“Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.” – Brene Brown
Welcome back to the Student Wellness Center’s Fall of Brave Connections! As we delve deeper into exploring the varied and different avenues of bravery, we are joined by Denva Nesbeth Jr. ‘24, who offers insights into how tapping into their strength of vulnerability has served as a personal source of creativity, connection, and purpose.
“I’ve been making music since summer 2017, but it was in late 2022 when I finally gained the courage and confidence to release music on all streaming platforms, and it’s been rewarding in more ways than I could have imagined. Music has been a big point of vulnerability for me because of the amount of confidence it takes to openly put your work out there. I can make an instrumental I love, and it can exist as just a file on my iPad, but once it’s out in the world, it’s not directly mine anymore. There is a level of uncertainty in how it will be received.
Here are my suggestions for overcoming that uncertainty, connecting with your creative side, and being more authentic in your expressions:
- Continue working on your craft because over time you get better at what you’re doing. I mainly started playing beats for my friends 2-3 years after I’d been working on music, so that time allowed me to gradually improve, find my sound, and make things that I felt comfortable sharing.
- Know that getting feedback from loved ones will only make your creativity better. If they enjoy it, it can give you further motivation to keep going. If they give some criticism, be open to hearing it because they can provide a perspective you never considered, which can expand your capabilities. When I started playing my stuff for friends and family, they were the ones that kept telling me to put something out and not keeping songs in the vault. Those responses were definitely a big catalyst in me getting the confidence to release my music out on all platforms.
- Remember to not overthink because art is about how it makes you feel. I knew that “In the Stacks” would be the first song I would release because as soon as I hit play, it felt great and that’s all that matters.
![](https://sites.dartmouth.edu/swc/files/2023/10/Denva_Photo-for-SWC-Blog-Post27-1.jpg)
Whether my music relaxes someone, soothes them as they meditate, puts them in a space of flow or focus, or hypes them up, I just want to make people’s day better. That’s the purpose of my music because that’s what it does for me. It alleviates stress, puts me in a place of flow, and provides a great feeling of fulfillment.
I’m grateful for the connections I’ve made through releasing my music and how it has further deepened the friendships I already have. Being open to the music within me had the beautiful ability to create a feeling of belonging and community with others who share similar interests. From making “In The Stacks” to “Reach Higher,” which touches different genres, to my upcoming album “Back in the Stacks,” it excites me to just continue making what I enjoy and I’m grateful for any person who listens.”
Written by Denva Nesbeth Jr. ‘24