibility.
Here, Cave conveys a clear message: Stage fright does not mean you do not belong on stage. On the contrary, it may be a sign that you are doing something important. The story has been covered by New Musical Express and other music outlets around the world. I felt this was a meaningful way to bring hope and inspiration to more people.
In the same post, Cave also describes having a spiritual experience during a live concert with Radiohead, comparing attending a live concert to something unlike anything else. Read more in the links below:
