Will Oldham/Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy: Advice to the Young

Singer-songwriter Will Oldham reflects on artistic development, community, and the future of music in an era shaped by streaming platforms and digital culture. Looking back on his own path as a musician, Will Oldham argues that the contemporary music landscape is fundamentally different from the one in which he began creating work. “If music was streaming when I was in my teens, I would never, ever have been involved with making music,” he says, while also expressing optimism about younger generations reconnecting with what he calls “essential humanity.” Discussing advice for aspiring artists, he emphasizes the value of beginning creative work early and allowing it to become deeply intertwined with life experience. Building a strong artistic foundation, he suggests, can make creative expression more meaningful both for the artist and for audiences. The conversation also turns to themes that have long informed his songwriting: solitude, connection, and the search for community. Recalling a relatively isolated childhood, Will Oldham describes how making songs became a way of reaching beyond immediate surroundings. “No matter how strange and twisted your thoughts are and your emotions are, there are people like you,” he says. For him, artistic creation is ultimately an effort to recognize and communicate shared human experiences, particularly in moments of loneliness. “When we do feel potentially terminally alone,” he reflects, creative work can help people discover or build connections with “other human beings that are indeed a part of your community.” Will Oldham (born 1970 in Louisville, Kentucky, United States) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He first appeared in films in the late 1980s and early 1990s, including Matewan and Junebug, before gaining recognition in the independent music scene under several project names, notably Palace Brothers, Palace Music, and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy. Oldham’s 1999 album I See a Darkness is widely regarded as a landmark of alternative folk and has been acclaimed by critics and fellow musicians alike. Over more than three decades, he has released a large body of work that blends folk, country, and experimental music, earning a reputation as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary American songwriting. Will Oldham was interviewed by Christian Lund in January 2026 at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark. Camera and edit: Jarl Therkelsen Kaldan Produced by Christian Lund Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2026 Louisiana Channel is supported by Den A.P. Møllerske Støttefond. Subscribe to our channel for more videos:    / thelouisianachannel   FOLLOW US HERE: Website: http://channel.louisiana.dk Instagram:   / louisianachannel   Facebook:   / louisianachannel