Music has always been a way to say what words can’t. Neurodivergent musicians have always been part of that, and more of them now talk openly about how they think and work. This post looks at what neurodivergent thinking can bring to music, and what the rest of the working world can learn from it.
Different minds, different music
Neurodiversity describes the natural variation in how human brains work, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia and Tourette syndrome. Those differences can shape creativity in ways that suit music well.
Many people with ADHD describe intense, absorbing focus when something really grabs their interest, often called hyperfocus. In a creative field that can mean long, productive bursts on a single idea. It isn’t that people with ADHD can’t focus. The task has to be engaging enough to hold their attention, and for many of them music is.
Many autistic people describe a strong eye for detail, pattern and structure, and a capacity for deep, sustained work on the things they care about. Music is built on patterns, from rhythm and harmony to the shape of a song, so it’s no surprise that it can be a natural home for that way of thinking.
Musicians who talk openly about neurodivergence
The producer and Black Eyed Peas star will.i.am spoke publicly in 2013 about having ADHD. The same year, he started a technology company, i.am+, alongside his music career. He’s far from the only one, and we’ve written about others, including Pharrell Williams and his experience of synaesthesia.
Public figures being open about this matters. It gives young people a picture of success that includes people like them, and it pushes back on the idea that neurodivergence is only ever about difficulty.
Music as everyday support
Music isn’t only something neurodivergent people make. Plenty use it to regulate: headphones to shut out a noisy office, a particular playlist to settle into focused work, or rhythm to lift energy and mood. Music therapy is also used with some autistic children and adults to support communication and emotional expression.
What workplaces can learn from music
The traits that serve neurodivergent musicians, deep focus, an ear for pattern and original ideas, are just as valuable in technology, science, design and plenty of other fields. They only show up when the environment allows it. A musician who works best late at night in a quiet studio gets to work that way. An employee with the same needs often has to fight for it.
Getting this right isn’t complicated. Learn how neurodiversity shows up at work, give people some control over when, where and how they work, and make it easy to ask for reasonable adjustments. Our guides to ADHD in the workplace and autism in the workplace go into more detail, and Acas has clear guidance for employers on neurodiversity at work.
How Enna can help
Creative strengths need room to grow. Our Neuroinclusive Collaboration workshop helps teams work well across different thinking styles, and our workplace coaching gives neurodivergent employees and their managers specialist support to find ways of working that fit. If you’re a neurodivergent creative looking for your next role, have a look at the Enna jobs board.
